Ari was inwardly trying to talk herself out of it, but it would be no use. She didn't even care if people stared at her. She turned the slip of parchment over and over in her fingers as she counted the steps up to the goblet, pausing just before where she knew the age line was drawn. She turned over the slip of paper once more.

Three people in the last two days told her they thought she should. And the little voice in her head that told her she couldn't was being drowned out by the one that told her she most definately could. This was not happening. This was not happening. This was not happening. But this was happening. This was so happening. If she didn't put her name in, she couldn't even say she was willing.

Ari held her white cane at her side as she stepped over the age line, and held up her hand until she felt the hot flames. And dropped in the slip of parchment.

Oh. MYGOD. From behind her dark glasses, Ari blinked rapidly. She didn't even...What? She backed away from the goblet and swallowed hard. Ari had never passed out before, and had no experience with it, but, right now, she felt like she would. For just a moment, she hoped she wasn't of age, but she knew very well that she qualified. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards.