Blood and Magic

Chapter Two: Leaving Etherezereferera Behind

Leaving Etherezereferera Behind

Sweat trickled down Adele's face as she recounted the events to Adelaide.

"What do we tell the others? How do we explain these happenings to our fellow kin? They'll surely be thrown into disarray," Adelaide slumped onto the bed, drained of all energy.

"I'm not sure. But, I don't think it would be wise to reveal the truth about the infant," Adele spoke, her voice laced with concern. Her gaze drifted towards the box that held the crystal, the protector of the child.

"That's what I'm worried about too. It's too dangerous for the child. But I also worry about how we'll explain what happened to Lucio and to his siblings. I'm sure we'll be bombarded with questions," Adelaide expressed her concern.

Adele slowly rose to her feet and approached the black box. She retrieved the crystal and placed it gently on the bed. As Adele and Adelaide gazed upon the infant, they were surprised to see the once sparkling lavender crystal turned pitch black.

"What's happening?" Adelaide recoiled in shock.

Adele tried to rationalize the sudden change, thinking it was a natural occurrence in the infant's growth.

"I don't kn--"

Adele's words were cut short by the sound of incessant knocking. The two were thrown into a state of panic, quickly returning the crystal to its box. They composed themselves before opening the door.

"Good evening, Adele. I was just wondering if you've seen Sir Lucio. I've been looking for him since earlier," Frederico, one of the vampires who joined Lucio's group, greeted her.

"Uh, wh-what do you n-need him for?" Adele stuttered nervously.

Frederico couldn't help but furrow his brows at Adele's behavior. Although he was curious, he kept his focus on his objective.

"I have a letter to deliver to him from King Zaphiropoulos. I'm afraid of what he might do to us if Sir Lucio doesn't surrender to him," Frederico spoke, his voice low and defeated.

"What does the letter say?" Adele asked, full of concern. She was alarmed by Frederico's words and the tone of his voice. Frederico handed her the letter, signed by King Zaphiropoulos. Adele read it immediately.

"I'm giving you three days to surrender and return to me. This is my final ultimatum to you. You won't like what will happen if you continue to resist. King Zaphiropoulos," Adele's heart pounded heavily in her chest after reading the contents of the letter, which she could only describe as a threat.

"Mister Lucio and his siblings are gone," Adele blurted out uncontrollably. Frederico was confused by Adele's words. Adelaide quickly approached her sister to calm her down.

"What do you mean?!" Frederico asked, bewildered.

"A while ago, they performed a ritual using their mother's book. They intended to create the most powerful creature that could defeat King Zaphiropoulos. However, they failed. Their strength and power were not enough to create such a being. Like their mother, they were also trapped in the black book," Adele explained, her voice filled with sobs. She chose not to reveal the whole truth to protect the innocent infant.