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She had only been in Harper Rock for a couple of months and already she had settled into the folds of her new mundane life. Having been summoned there by her high priestess, Melinda, Penny had unknowingly been pulled to a city that was like a beacon for the things that went bump in the night; the air itself, that settled around the city, was charged with an almost palpable magic. Any witch, worth their salt, would have been able to have felt it.

The minute she had stepped foot off the train, her pupils dilated and she breathed in the electrified energies that pulsed through the sights and sounds that made up the city. There was an instant attraction and she quickly understood why Melinda had chosen this place as the site for the gathering.

Together, they spent night and day, for weeks, going over the finishing touches and tying up of loose ends. This gathering was a coming together of over twenty covens, from all around Canada and that year marked the sixtieth year anniversary; it had to be perfect.

That is exactly how it was, perfect. In fact, there were only three groups that didn’t make it. According to Melinda, that was not only normal, it was less then what was expected. Usually there were more than that, in the past events that didn’t show.

The only known complaints were that everyone wished that it had lasted longer than a week. It seemed that like Penny, the others felt very at home in Harper Rock. But why? That was what Penny couldn’t quite catch. What was it that made this place feel the way it did? It was that question that prevented her from leaving and going back to her cramped flat in Toronto. Did she even want to? She really had no reasons to go back, other than to get her stuff.

Her flat had only been a 500 sq. ft. efficiency. So it didn’t take much time in packing up her things and moving them to Harper Rock. The thing she was having a hard time with was finding a decently priced place to move into; you wouldn’t think it would be so hard in a city the size of Harper Rock.

Of course there was something to be said for living in a hotel; you never had to worry about cleaning and Penny found she was becoming spoiled to the breakfast buffet that was served every morning between 6a.m. and 10 a.m. Luckily for her, she was an early riser. Still, she was no Rockefeller, and her bank account was beginning to suffer.

Days stitched together formed weeks and weeks stitched together formed months, it had been exactly three months since the young witch had left her family, coven and home. The proclivity to stay in Harper rock had been so strong that she didn't even take into any consideration of what she was giving up in return. She was alone without a home, friends and coven. Much to her displeasure and against her nature, she had become a solitary witch.

There were a couple of times where the pull of the city had almost lost out to the need of familiarity. Penny came close to packing her bags and heading back to Toronto; only her stubbornness and unwillingness to admit defeat kept her anchored on her path. She knew there was something special about her new home and she had to find out what it was. There was an almost primal need to do so.

On one of the days of homesickness, it seemed as though one of her needs was met. While scrolling through the local want ads, she spotted an ad for a bartender position at a bar called Serpentine. Without even knowing anything about the place, she quickly sent off her cover letter, along with her resume. Her last job in Toronto was as a bartender at a club called The District.

Bartending was something she knew and was good at, and even more importantly, it was something familiar to her. Just the thing she was in need of.

It didn't take long to get a response, in fact it was quicker than Penny had expected. After a few back and forth correspondences, an interview was scheduled. This gave her something to focus on and allowed her a brief respite from any longings of home.