Immortal Memory (Iris' Atlantis 1)

Prologue: The Cure

Hellebore

"More hot chocolate?" I asked, lifting a silvery teapot.

The young man lifted his face. His name was Hugo. He was a good Christian. And his stress could be felt miles from where I stood facing him. An excellent customer, as students oftentimes were. Polite and silent.

I heard a soft click as he placed his glasses on one of my wooden tables.

"Couldn't you just drop that ridiculous act, man? We all know you aren't really blind."

Well, he was polite most of the times.

"You seem to need this chocolate more than I expected, my dear friend", was all I said.

I poured some into his cup. I wasn't actually sure how the cup looked like. Was it a mug I had given him actually? And it most definitely wasn't the blindfold that forbade me from perceiving this information. Unlike Hugo thought, I truly was blind.

Yet a drop didn't touch the tabletop as I poured hot liquid into a cup that might have been a mug.

"Thank you, Hellebore", He said. The tone made it an apology of sorts.

I inclined my head, accepting the peace offer.

"No problem."

I left the poor boy to agonize over his laptop. I had given him some chocolate, it either made his day a bit better or it did not.

By my shoulder passed two more students on their way out. Clover was a lively witch, and Valentina a very earthbound no nonsense kind of a student I suspected of being more than able of kicking, punching or strangulating me unconscious in a thousand different ways. Which she would never do of course. But was still probably able to, with her substantial martial arts back ground.

I couldn't be really sure of how either of my regulars looked like. But clover I imagined as a small quick mouse, whereas Valentina gave the steady grounded aura of a brown bear. The two were best friends often completing a trio with a third student girl Lavender. Lavender however hadn't accompanied them of late due to persistent flue. Secretly I wondered if she ever would, but that was between the two of us. I suspected she was actively avoiding me and my tea room.

In a corner table by the window a professor was quite as stressed over the oncoming exams as Hugo at the other end of my little tea room. I couldn't hear the sound of digits hitting a keyboard. And the professors aura was far too placid compared to how it had felt just minutes ago.

My extended hand found the fabric of a soft cardigan covering a gently rising and falling shoulder. I placed a rosemary spiced tea on the table, silently as a feather descending. Gently I covered Scale Tongue's sleeping shoulders with a quilt I had brought.

I didn't linger.

I had all evening felt a funny, restless energy building inside myself. I was almost sure it was Mo's doing, somehow... It was a good bet. She had given me more head aches over the centuries than I cared count.

Yet...

I made my way to the kitchens, out of the reach of any in-wandering customers. I stood facing a fridge, deep in thoughts. I usually had help in the Fair Marquise. But today... I had felt like holding the place up on my own.

I had sent Catnip away, said I wanted to be by myself. I hadn't given her any indications as to why I wished to be left alone just today. But the feeling was getting stronger by the second.

Marquise came to rest her immense head against my thigh. I petted the golden retriever absently.

"I don't understand it", I confessed the dog. "I've dealt with so many vampires... And I am sure they are a vampire, this little silvery spider I keep seeing in my visions... But I can't understand what it is they want."