Chapter 11

Pandora stepped out of the JFK airport and was greeted by a cold breeze. She instinctively hugged her black trench closer to her frame and sighed.

"God, why is New York so cold?" she muttered. Nimrod stood next to her and nodded in agreement.

"I wonder the same thing sometimes." He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

"I think we should get to the tournament, I'm pretty sure the Ifrit are already there," said Nimrod ushering Pandora into a taxi followed by Groanin. The twins and their parents had gotten into a separate cab, they wanted to stop home before they attended the djiin event.

"So will we be surrounded by djinn?" asked Pandora in a almost worried tone.

"Yes why?" replied Nimrod.

"Well, its just...ah nothing." she whispered.

"Oh come on Ms. Pandora what is it?" asked Groanin irritably, he hated New York.

"Witches don't mix with djinn kind and I don't think my family will be able to handle it," she said.

"So, you did invite them," said Groanin. Pandora rolled her eyes.

"Only for back up in case a storm of demons invade the tournament," she sighed. Nimrod wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tried to comfort her.

"Darling, it won't be so bad." he said.

"That's easy for you to say, your mother isn't to judge your every decision," she huffed in reply. Nimrod shrugged.

"Yeah you're right, but my mother is dead," added Nimrod nonchalantly. Pandora instantly hushed her complains and focused on the road.

When they arrived at the hotel where the Djinnverso tournament was held every year, Pandora rushed out of the cab and into the hotel.

"Blimey, what's her rush, I say what's her rush," said Groanin. Nimrod merely shrugged and grabbed their bags and handed them to Groanin. The two men walked into the hotel find find PAndora already checking in. Nimrod appeared beside and smiled worriedly.

"Dear, what's your hurry?" he asked as he watched her pick up the room keys.

"I just want to find her before he does," said Pandora.

"Who now?" asked Nimrod. Pandora's shoulder drooped down.

"A very bad person Nimrod." she sighed and grabbed her bag. "I just want to protect her, Maria would have wanted me to." She rushed passed a crowd of people to an open elevator with Nimrod and Groanin trailing hopelessly behind her.

"Ms. Pandora please slow down!" called Groanin. She anxiously held the elevator door and waited for the two men to enter. Groanin dropped the heavy suitcases and sighed.

"Will, you please calm down?" he asked. Pandora glared at him.

"Actually I can't, a teenage girl is somewhere in this building and she is being hunted by an army of monsters, so no I can't calm down." she grumped.

"Pandora, you're not the only here who can find her. You have us and the twins." Nimrod pointed out trying to help the situation.

"I appreciate the effort dear, but let's face it djinn are much, much different from witches. We have a certain way of going about these kind of things and frankly djinn kind does not agree with them."

"How do you know that?" questioned Nimrod.

"It's common knowledge. Witches are passionate and emotional. Djinn are the blue blooded, power pompous, eager to please magic users of the universe." she stated as f everyone should know this. Nimrod stared at her appalled.

"We are not power pompous," he voiced.

"You totally are," Pandora commented. "You're so up tight and well...how do I put this. You're too overbearing when it comes to the real world. You haven't worked a real day of work in your life."

Nimrod chuckled and looked at her.

"And what exactly do witches do?" he asked.

"Witches can't just make money appear out of thin air, that's personal grain and illegal to our laws. We have to work, like normal mortals in society."

"Hmph." muttered Nimrod.

The elevator finally reached their floor and Groanin, Nimrod, and Pandora stepped out and into the hall. They turned down the right and made their way to their rooms. Pandora and Nimrod would clearly share a room together. Groanin took the room across from theirs. Pandora threw her bags in the bedroom and looked out the window. She smiled silently to herself.

"What are you smiling about?" asked Nimrod from the bathroom.

"Just reminiscing in some old memories," she said. "I remember when I was 18, for summer vacation Ben and I runaway to New York. We stayed with a couple of friends and had the time of lives. Maria and Daniel had gone with us, that was the last I remember seeing Maria sane."

"Do you still love Ben?" asked Nimrod. Pandora turned away from the window and stared at Nimrod's reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"No, all I feel for his betrayal and hate." she sneered. "I know he's working with Daniel, he's looking for her too."

"Lydia?" Pandora nodded gravely.

"I can't let them hurt Lydia, like how he hurt Maria and I. That girl is the last hope for us, she should be able to live the life we never had. Se should be happy and be able to love and create those memories that I and MAria longed for." Pandora rambled dreamily. "She should have everything Maria couldn't have, everything I couldn't feel."

Nimrod came out of the bathroom and gripped Pandora's shoulders, "You'll find her don't worry."

"Yeah I will and when I do I'll protect her with my life."

"Well, then we better get downstairs to the tournament." said Nimrod. The couple glided to the door and stepped back into the hall and elevator heading downstairs in search of Lydia Marie Stewart.

Nimrod and Pandora were greeted downstairs by the twins.

"Pandora, Uncle Nimrod!" called John from the doorway leading into the event. Philipa stood next to him waving towards them and smiling.

"Aw, twins!" boomed Nimrod. He rushed over and gave them a hug. Pandora followed behind him.

"Remember you two, look for Lydia," she reminded the twins. They nodded and went off, they were soon consumed by the large crowd of djinn. Pandora wandered from Nimrod side and filtered through the crowd of faces. She could feel her, Lydia. She was here somewhere, but definitely in this room. Mature witches much like mature djinn have the ability to sense younger or other djinn witches in the general area or proximity. Suddenly Pandora heard a voice, that sounded just like Maria did when they were girls. Pandora turned to see a tall dark-haired girl with deep violet eyes standing next to a tall redheaded boy. She smiled thinly and held the boys hand close. It reminded her of Maria and Daniel. Pandora quickly pushed her way to the girl.

"Excuse me," she called gripping the girl's shoulder. The teen looked her straight in the eye.

"Hello," she greeted meekly.

"Is your name Lydia Stewart?" questioned Pandora. The girl stared back at her confused.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" asked the redheaded boy irritably.

"My name is Pandora Patterson, I'm looking for Lydia Stewart." stated Pandora, still gripping the girl's shoulder.

"I'm Lydia Stewart, do I know you?" asked Lydia. Pandora smiled warmly.

"I was a very good friend of mother's." Pandora replied. "I was Maria's best friend."

Lydia stared at Pandora, her eyes shifting across her face and clothes.

"I recognize you from pictures," she said simply. "Why are you here?"

"I'm here to protect you," said Pandora. "I can help you if you let me." The boy next to Lydia pulled her away from Pandora.

"She doesn't need your help, we are perfectly fine," he declared holding Lydia close.

"She's not fine, he is trying to find her." said Pandora.

"I don't know what you're talking about, how did you even get in here?" asked the young man. Pandora glared at him.

"I'm a friend of Nimrod's," she replied. Pandora turned her attention back to Lydia.

"I need to get you out of here," she said trying to grab her hand but was stopped by the boy.

"Dont' touch her," he growled. Lydia turned to him, releasing herself from his grasp.

"Rudyard, be nice she was my mother's friend maybe she could help," said Lydia. "Pandora, can you really help us?"

"Yes I can, but you need to get out of here," she insisted.

"Why?" asked Rudyard. Pandora glared at him and rolled her eyes.

"Its not good for her to out in the open in such a public place." Pandora gripped Lydia's hand. "We need to go."

"Wait," stopped Lydia. "I need to ask you something?" Pandora nodded for her to ask.

"I hear my father," she said, "I see him in my dreams, he's everywhere. How do I stop him?" Pandora looked down at the girl in pity.

"He wants me to hurt Rudyard and his family." she said. Lydia looked like she was close to tears. "I have been plagued by possessions and voices. I just want it to stop."

"Lydia, I need to keep you under watch, ok. We can figure out how to help you, but right now I need to make sure nothing happens to you," assured Pandora.

"Ok," agreed Lydia, "But..."

"But what?"

"Are you sure you can help me?" she asked. Lydia's eyes were tired and scared, if her iris' weren't violet but blue she would look like Maria.

"I am a 100% positive I can help you, your mother would have wanted me to help you." Lydia and Pandora smiled at each other, she had finally found Lydia Marie Stewart. The easy part was over, now Pandora needed to keep her in one piece. God, give her strength.