Chapter 21: Derek
No matter what I did to convince Ibrahim that there was no way I’d calm down as long as I felt far away from Sofia, he didn’t budge.
“I understand.” He would shrug and shuffle his feet. “But the Ageless has spoken.”
While I understood how easily the power the witches had could be abused, I didn’t understand their blind submission to the Ageless. I didn’t understand how they could just sit on that power when they could be an agent for good.
However, I had to accept that to reason and argue would be futile, so I had to settle for the next best thing: music. Whenever I returned to my quarters, I would go directly to the guitar they’d provided for me and strum the song I’d hummed many times to Sofia. It was a wordless song that was ours, one that helped make memories of her more vivid.
As time went by, it felt like I was losing control more than I was gaining it. I resorted to using wooden utensils, because I’d already seared my lips and tongue more times than I could count with the heat that was coming from my palms.
I would never gain control of the power—not without her. The prophecy still stayed true. We were strongest together and we were weakest apart. I couldn’t believe that I’d doubted it even for a moment.
Music and memories got me through every day, but my patience was wearing thin and my training with Ibrahim was getting nowhere. The warlock having already given up on me, I was summoned to the quarters of the Ageless.
She lived in a palace made of pure white marble and studded with red rubies. I was brought inside and through a series of halls, gardens and brightly-lit rooms. I couldn’t help but contrast the place with the Elder’s castle. The palace was to light as The Blood Keep was to darkness. It felt like hours before Ibrahim and I finally arrived at a courtyard, beautified by a variety of strange-looking flowers and plants. The Ageless was standing in the middle of a sand circle, located at the center of the courtyard. Her eyes were closed and her face was turned toward the heavens, a peaceful look on her beautiful face.
With the sunset serving as her backdrop, she looked nothing short of heavenly.
Ibrahim cleared his throat to get her attention, but whatever she was doing, it seemed she wasn’t going to stop for anything. We just had to wait our turn.
Ibrahim motioned for me to follow him toward a gazebo where we sat to wait for the Ageless to be ready to meet with us.
“So you’ve finally given up on me,” I told Ibrahim, almost in an accusatory tone. “Didn’t I tell you that I wouldn’t be able to control myself? Not without Sofia?”
“I didn’t give up on you. I’m simply taking extreme measures in order to get you ready. Yes. You told me many, many times.”
“And you’ve finally decided to listen? What exactly are these extreme measures, Ibrahim?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. What you should know right now is that we’re running out of time. If you really want to save Sofia, you need to cooperate with us.”
My pace quickened. “Why? What’s happened to her?”
Ibrahim remained silent.
My jaw clenched. “Ibrahim, at some point, you people have to trust me. If this is my mission, then I need to know what I’m up against. You can’t keep me in the dark forever.”
“I know,” he nodded. “That’s why we’re here. We’re going to try to convince the Ageless to trust you.”
My eyes lit up. “Really?” I couldn’t hide the relief from my voice.
“Don’t get excited just yet. Odds are that she isn’t going to agree. Understand, Derek, that your kind—whichever kind you belong to, vampires or humans—haven’t really given us much reason to see you as trustworthy.”
I didn’t respond out of a fear that I would say something I’d eventually regret. I was perhaps being unreasonable, driven by my desire to be with my wife, but I hated how condescending the witches were to other kinds. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to trust them—not when they had remained in their high and lofty sanctuary while the rest of us suffered in our own realms.
“My meditation cannot be interrupted,” the Ageless explained, appearing before us. “While I am sorry that you had to wait, I can’t say that I feel too bad. Do tell me. Why have you come?”
Ibrahim and I looked at her, breathtaken by her beauty. I was about to stand up but Ibrahim motioned for me to wait. I wasn’t pleased that I was once again being left out of the important conversations, but I’d been at The Sanctuary long enough to know that I had no real influence there.
So this is what it feels like to be a pawn, just a piece someone’s pushing around in order to win a game.
The Ageless and Ibrahim took a walk along the stone pathway that lined the courtyard. I watched as they got into a serious discussion about my fate.
It felt like forever before they finished their little stroll and returned to the gazebo.
Ibrahim seemed rather pleased with himself by the way he smiled at me. The Ageless was, as usual, devoid of any expression.
“Your mentor says that it will do you good to know the severity of your mission, how important it is that you do not mess this up. I will allow you to communicate with Corrine.”
My breath hitched.
“Be warned, however, that you’re not going to like it.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. I had no idea what to expect. Dread came over me.
Once I finally got to speak with the witch of The Shade, I realized that nothing could’ve prepared me for the revelations that she unveiled during our conversation.
I didn’t know what effect Ibrahim and the Ageless were expecting the conversation to have on me. Perhaps they thought that finding out about what was happening back home would motivate me to work harder. My conversation with Corrine had the exact opposite effect on me. After finding out what had happened to The Shade, I was more determined than ever to return home.
My people need me. Sofia needs me. I’m turning into hell personified and for the life of me and everyone I love, I need to get the hell out of here.
Chapter 22: Vivienne
Xavier, Cameron and Liana stood around the wooden table inside Sofia’s quarters, now converted to our center of communication. Yuri and Claudia were standing next to each other, leaning on the wall near the table, seemingly preoccupied. Aiden sat comfortably on the couch nearby, legs crossed, listening in on our conversation.
I, on the other hand, was pacing the floor, hands clasped behind my back. I had just told them that I wanted The Shade rebuilt in time for Derek’s arrival.