Chapter 19

"My greetings to you". Akaya said as she gave a low bow.

Carl smirked, "I didn't know the Wizardly Sect would send me a witch this fast". He said as he stood up from the brown red leathery coach he had been seated on as he walked towards the witch. He needed a powerful witch if he was to pull the FireWing clan down successfully. And now, he had one.

"I am at your service Sir". Akaya replied with a mischievous smile as well.

"Tell me your name witch". Carl remarked as he lifted her chin using his two fingers to look at her well. Akaya straightened up.

"Akaya is my name".

"Good!". Carl exclaimed. "Tell me what you want in return. After all, you know my plans and I'm sure you're going to help me out".

"I need strength to work this out perfectly. I will need your blood for the first seven days, for us to be bonded as Chief and Emissary, from then on I can survive from the blood of other living creatures". Akaya explained.

"Sounds like a plan". Carl replied as he took out a pocket knife and slit his palm, the blood pouring in a bowl that was on top of the table that was in front of the set of coach present in the room.

FLASHBACK.

"So, what's your plan?". Ninah asked Ambrose who was landing on the outcasts of the NightWing territory. Ambrose jumped at the voice, she wasn't expecting someone there.. someone who was expecting her and someone who kind of knew what she was about to do.

In front of her was a white skinned woman in her mid forties. She had very long dark hair that was held up in a high ponytail. The woman had slanted dark eyes but beautiful, she was in a dark long sleeved dress that swept the forest floor when she moved. Her long finger nails and ghoulish smile said it all... she was a witch!.

Ambrose took a step back, the smell of the dark magic surrounding the woman in front of her was choking.

"What plan?". Ambrose asked.

"Your plan for saving the love of your life". The witch stated.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?". Ambrose asked taking another cautious step away from the witch. Time was running out and she needed to go.

"Oh right. How dare me? I forgot my manners". The witch responded, her sound getting deeper. She was almost loosing her focus.. she needed blood and she needed it fast!. "You can call me Akaya. I just wanted to know what your plan is, I... kind of heard you and the FireWing boy talk".

"You eavesdropped?". Ambrose accused.

"Don't blame me.. I heard you talking about blood and it caught my attention". The witch, Akaya responded.

"You want blood?". Ambrose asked. "Of course you do. You're a witch!".

"Right. You're clever young lady".

"So, how does that concern me?". Ambrose asked.

"Carl trusts you so how will you get blood from him? Trust me I can get you the blood you need and I'll get the blood I need too and we'll be both happy". Akaya answered.

"Then what?. What do you want in return?". Ambrose asked. "Why do you want to help me? We don't even know each other!". She protested.

"They say, the enemy of your enemy is your friend. Count me as a friend from now on". Akaya said as she walked in circles around Ambrose who was trying to stand firmly and seem unshaken.

"In short Carl is your enemy?". Ambrose asked.

"You can say that again". Akaya replied with a smirk on her face, standing in front of her and looking at her eye to eye. "Trust me". She paused. "You want to".

END OF FLASHBACK.

"My greetings to you". Akaya said as she gave a low bow..

"Did you get the herbs you told me you'd get?". Akaya asked as she walked in the clearing where Ambrose was impatiently waiting for her.

"Thank the heavens you're here!. What took you so long?". Ambrose asked, "Did you get it?".

"You should be thankful for my efforts. Here it is". Akaya replied as she held our a small clear bottle that revealed the contents in it... Carl's blood.

"I got the herbs but how sure will I be that this is truly a NightWing's blood?". Ambrose asked, her brows furrowed.

"In the dark, the blood lights up in a shed of black red not even witchcraft or any kind of magic can do what it does". Akaya replied. She looked to be full of color than the way she had looked hours ago when they met.

"Okay". Ambrose replied blatantly.

"You better get going".

"I appreciate all your help". Ambrose said softly earning a small smile from Akaya before morphing her wings out and flying away towards the FireWing territory.

•

"Here it is. I'm so sorry for taking long". Ambrose said quickly as she landed, handing Lucky the herbs and the small bottle of blood.

Lucky looked at the bottle, raising it a little in the light as if it were some sort of treasure he was looking over to make sure the value was of high quality.

"Good". Lucky said as he tucked the bottle and the herbs in a small clutch bag he had. "Follow me".

•

Lucky mixed the blood properly while Aisha prepared the herbs. Hamlin had asked where they'd gotten the blood from but Lucky just shrugged which prompted Ambrose in shutting up. She knew to well not to mess with Lucky... she was doing this for Rufus and for Lucky to trust her again. It sounded tricky but she didn't want to loose the treaty between her clan and the FireWings. This was the only way to save the treaty and the friendship between her and Lucky.

She took a deep breathe trying to focus on what was going on, "Where is Chief Plutonic?".

Lucky suddenly stopped stirring the blood in the bowl, spatula in hand but not looking up even though hr could practically feel Ambrose's eyes on him.

"He.. he wasn't feeling well earlier. He's resting now". Hamlin answered.

"Oh?". Ambrose questioned, her brows furrowed in confusion, since when did Plutonic become ill?. That was unlikely of him. She looked at Lucky, his expression remained unchanged... the same, she could read nothing from him nor smell any kind of emotion, (perhaps it was the druid powers he had so he was able to hide his feelings from her) as he continued to work with the spatula again. She sighed as she watched Aisha bring up the herbs to Lucky who mixed them up. Hamlin produced a fire ball from his hands to burn up the mixture so as to come up with the final formula that they needed.

The mixture was ready.

"Rose do you think bro will be fine?". Araminta asked, her voice weak and fearful.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Okay?". Ambrose answered, cupping the younger girl's cheeks before pressing a kiss on her forehead to reassure her that all would go well.

Rufus wasn't well at all. He was sweaty and shaking. His eyes squeezed shut and his lower lip quivering as if he was trying to say something but couldn't. He was laying on the bed almost naked, just in his boxer briefs but the heat and sweat from his body was still overwhelming.

Hamlin sat on the right side head of the bed while Aisha sat on the other side trying to hold Rufus in a sitting position while Lucky knelt on the bed in front of Rufus trying to make him drink the mixture, he didn't swallow the first gulp but Aisha tilted his head resulting in him harshly swallowing the mixture that downed his throat. He finished all the contents.

Rufus stopped moving. His heart stopped beating, so as his breathing.

Aisha looked panicked, "Has he? Is he dead?".

"No no no no". Hamlin said as they laid Rufus back on the bed. "I thought you said this would work out?".

Araminta was crying silently to herself.

Lucky was still kneeling on the bed, thinking of any possible reasons of why the mixture hadn't worked. Could it have been the blood that Ambrose brought?. But it was legit, he had seen and smelt it and he was so sure that it was the blood of a NightWing.

Lucky took a deep breathe as he stood up from the bed and walked towards the Ambrose who was visibly shaking. Had the witch lied to her? Was the witch conniving against her with the help of Carl. She seemed to be too good to be true.

"You suggested the mixture to finish him completely, huh? Why? Why Lucky?". Aisha asked practically yelling at him.

Lucky sighed as he turned to Ambrose. "Touch him with your tongue". He stated.

"Huh? Like kissing him?". Ambrose asked.

"Really? I said touch not kiss". Lucky deadpanned.

"Oh". Ambrose moved towards the bed where Rufus' unmoving body was laying. She leaned forward, sticking out her tongue and touched Rufus' head with it.

Like magic, Rufus seemed to be glitching, Ambrose moved as Rufus' look alike appeared beside the actual Rufus before morphing into a Phoenix.

The Phoenix was dead and badly injured. It's feathers torn away and blood oozing from the open wounds. It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared at first.

Rufus gasped for air before shooting to sit upright as if he just came from a bad dream. Aisha and Hamlin stopped and looked over at him.

There he was, alive and well. Aisha and Araminta bolted to where he was, embracing him tightly. He wasn't breathing hardly or sweating and shaking like before.. He was well and that was all that mattered.. It had worked.

Lucky's plan had worked.