33 Searching For Answers

The street was quiet and peaceful from her view of the window unlike the storm of confusion inside her head. Those meaningful glances from Old Bertie was all she could think of since coming back which distracted her from her original intention in coming. She and Landon spent the ride back with silence as they were both preoccupied with their thoughts.

Ley couldn't help but pace all over the room as she tried to get a handle of her growing curiosity and apprehension. She needed to know why. It felt like it was a crucial piece of information that she can't afford to let go.

Having made up her mind, she immediately went out of her room and headed straight outside the building quietly until someone asked, "Where are you going?"

Ley looked at where the sound came from and saw Gale leaning on the wall. It looked like a deliberate move on his part for some reason.

"I'm just going out to get some air," she replied nonchalantly.

"Perfect. I need to get some too. Let's go," he perked up, flashing his charming smile that the cafe customers love but ineffective on her.

"What are you really doing here?" She said, looking at him in suspicion.

"Getting some air," he muttered, his eyes innocently clear.

"Did Merda send you?" she said, rolling her eyes at his excuse.

Gale threw his hands in the air in surrender and replied,"Yes, she said you'll need me."

"Was it a vision?" Ley asked with trepidation.

"No. It's more like a feeling that she can't fathom."

Ley sighed and realized that she can't sneak out alone this time. Merda didn't have perfect visions but she was rarely wrong. There's no reason to avoid being extra careful besides Gale had known her for a long time and her identity wasn't a secret to the others.

"Let's go then," she said and headed for the car with her babysitter.

They arrived back on the clearing quickly without hitches. Ley immediately went for the door while Gale hung back.

"I'll wait for you here," he said, subtly giving her privacy.

"Thank you. I'll be quick and don't trigger the traps," she warned him, to which he just saluted in response, before she opened the door without knocking.

The room was dimmer than earlier as if the lamp struggled to keep away the darkness and she would have barely seen Old Bertie standing in the corner if it wasn't for her sharp eyes.

"You shouldn't have come back," Old Bertie said, her voice calm but there's panic leaking out of it that she detected.

"With all those cryptic words that you kept saying earlier, it was clearly a sign that you wanted me to come back," Ley retorted.

"Come back on another day instead," Old Bertie glowered at her.

"I won't budge here unless you tell me the truth. Do you know me?" She said resolutely but she was wavering inside. 

Truth wasn't always pleasant.

Old Bertie looked at her with those eyes that seemed to shine with mania, "Don't blame me then. You see, I couldn't resist. You were my proudest work. The greatest height of my talent. I didn't think I would see you again."

"What do you mean?" Ley said while dread pooled in her stomach.

"I know your secrets, child. They erased who you are but nonetheless it will not hold forever. What was bound to happen will happen and nothing can change that. If you've grown normally, you would've been-"

"A genius engraver?" Ley cut off her mutterings with the presumption that she pertained to her tattooist identity.

"No, you would've been the Queen," she cackled madly.

Goosebumps arose on Ley's skin and she wanted to make sense of Old Bertie's confusing ramblings but deafening howls surrounded them from outside.

"You shouldn't have come back," Old Bertie intoned against the ominous background.

***

Landon padded barefoot wearing only his jeans towards the study while shaking off the vestiges of the shift that clung to him. He did not bother putting on a shirt as he might shift after looking at some urgent documents. The animal was closer to the surface today more than the past. He needed to let out those overflowing emotions by shifting and let the animal channel it out so it wouldn't affect his emotions. It distinctly felt the danger but was unable to hunt them. It needed a target but they had constantly encountered walls instead. Even now, his beast prowled unceasingly inside him in agitation.

Knocks against the wood disturbed his thoughts and he saw Sebastian at the door.

"Do you have time?" Sebastian asked and judging from his expression, it won't be anything good.

He leaned on the table and motioned for Sebastian to go ahead.

"Regarding the artifact commission that you want for our people, I asked around and there are a few issues. Some engravers found the spell too difficult. As you've said before, the manipulation spell was forbidden and it's not like they practiced it before so the spell to counter it was already forgotten so they have to study it first which would take a while. In the case that they managed to do the artifact, they can't mass produce it easily as if they were just toys. The engraving spells would be intricate so again a certain amount of time is needed. A lot in fact." Sebastian said.

"What's the estimated timeframe needed?" Landon considered.

"6 months with at least 10 working artifacts is the conservative estimate."

"We can't wait that long. We're being targeted for some reason and we can't be sitting ducks when they go at us at full blast," Landon waved his hand in disagreement.

"The easiest way is to ask the magicks for help," Sebastian suggested.

Landon's face hardened at what he heard. He didn't like going to the lot for help but that doesn't mean he would be narrow-minded with it.

"We'll consider it as long as we're clear of the fact that they weren't involved with the attacks," he stated in the end.

"Have you heard back from the Watchmen?"

"Not yet," Landon muttered with a frown.

"It's not like them to respond this slow," Sebastian commented.

"We'll wait a little more and I'm thinking of trying another way to solve our problem," Landon said in contemplation.

"What way?"

"Remember when I told you about that tattooist?"

"How? You would need to have that rare business card right?" Sebastian asked, his tone marred with doubt.

"I know someone who can be persuaded to sell that business card. I'll work on it but proceed with the engraving commission as back up at least," Landon stated.

"If your plan succeeded, who will receive the tattoos?"

"We'll let the elite ones receive it first since they would be at the frontline," he said, his thoughts flying with plans already.

"How about Ara?" Sebastian questioned.

"No don't include her," Landon firmly said but his eyes distractedly looked towards the door.

"What's wrong?" Sebastian asked, looking behind him.

"Nevermind. I thought I sensed someone there. Anyway, we don't have Silas' permission to include his sister in this operation especially when we're excluding him too," he continued coldly as he recalled what Silas did to Ley.

"Alright. I'll get going then."

Landon drummed his fingers slowly to the table as he finalized his plans. His eyes hardened at the imminent danger he could almost taste in the air.