Rose

Chapter 5

Morning came all too soon. Rolling over to see Declan standing there in his boxers certainly woke me up though, and as events came rushing back to me I remembered where I was and why I was here. Showered, dressed, and teeth cleaned, we both headed to the main room of the house to join my grandmother and Willow. They were sitting at the dining room table, a lavish breakfast spread set out. There was fruits and cereals, but my eyes went straight to the covered plates of sausages, bacon, and eggs. Nothing beats a full English in the morning; except maybe a good cup of tea. I loaded my plate and reached for the teapot.

"Willow and I have been discussing the situation," Started my grandmother.

"Any news on Wynne and mam a dó?" Asked Declan eagerly.

"Not yet but try not to worry. I have my best people working on this." She tried to allay Declans fears.

"What happens when they realise Wynne isn't Rose? They'll have no need for her will they? What will they do to her then?" I hadn't thought about that and suddenly I felt really scared for Wynne. I looked to my grandmother for the answers.

"If I know my daughter, she'll be protecting Wynne just as fiercely as if it were Rose they had. She won't let anything happen to your sister, I'm sure of that." She squeezed Declans arm and I saw him relax a little. He knew she was right. My mum wouldn't let anything happen to Wynne; she thought of her and Declan as her own children.

"Rose, tomorrow marks the opening of The Foundation for the next three months. Each year species of every kind come together to learn how to enhance their abilities. Each class is tailored to the individual species and level of learning. The best of the best lend their talents and knowledge to teach the next generation. I believe it would be a good idea for you to attend this year."

"For three months?" I queried. "What about mum and Wynne?" I wasn't sure how this would help find them.

"I don't want you to worry but the truth is if people find out who you are you're more likely to be the next kidnap victim. If we enrol you into The Foundation under a different name you'll be protected. The staff there are very competent and security is good. As a bonus, you'll learn to use your magic."

"What about Declan?" I asked.

"Declan is Human. Humans are not allowed to attend The Foundation. You must understand that the Humans that live here with us are ancestors of the very few Humans deemed worthy not to be banished to the Earth Realm." She explained.

"What do you mean banished?" Declan asked the question before I could.

"Humans are a very volatile species; they are known for their violence, both towards one another and others. Millennia ago they were banished to the Earth Realm to protect the rest of us from their aggressive tendencies. The few Humans that were deemed worthy enough to remain formed bonds with various communities and became part of them. Each group of Humans that still live with us wear the coloured gems of their associative species; the number of gems in the cuff indicates their level of allegiance and therefore trust." She held her hand out to Willow who placed a golden cuff in it. My grandmother passed it to Declan. "You must wear this at all times. The amethyst gemstones represent the Witches. The crest is my family's, showing you are associated with us. The four gemstones are representative of your rank." She explained.

I peered over at the cuff. "What rank is he? Is four good?"

"The highest number of gems on a cuff is seven. However most that wear that rank are well known amongst all the communities. If a new person showed up wearing a seven, people would be highly suspicious. Four indicates a good level of trust, especially for one of Declans age" she indicated.