Avalon: The Magical Kingdom Begins

Book One: The Nocturnalist

Emily has a secret. Adriane discovers a gift. Kara holds the key to something she never even believed possible.

Note: I don't own the Characters, etc.

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Chapter One

Adriane pressed her foot on the gas and maneuvered her truck out of Ravenswood's driveway. She glanced at the clock on the dashboard and swore. School would be starting in ten minutes. It never took her long to drive there, but this was cutting things very close. She forced herself to keep calm and take a deep breath. She had been late before, and in the back of her mind she knew that the idea of being tardy wasn't what was making her so edgy.

In her pocket, her cell phone rang. Adriane quickly grabbed in and flipped it open.

"Hey!" It was Kara.

"I'm going to be late," Adriane told her.

"Dang!" Surprisingly, things had gotten better and better between Kara and Adriane over the years. From fighting over their different perspectives, they had gone to enjoying the insight into each other's worlds. At least, their worlds at school; Kara was as popular as ever.

"Sorry," Adriane said. Talking to Kara was making her feel better. Less empty. Less like Emily was withdrawing from the world.

"Are we getting together after school? I have got such a great idea for our new fundraiser!" Kara gushed.

"Sure," Adriane. "How about you and Emily come by my place after school?" If Emily bothers to come, she thought resentfully.

Sure enough, Kara answered, "Emily isn't coming. She said she had a doctors appointment or something, so I told her we'd fill her in later." Kara paused for a minute, and Adriane could practically feel her frowning.

"What?" Adriane asked.

"Well, this is the second doctor's appointment she's had this month, and she had her physical last month. Her mother told me."

Adriane let out a breath. "I forgot. You don't think she's sick or something, do you?"

"I don't know.." Kara trailed off. Since Kara was rarely lost for words about anything, this only made Adriane more worried.

She turned her truck into the school parking lot. "I'm here," she said.

"Okay!" Kara said brightly. "See you in a few seconds!" Adriane could hear the false brightness in her voice.

Much to her surprise, Adriane wasn't late for class that morning. It was almost a pity; her AP Bio teacher was lecturing, always a bore. She doodled pictures of wolves on her notebook. She could always copy notes off Joey later. As the day progressed, Adriane could feel the sense of being wronged growing inside her so that by lunchtime, she wanted to scream. Emily wasn't at lunch, ("Maybe she's already at her doctor's appointment," Kara said) and Adriane didn't see her for the rest of the day.

When Kara slid into the passenger seat of her truck at the end of the day (Kara hadn't driven today, she liked to hitch rides with her friends) Adrian was feeling decidedly rejected. When was the last time she and Emily had even said hi to each other? Two weeks ago? What was going on?!

"I didn't see her today either," Kara said, catching the look on Adriane's face.

Adriane made a non-committal grunt; Kara rolled her eyes. "I know," she said, cutting off Adriane's triad. "I feel that way too. But we still have a lot of work to do. I know that we've nearly got landmark status, but we've got to push a little more to get that through. We need to focus."

Rarely had Adriane seen Kara that serious. She drove them home.

Later, after she'd had a good cry by herself, Adriane felt better. She'd never cry around Kara, but the truth was that Emily was her best friend, and that her sudden withdraw had hurt Adriane almost as much as when Stormbringer died. Dreamer put his head in her lap.

At eleven, Kara called.

"Hey!" she greeted with her usual enthusiasm. "I have got the best idea in the world!"

"What?" Adriane asked with interest. She was even feeling a little happy.

"You know how we've got that break coming up?" Kara said mysteriously.

"Yeaaah," Adriane said, smiling.

"I think we should spend it at my palace!" She meant her fairy palace, the one she had inherited when she turned sixteen. "We kidnap Emily and bring everyone there! Em won't have a chance to escape, and we'll all have an amazing time!"

Adriane found herself grinning.

"Say it," Kara said sweetly. "I'm brilliant."

Adriane laughed. "Okay, you win this time Barbie."

Kara laughed.

"Hey, wanna sleep over on Saturday? We can stay at the manor or something and plan."

Kara squealed. "Slumber Party!"

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A/N: I know the chapter was monotonous, but things get more interesting, promise. :) Adriane isn't emo, and I know this is boring. But let's face it, what first chapter has anything in it? R&R please!