Chapter 49: Answers
When they had reached the area where Timothy and his group stayed, Sloane noticed the condition at which everyone was in.
Although they all had homes, everyone of the Fallens were seated on the ground outside. Everyone had disheartened faces but there was a bit of relief. They were mostly skinny with tattered and dirty clothes. Some had different types of injuries, some were sick and others were made up of pregnant women. They all looked starved and in bad health.
"We're clothes distributed in the houses?" Alexa asked
"I made sure to import different types for different sizes in each house" Clark said "Honestly speaking, it cost a lot of magic power. And I still haven't recovered it yet"
"There's a lot of problems sticking their heads out everywhere and to top it all off, our numbers have increased from two hundred and twelve" Zuri said "From the head count I did some time ago, we're roughly three hundred and sixteen"
"When did that happen?" Fernanda asked
"If you count the human mouth we also have to feed, it's three hundred and seventeen" Timothy said while glaring at Priya "Yet, said human, isn't happy I haven't decided to use her as food rations to feed the hungry" he said and everyone looked at Priya
"I know...I messed up, but-"
"But nothing, Priya" Timothy argued "You're a human, with demons who are currently in a civil war. Have you gone mad? Or were you deaf when your parents told you stories about the forests and the beings that stay there?"
"Can you people just stop talking on streets?" Josey said "Everyone's looking at us"
"Let's get inside first" Lilith said while pointing at the mansion up ahead "Then everyone can sit down, and have a normal discussion, like civilized people" and they all agreed and headed towards the mansion
They all headed inside when they reached. Christian ran to the living area, and jumped on the sofa
"Nice place ya got here" Christian shouted as everyone entered the living area
"You must have put a lot of magic into this" Josey said as she took a seat next to Christian
Sloane and Mackenzie sat on one seat while every other person sat on another, opposite them. Even Priya had been pulled away from Sloane by Lilith.
There was silence for a long while until Mary finally broke it, out of annoyance
"Aren't you four supposed to introduce yourselves?" She asked
"Oh" Priya said "Like I said before, I'm Priya. Priya Rodik"
"I'm Zuri. A vice ambassador of the Fallens, and as you know, Christian's little sister" Zuri said
"Lilith. Another vice ambassador of the Fallens" Lilith said "I'm Tim's sister"
"I'm Timothy. The err...ambassador" Timothy said nervously
"It's nice to meet you all. I hope we get along well" Sloane said "My name's Sloane Michelle. And this is Mackenzie Connor"
'Two different surnames?' Zuri thought 'I wasn't expecting that' while she was thinking this, Lilith was staring intensely
"Priya, you asked me some questions outside" Sloane said
"Yeah" Priya said
"To your first question of what Kenzie and I are doing here, this is where we belong" Sloane said "As for the answers to whether I was kidnapped or I lost my memories, the answer is no. I'm perfectly fine" she sighed "The answer to when we got here, is uncertain. I think I've been here more than once and this time, I decided to stay. Mackenzie's staying because I'm all she has left of the Connor family. As for why am I with the royals and if I know what this place is, I'm apparently their next queen and I'm here because I can stop the civil war. And yes, I do know what this place is. It's the home of the southern werewolf tribe"
"Any questions?" Mackenzie asked
"I think you've gone nuts" Priya said "You belong here? last I checked, you're human. You're meant to be queen? Did they feed you that trash? And how can you be so-"
"Believe it or not, that's the truth" Sloane said with the whites of her eyes turning black and her irises turning platinum "Honestly, I didn't believe it myself, until I flung a werewolf with my bare hands, used a teleportation spell and went to the spirit world to meet an immortal human who was cursed by a devil"
"Wait. You finally believed everything, yesterday?" Christian asked
"If you lived the whole eighteen years of your life believing you were human, when reality comes like a wrecking ball, you wouldn't believe anything you're told, and will just go with the flow" Sloane explained as her eyes reverted back to normal
"O-okay" Priya stammered "W-what of Mackenzie?"
"I'm not a human" Mackenzie said "I found out today, I'm something called a dragon keeper. Isn't that cool?"
"I-It's shocking" Priya said "So the Connor family weren't human?"
"None of them" Alexa said
"So, you....freaks of nature, have been living among us this whole time?" Priya asked
"That's rude. But, yes" Lilith said
"Hundreds of years even" Zuri added
"We never involved ourselves in your day to day lives. The forests have always been our homes" Timothy pointed out "Each time you humans interacted with us by accident, you'd forget us instantly and think of us as illusions"
"So, all those stories about werewolves and vampires and witches and-"
"Few of them are true, while others are insulting, overly proportioned lies" Clark interrupted "We're demons not devils"
"Any other questions?" Sloane asked
"I have one" Zuri said "What on earth are you?"
"I don't know" Sloane said "I have too many bloodlines that have been forced on me. Each of those bloodlines are clashing, so I can't use magic unless I want to die. In that sense, I'm useless" she said "One thing a can guarantee is, this place is safe. So please, fight alongside us"
"We're really having problems right now" Timothy said before walking to his study and bringing out the paperwork before setting it on the table "It's why we needed you guys here before we made the decision of signing this magic contract" he added while waving the contract
"We need food, medicine, and learning materials. At most, ninety of the women are pregnant, there are about sixty people who are seriously injured and have problems healing from the last attack we suffered. And lastly, these people have no knowledge whatsoever. The unborn children of the ninety women can't grow up with any magic, historical or demonic knowledge at this rate" Zuri said
"Can I see the contract?" Alexa asked and Timothy handed it to her. She read through it and handed it back "Sign it. We need everything listed here. And sharing knowledge and manpower, is an important part of an alliance"
"Mum, I'm hungry" Mackenzie said
"It seems like we'll have to start heading back to the mansion" Fernanda said before glancing at Timothy "When you're done with the reports, send them there"
"You forgot we have a trip to prepare for" Sloane reminded "We have to pack a lot of things because we'll be gone for two years"
"Two years?" Zuri let out
"Training camp in the spirit world" Christian "Time runs differently there, compared to here. Two years there, is a day here"
"Oh" Zuri said
"We'll see you all...later" Sloane said as she and Mackenzie stood up and left with Alexa and her group
"I thought you were going to ask her for freedom. Because she's queen" Zuri said
"The fact that nobody was hurt while most of you were living next to us, means that I'll be fine even if I'm in the lion's den" Priya said "Now, I can finally take that peaceful shower"
"Aren't you worried about your family?" Timothy asked as he saw her walking up the stairs
"Family? Ha" Priya let out "My stepmother and half siblings treat me like a maid. My father treats me like I don't exist" she paused while looking sad "I doubt they'd miss me if I just so happened to disappear in the forest" she continued up the stairs
Timothy only stared at her retreating figure with an incredulous expression. He clutched the contract in his hands and looked away before heading back to his study and picking up a pen, he set the contract on the table and signed it.
His name lit up on the paper and then, fog began to fill up the study.
"What the-"
"You finally signed it" he heard someone say and when he looked up, a blindfolded woman with a staff, who was dressed in red ancient Greek clothes and had red hair, stood before him
"Who are you?" Timothy asked as he prepared to fight his way out
"That won't work, Timothy" the woman said and she tapped her staff on the floor
'What did she just do?' Timothy shouted in his head as he couldn't move any part of his body
"I'm Louisa. A high witch who serves the southern tribe's royal family" Louisa introduced "I had them resort to the use of the magic contract because I knew your organization were hiding things from us" she said as she sat opposite him "If you're wondering what's happening to Zuri and Lilith, they're in the same condition as you. While that Priya girl has been sealed in her bathroom"
Louisa waved the staff and Zuri and Lilith were pulled into the room and slammed into the wall; where they stayed floating in place.
"I'll be quick" Louisa said "I actually came here because a premonition showed me that some secrets Alexa kept, which...you all knew about, was what made us lose this war. Well, not just the war, it opened the gates of hell and brought forth the death of everyone except Prince Nathan" she sighed "After I saw that premonition, I had to immediately tell Alexa to spill the beans to Princess Sloane, on the dirty secrets you've all been keeping. Since then, I haven't received another premonition. Do you have any questions?" she asked with her head slightly tilted before tapping her staff on the ground
"What was that contract?" Timothy asked
"Assurance. Assurance that you'll not be the end of this world" Louisa said "That contract will only affect you and your group. There will be no harm to the royal family if they fail to do as promised...which, I doubt. They are people of their words and I don't need foxes tricking wolves" she said "Doing what is listed in the contract, also crosses out the long list of people Prince Nathan would probably kill. You should be thankful" she stood up and was about to leave "Oh. I learnt of the forbidden acts that were carried out by your Marquis family, Lilith. I suggest you make a detailed report and hand it over. If you fail to do so-"
"I understand" Lilith dreaded
"Good" Louisa tapped her staff on the floor and was enveloped in fog. When it settled, she was gone and her spell had been cancelled.
Zuri and Lilith fell on the floor while Timothy slumped in his chair
"Lilith...." Timothy called out as he could see she was already sobbing "...tell me what happened"
"I'm sorry" Lilith murmured
"What trouble have you put us into, Lilith?" Zuri shouted