Chapter 7

• Uncertainty Emerges
• "Tell them to all go to Potestatem Clan, this is an urgent emergency," Avellana said to the messenger in quick haste. If this happened to be true then time was diamonds. The night was coming by fast, and if it reached morning, then she had to wait for the next range of darkness. Her dark brown curls were still thrown to her side, now in a low ponytail to keep it in place.
• She made an action with her hands like a woman saying 'shoo' to the dog, and the messenger was off.
• When he was nowhere in sight, she gave a sigh. The stone's whereabouts was unknown. Her father, from what she had remembered, had it before it was lost. And that was two centuries ago. War would happen if they didn't find it soon.
• "You've been sighing a lot lately," Frederick came into view, wiping the water that was dripping down his hair. He looked like he took a bath, and observing his new clothes; he had not only taken a bath but had a feeding as well.
• They all usually bath in the lake around the woods, but if they were feeling a bit hungry, they go inside the house. They snatch some clothes and kill anyone inside it. They could only leave one behind if he didn't have any memory of it. Avellana obviously preferred the latter.
• "Lovely observation there. Next time, tell me if you're willing to take my place," she said, her voice full of sarcasm.
• "I already hid Lizzie," he whispered. "Three combatants are already guarding her."
• Frederick clenched his fists, his eyes darting left and right before settling at the ground. There was not a single vampire in sight, probably out to train or feed like they usually do at this hour.
• "Are the other vampires going to attend?"
• They looked at the small opening. Wind started to pick up, blowing a few strands of her hair. She looked up at the full moon, admiring the way the moon and stars shined this night. "Yes. I also want the new recruits to be there, I don't anyone to be left in the shadows."
• Usually it was the leaders who chose, especially if the meeting was held in their quarters, if the vampires or combatants needed to hear about this. If they don't want to, the vampires would be sent a thousand meters out, so they wouldn't really hear a thing that they would say. That was the rule. Lucy and Lucas always preferred that, she wondered if the vampires in their own clan actually know anything.
• "Are you sure? They might ask a lot of questions."
• She shrugged at that. Her decision was final, no sense arguing with her, and he
• knew that.
• "And I'll handle it. I also don't want anyone to be left in the dark," she clenched her teeth and gave him a pointed glare to which he rolled his eyes at.
• "It was only one time," he muttered, giving a brief nod. "I'll bring them in."
• * * *
• Avellana found herself facing the three leaders once again, this time, they all wore irritated faces. Lucas was scrunching up his face. Edmund had his arms crossed. Lucy was blinking, her lips curling. "There had been valuable information released about... my father."
• She glanced at the vampires in her clan. One or two held looks of understanding, they were probably the ones who had done the autopsy. She should probably reward them later on, or maybe not. The leaders didn't look remotely interested in her, giving annoyed looks.
• The Intelligentia Clan Leader, Lucy, looked at her with arched eyebrows. Her eyes gleamed with intelligence that usually all vampires in her Clan had. "And what is this 'valuable information'?"
• "Victor Rivers is alive."
• Avellana coughed, hiding a smirk that was appearing on her lips when she saw their faces. Their eyes were as wide as saucers and their jaws were all dropped to their knees. Lucy was the first one to regain herself, her body still as frigid as stone. Lucas looked like a bull ready to run. Gasps echoed. The feeling intimidation was gone, and she straightened her back farther. Her confidence was back.
• She was a clan leader too. They were of same level in superiority; she had nothing to be afraid of.
• "How could there be changes between death and life?" Lucas-the leader of Firmis clan-accused.
• "A sleeping draught was shoved down his throat. Frederick told me."
• "But it couldn't be!" Lucy said, her eyebrows already arching up. "Unless... the everlasting stone! It's lost centuries ago."
• She nodded at her, her lips shaped into a thin line when chatter broke up in the crowd. "Yes, a bit of it was probably dissolved in the draught. We must find it." Her fingers curled into a fist and she banged the wall behind her causing a loud smack, silencing them.
• Edmund laughed, startling them. The side of his lips stretched up to form a lazy grin, though there was something about that smile that sent cold vibes around her. He grabbed an arrow from the bag that lay on his back and twirled it in casual circles
• like a baton. "We?" he snorted. "It's you. We have clans to take care of. If we follow you around, it would cause suspicion. We don't want that, do we?"
• "A woman leading this vital mission? Isn't your brother a combatant? Maybe he could lead this catastrophe." Lucas held a disgruntled look as he faced the leader of Potestatem.
• Avellana spluttered in outrage, poisoned blood already boiling inside her. She snarled and walked towards him, her wrists twisting from left to right when they were nearly millimeters apart from each other. That was it! She was bloody tired of people underestimating her just because of her gender. Grabbing his hands and twisting them in ease, she pulled him closer with a look ready to kill. "One more statement that's directed to the opposite gender, your arms wouldn't be attached to your body, are we clear?"
• He nodded almost immediately, but his eyes still flashed with doubt. That was enough for now, she told herself and stepped back. Edmund let out a light chuckle, clasping his hands together as if amused by the display of anger, "Who are you bringing then Avellana-obviously you need the toughest..."
• Lucy rolled her eyes, "Of course not. The enemy would figure them as a threat. They shouldn't be too strong or too bright for this matter."
• "Are you-"
• "Of course I am! Avellana is as powerful as she is, and our combatants would be tracking her down. She doesn't need to attract more attention."
• Avellana gave them a look, furrowing her eyebrows. Someone weak? Yes, she was strong... but to add... Oh, Lucy had never been wrong. She might as well give it a shot, combatants would be guarding her anyway. Maybe she should go with the new recruits. They looked the less threatening, unlike all the other vampires here, and with a few moves and training, maybe they had a chance to become stronger than they were now.
• But who?
• Certainly not Mike, he was too arrogant. She shuddered at what the whole thing would cause them if she picked him. Instead of finishing the quest, she'd first be killing him off.
• Julie. Well, she could be an excellent pick. From what she had gathered in their first meeting, she seemed to be the person who could catch on easily. She was quiet too, which was quite a plus.
• She didn't really need a fierce companion like Rebecca.
• But then, that would leave Blake. She heard from other people that mates help them become stronger, but since, he still had no idea of this, it wouldn't be the same.
• "Fine," she said. "Blake and Julie come up here now. They're new recruits, I think that's enough."
• Lucy gave an approving nod, eyeing the two vampires who started to walk in the most ungraceful way as possible. Blake almost fell face first to the rocks if it wasn't for Julie holding him up. They really weren't the best vampires, probably the worst now, but after a day of training-maybe they'd be better.
• "Are you sure?" Edmund raised an eyebrow. "As you said, they're new. They could simply be a burden. Think better."
• "Yes." She said it with gritted teeth before turning to the other vampires. "Now, all of you, exit except for Frederick. Whoever eavesdrops would face a life without ears."
• Within a minute, the cave was deserted and there was absolute silence. Avellana turned to her brother who furrowed his eyebrows at her, his hands fidgeting. "Protect father, make sure no harm comes to him," she gave him a poker face. "Since father is... not able to lead this clan and I'm going away, you will take over my place."
• "Of course."
• She nodded before turning her head back to the new recruits who were staring at her with those daze, clueless eyes. "So, Blake, Julie, do you have any questions regarding the mission?"
• "I want to know the background behind the stone," Julie answered timidly and hid her face under the waves of her light hair. She was standing straight as if too stiff to move.
• She would definitely do well in Intelligentia Clan, maybe just a bit of a tweak in her confidence that would pull her straight back up. "Smart question," Lucy remarked. "The everlasting stone was created by a warlock for a group of humans who were the wholly definition of greedy and self-ambitious. Those certain group of humans turned into vampires when the stone was finally created. And that was when the faeries stepped in and say that it was their property-"
• "Faeries? Colorful, fairytale faeries?" Blake cut her off, his eyebrows furrowing at the thought.
• "No! That's preposterous! Where did you get that idea from?" she sneered. "They are vicious, probably an offspring of the devils themselves. They're divided into seven groups-"
• "Seven?" Edmund gave a snicker as the grey-eyed man kept on interrupting her. Avellana couldn't help but narrow her eyes. For someone who was too quiet back in the cell, he sure had a knack for annoying Lucy.
• "Will you please stop cutting me off?" She rubbed her hands on her forehead. "Now, they're divided into seven groups because of the seven deadly sins. Do any of you know what those seven deadly sins are?"
• "I know."
• All heads turned to Julie and she gave them a sheepish smile, "My parents were really religious so it's a must for them to know these. The seven deadly sins are pride, envy, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, and sloth."
• "Yes! Now, the faeries told the vampires that it was theirs since the stone was made out of greed and anger. That caused a huge commotion between both creatures. Werewolves, witches, and all the other creatures start to take sides and almost everyone who was there that night died."
• Edmund flinched at that, but he didn't say a word.
• After a second, Lucy's eyes lightened up. "Avellana, I think I know who found the stone!" She didn't really give them much of a reaction before she continued. "The faeries! Think about it, they wanted it all along. Maybe they found it and knew that Victor could be a threat to it, so they comatose him. Victor was the one who made the stone 'disappear' so maybe the faeries thought that they should get rid of the threat before continuing with their plan."
• Avellana inhaled unneeded air, shaking her head. She had experience facing one or two faeries in her whole life, and it was dangerous. They were powerful. It took her almost three hours just to kill one. Yes, now, she had improved, but she could never underestimate them. If she would have a hard time handling a group of them, what would be like handling thousands of them?
• Nobody really knew where the faeries' lair was. They usually have this large signs on the ground that symbolized a peace sign, and it could guide them there. But that was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Some had said that there were a few portals, and she knew she had a map that was handling them, but it still wasn't proven because they had no mark in them.
• As if reading her mind, Frederick shot her a warning look. "I could come with you. There are many vampires in here. Father would be taken care of."
• "No," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I have to go find it."
• He didn't argue back.
• "Avellana," Lucy started to say. "Could we talk... privately?"
• "Yes, of course," she looked at the others. "Lucas, Edmund, you are now dismissed from this council. Julie, Blake, you need to train and learn you have to learn till the next night. Frederick, go to father and take care of him."
• They all nodded and walked out, to where they all probably came from in the first place. "Now, Lucy, what do you want to talk about?"
• "I have knowledge that the fates gave me and my clan members." She sighed. "I'm guessing you know that already, for your clan was given power over the others. Now, I suspect that the faeries weren't the only ones involve this scheme. They aren't capable of finding the stone on their own."
• "The faeries are capable of doing anything. They're practically sins themselves."
• "Faeries are sloths. That's also a part of the seven sins. Somebody had awakened the war, because absolutely no faerie would fight without a reason."
• "What are you trying to say?"
• "I'm trying to say, that you have to watch your back. Nobody's innocent until one is found guilty. One may be just standing in this very room a minute ago." She said glancing at the opening of the cave as if trying to tell something.
• "You're saying that the person who did this was in this room?" Avellana asked in astonishment. So, she was correct, but a theory was quite different from a fact. Why couldn't she believe it? She was the one who had started the suspicion after all.
• "It's only a theory, but I have a feeling it's Lucas." Lucy whispered. "He's been acting strange lately, being a whole lot prejudice than usual. He's been getting a bit agitated whenever I'm around him before. I'm getting one of my combatant to spy on him."
• "But-"
• "Listen, it's either my statement is accurate or inaccurate. Again, watch your back." She hissed at her before running back to her clan.