Page 93 of Dreams of Magic
“Darius said there wasn’t anything suspicious last time I spoke with him. However, this morning someone tried to cross the boundaries and they caught him. They’ve been trying to interrogate him, but he won’t shift. So, it’s a waiting game now. He’ll let us know when they’ve got something.” Marshall motioned for them to join Aiden and Chris on the couches.
Once they were all seated, he continued, “So, me and Kenzie had another dream visit with Rhiannon.” He told them everything that was said in the dream, then waited for their reactions.
Chris and Aiden both looked like they were trying to figure out what it could mean, Sorcha looked concerned, but Raven was angry.
She shot to her feet and started pacing in front of them, “What the bloody hell does that even mean! The fate of the whole world will be a stake? Look to the beginning of what? The world? Or does she mean the beginning of werewolves and vampires? Or your bloodline? It’s a pile of shite is what it is! That’s no answer at all.”
As Raven passed in front on her, Kenzie reached out and pulled her back down onto the couch, “Chill girl, you’ll wear a hole in the rug.”
Raven huffed out a breath, “Well, I’m right though. She just dropped a bomb with no answers and expects us to work a bloody miracle. Oh, and hurry up, because of course, we must figure it out asap, right? Just more riddles.”
Marshall sighed, “Yes, it was more riddles, but I think she’s doing the best she can. The way she said it sounded like the Goddess put her on a leash for some reason. Like, maybe, finding the answers is part of the resolution.”
“I don’t know, but it looks like we have even more work to do. I’m not sure how we’re supposed to hurry though. We’ve literally been looking for answers every extra minute we have.” Kenzie was getting frustrated. It seemed like for every step forward they took, something shoved them back two more. They weren’t any closer than when they’d started.
Aiden picked up a notebook and started writing something, “Let’s break it all down. Andre wants both of you and your powers for some unknown reason, the prophecy says you will either doom or save all of magic, you are apparently hybrids of some kind, Andre is using a sorcerer and Tate for his plans, and we apparently need to hurry. Also, we need to figure out what beginning Rhiannon was talking about. I think that about sums up the bullet points. Did I miss anything?”
Sorcha spoke up for the first time, “Um, the spy? Or mole, whatever you want to call them.”
Aiden nodded, “Yes, that’s right. And more than one it seems. I wonder if maybe it’s not just William and Corine who are worried about that. The others seem to be going a bit overboard with questioning people, seeing as it is not their place.”
Kenzie fidgeted, she hated knowing so little and always having to have things explained to her, but asked anyway, “How is it not their place? I thought they are like, your governing body?”
Chris answered, “Yes and no. They are there to maintain order and implement the laws of our people. They enforce the laws, when necessary, but only when the faction in question can’t handle it on their own. We mostly police ourselves. They are more like overseers. They each work more closely with their own factions, each making sure everything is running smoothly. But the vampires, for example, have very little say over what werewolves do in general and vice versa. The council’s main purpose is to keep the peace between the factions, to uphold the treaty. Does that make sense?”
“Yea, I think I get it. So, the fact that they are questioning werewolves, is not okay?”
He nodded, “That’s right. William and Corine could tell them to leave for doing it, since no one has broken any laws, they have no jurisdiction. We’ll need to speak with them after we are done here.”
“Yea, I’ll call them in a few. When I do, we need to give them some more information now that we have it. We’ll give them enough to hopefully get them off our backs.” Marshall turned to Raven, “Can you do me a favor and get the book with the prophecy, please? We can show them that and hope it appeases them. However, we will not under any circumstances tell them that me and Kenzie have vampire or witch blood. Even if they suspect, we can’t confirm it, or they will think they have power over us.”
“What do you mean, power over us?” Kenzie asked.
“Not like magic power. Control. Technically if we are part witch and vampire, then we could be considered under their jurisdiction. They could make us go with them. As werewolves, we are only under William and Corine’s control, and I’d like to keep it that way.” Marshall explained.
“Okay, so don’t volunteer any extra information, got it.” She nodded in understanding.
“So, Raven, the book?”
Raven shrugged, “Sure, give me a sec. Oh and, sorry about your plant.” Then she closed her eyes and placed her hands on her knees, palms up.
Marshall looked at the draping ivy plant sitting on the windowsill behind his desk, “What’s wrong with my plant?”
It was beautiful and lush, full of life and obviously cared for. But as they watched, the plant slowly wilted, the leaves turning brown and yellow. A few brown leaves slowly floated to the floor as the branches drooped.
There was a popping sound, and everyone turned back to Raven, who was now holding the large book she’d shown them the first day Kenzie met her. The book with the prophecy.
“Woah.” Sorcha exclaimed as she leaned forward to gently touch the book, as if she were checking to see if it was real, “How did you do that?”
Raven wiggled her fingers over the book, sending little sparks flying from her fingertips, “Magic darling. A retrieval spell. I really am sorry about the plant though. Spells, unlike the elements, require a balance. A give and take. Whereas the elements are a part of us, we might get tired from exertion, but it doesn’t have a price per se.”
Marshall got up and walked over to his now dying plant, “Dammit Raven, it took me two years to get it to look like that, now it’s dead.”
Raven chuckled, “I didn’t realize you liked plants so much.”
Marshall just glared at her.
“Oh, alright grumpy, I can help it a little bit. It’s not dead yet.” Raven placed the big book on the coffee table as she started to rise, but then plopped back down. “Actually Kenzie, why don’t you do the honors?”