In Plain Sight

Chapter 1

Serena's POV

"Tony, you got a spare pickaxe? I think I know a good place to mine for silver and gold." I stated, dusting dirt off my navy trousers. The man in front of me chuckled.

"You always know where to find that stuff, Seri." He said, tossing me a smaller pickaxe than one you would originally find. "Silvan was so full of ore that your kind basically developed a sense for it. You're basically a living metal detector." I rolled my eyes and thanked him for the tool, and climbed down into the mine. Seeing a good patch of shimmering stone, I swung my pickaxe into it. Crack! The stone went as it crumbled into dust. What was on the other side surprised me the most.

"Holy sheeit!!" I shrieked, nearly dropping my pick. "Guys! Come quick! We just hit the jackpot!" Soon every miner started to crowd around me, and gasped.

Diamonds. Diamonds. Frickin' diamonds, along with rubies, emeralds, and all kinds of jewels.

"We're gonna be so rich!" One person shouted. Just then, Tony poked his head down into the mine.

"Seri?" He asked. "You got a visitor." I shrugged and climbed out of the mine, shaking the dust from my elbow length braid of metallic, copper hair. Next to Tony was an old man with a long, white beard wearing a blue robe and hat. I raised an eyebrow.

"This is the countryside, not Hogwarts." I teased. He chuckled.

"Guess you're good with a pickaxe, huh?" He asked. "Bet you'd be even better with a double-bladed scythe."

"If you think she's good with the pick, then you should see her with a katana!" Tony exclaimed. "She carved her own once, and nearly sliced a tree clean from its stump!" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Took me three days to make it, and you broke it trying to use it as an axe." I pointed out, glaring. He sweatdropped.

"In my defense, we got a lot of wood." He stated. I facepalmed and turned back to the man.

"You here to hire me to do something for ya?" I asked in my southern accent. He shook his head.

"Are you Serena Silversword of the Silvana in Silvan?" He asked. I nodded.

"If you're some kind of bounty hunter for Malcolm, then scram." I snapped, crossing my arms. He shook his head.

"My name is Merlok, Royal wizard of the court. I come from Knighton with an invitation for a scholarship at Knights' Academy. King Halbert hopes you will attend." He answered. My jaw dropped. No frickin' way did he just say that. No frickin' way.

"It's a deal."

Now how was I going to hide myself? Well, my wings I could probably enchant and hide under my backpack, my silver eyes I could get contacts for, but my bronze hair. . . Ooh! I know! I could cover it up! But what would I call myself. . . Then it hit me. The Silverswords were originally the Mooringtons hundreds of years back, so I could go for that.

And that was how I ended up on the holorail for Knighton as Claire Moorington.