~YULIA
I looked at Issa with a bit of confusion at what he said.
Why was he changing the plan? He squeezed my hand softly, which meant to tell me that he knew what he was doing.
“Why are you changing your mind after all these years,” Davina asked him suspiciously. “What is your plan?”
“Davina,” Albus admonished lightly. “He helped rebuild the school.”
Yet it was not enough to make the headmistress back down. She still had her claws out for him.
“It does not give him the right to choose when to enter into our folds anytime he feels like it,” Davina said with a cold glare.
“Actually, it does. Without me, all your precious books and items would have been lost,” Issa said, shooting Davina his own cold glare. “Burnt down by the same witches that betrayed you when you let them into your boy scout club,” He added with venom.
Davina could only glare because I could tell that she had no retort.
“And the sanctum is forever grateful to you for helping us weed out the traitors,” Albus said gracefully.
“Look,” Issa said. “I want the best for my niece, and I know that you have a lot to teach her, Albus. I’m sure you have heard about what happened in the class she took and how she hurt someone,” Issa continued. “She needs guidance and who better than you to help her?”
Albus smiled. “Well, if you put it that way, then I would be much obliged to help,” The chancellor said.
“Then we can all agree that Yulia joins the sanctum in my place, because I am a busy man, I run the largest werewolf pack in the territory and I am in charge of protecting a multi-billion-dollar company,” Issa said.
Albus’ brows came up with interest before he smiled in satisfaction at Issa. He had gotten what he so much wanted.
“Then you would not mind if Yulia joined me for a walk, this fine evening, her… education should begin immediately, should it not?” Albus said.
I looked at Issa who nodded at me. He just made it easier for me and I was grateful for that.
“Davina, dear, why don’t you join Issa and enjoy the evening, I need some time with Ms. Moonshadow before the night wears on,” Albus said.
“But Albus” Davina began to protest before she was cut off..
“Come on, Davina, I will not bite, I promise,” Issa said with a smile.
“Besides,” Albus added. “You two need to finally talk things through, you have so much to catch up on.”
Davina’s eyes widened.
“He is right, you know,” Issa added. “We need to get to the bottom of why you hate me so much.”
“I need a drink,” Davina dryly said and unlinked her arm from the chancellor before walking past Issa.
Issa winked at me playfully and followed her.
“I wonder what really happened between the two of them,” I mused as I watched them go.
“They were young and in love once,” Albus said.
It was hard to imagine Issa and the stern looking Davina together. “What happened?” I asked.
“The war brought a lot of tragedy and they both grew distant, it was nobody’s fault really, quite unfortunate if you ask me,” Albus said as he watched with me.
We began a leisure stroll towards the large front porch.
“What caused the war?” I asked as he adjusted his silver round glasses.
“Greed,” he said. “Some people wanted to reclaim their lost glory through any means necessary, while others wanted more powers,” he said.
I knew that there was more to the story but I had a feeling that he was not in the mood for that particular story.
“And the Cult of the Black Rose started it?” I asked.
“If I may ask, how do you know about the Cult?” Albus asked.
“When my mother was killed, I found a black rose by her body, and then other bodies began to turn up with black roses stuffed down their throats,” I told him.
“It is very disturbing that you had to experience that,” Albus said with a sad shake of his head.
“Why are they so evil?” I asked Albus.
“To understand that, you need to know about the two factions of Magic,” Albus said. “One faction is the Order of the Magic of the Light,” He continued as we reached the porch.
It was already dark outside but lamp poles arranged around the house illuminated the front and back yard.
“While the other faction was the Legion of the Magic of the Dark, the Legion uncovered the traces of a forgotten ancient god of the darkness. The power was intoxicating but the price to wield such powers came at a great price. The sacrifice of all things that represent purity and light.”
The more he spoke, the more I began to fit in the puzzle about why this cult wanted my blood.
“Issa said something about your faction being betrayed,” I said.
“Yes, back then, both light and dark witches and wizards lived together in harmony, and there was a truce between the two factions. We even lived in peace for a while but like I said, greed took over the hearts of some of the witches and even some witches of Light defected to the dark,” Albus explained.
“How did you win against the dark witches?” I asked him, enthralled by his story.
“Win?” He asked in self-depreciation. “We barely secured victory, and the last sacrifice was almost performed if it had not been for the timely intervention of Issa and his sister,” Albus said with a shake of his head. “He and his sister both lost their parents to the war, you know.”
Did Albus know that I was the last sacrifice? Should I even tell him?
“I think it is time for the feast,” Albus said as he looked towards the house. People were going towards a very large dining hall. “We should join them; I have a feeling tonight’s going to be quite entertaining.”
I suddenly felt uneasy because of his words. “What do you mean, entertaining?”
Albus chuckled and walked toward the dinning.
“Just expect the unexpected, Ms. Moonshadow, there is no predicting how tonight may end.”