"Darya, what in the goddess's name are you doing, child?"

Lysandra had found a curled-up Darya sleeping in the garden, the moon high in the sky. It took her only a moment longer to notice the sad state of Daphne's rose bush, which caused a sharp intake of breath.

"Darya, get up now, we need you! I can't even think about the state of these poor bushes at a time like this."

Moving slowly, Darya flexed her tense muscles, attempting to stretch the drowsiness from every tendon. Every crick and crack from her tired bones was pleasing to her ears.

"Huh..." Darya mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes and earning another displeased huff from Lysandra.

"Kore is in the drawing room! She has come to call on us – now hurry along!" Lysandra's words hissed through her grinding teeth.

The pair hurried inside, making their way quickly to the drawing room. As they approached, Darya could hear the voices of several high-ranking coven members from within, causing her stomach to flip.

Kore–pronounced core-ah–stood by the fireplace, appearing as regal as ever. Dayra noticed how her jewelry reflected from the chandelier hanging above. The other faces seemed to meld together, some sitting, some standing. More coven members in her home than she had ever seen before. The hair on the back of Darya's neck began to tingle.

"Thank you for joining us, Darya." Kore's tight voice came, her face remaining almost motionless and showing no emotion.

Darya gulped visibly before acknowledging the head priestess. "Evening, miss." Her palms were sweating, and suddenly, her back felt far too stiff. She knew that whatever this night held could not be good.

"We have received a message requesting your presence by the oracle in Prythia immediately. You must gather your things and begin the journey posthaste."

Darya stared at the head priestess in stunned silence. Daphne's warm hand closed her agape mouth, stirring Darya from her stupor. She looked around at the rest of the coven members, who appeared to be here simply to bear witness as Kore delivered this message to her, statuesque and still.

"That's at least a week's journey..." Darya mustered the strength to say.

"Exactly, which is why you must begin tonight," Kore quipped, admiring the fine shape of her nails.

"But...but I have no idea how to get there!" Darya protested more forcefully, searching the faces of Daphne and Lysandra.

Daphne appeared apologetic yet firm, while Lysandra showed little emotion. Darya knew she would not be receiving any assistance from them.

The journey to Prythia is long and hard, and even with magic, it had to be undertaken in the traditional way. There were no portals to create, nor any magical means to get there.

Not to mention the plethora of human towns along the way, and the creatures rumored to litter the pathways. It was a hard task for a seasoned Sorceri to complete, let alone for one who had muddled every bit of magic she'd ever tried.

"Which is why we've requested that you be accompanied by a chaperone," Lysandra's firm voice broke the silence. "You will pack your belongings and go without another word."

Darya stood for a moment, stunned once again, unsure how her world had suddenly been flipped on its head. After a brief hesitation, she turned from the room, having no choice but to do as she was told.

Disobeying the head priestess was simply not done. When a command is given, it must be obeyed. The alternative is becoming an outcast, and a Sorceri without a coven is a sitting duck – no one wants to be that.

Even as Darya looked around her room, imagining every possible item she might need on a week's long journey, she felt the walls closing in around her. She had never left her home. She had read about the different planes of the universe, the cities and towns, the mundane and the supernatural creatures that inhabited her world, but she had never taken the first step out into it.

As her mind spun in every direction, she remembered what Lysandra had said and felt a cold chill run up her spine.

Chaperone!?