Seek (Book 2 of the Hide and Seek Duet - Completed)

9. Truths and Lies

Through the window, I watched Chase in the garden, he was re-enforcing Tiana's wards, I tried to focus on him, so I could avoid the noises behind me as the boys secured The Prophet. He had recognised me, knew who I was, who my family had been and I felt torn between hating him for what he did and wanting to be near him to hear about my family and the prophecy.

I sensed the boys hatred for the man, for what he had done to me but even that gave me no relief. I knew whatever we discovered would be life changing... if we could get through the lies.

"Tavi, we're ready" Stones voice called down the hall and I knocked on the window to get Chase's notice, he waved back and heading towards the door, turning I took a deep breath and made my way towards the back of the house.

Stone was waiting for me outside the door "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked softly, his hands coming up to cup my face, his gaze searching mine.
"Yes" I croaked out, the emotion in my voice.

"Okay baby" he pulled me into his arms "but if at any point it gets too much, we can stop or you can leave, we can get the information from him for you" he soothes, but I need to do this.

Chase stops behind us and I can feel his concern. "I will be okay" I say, straightening my spine and pulling out of Stone's arms. "Lets do this"
Stone and Chase exchange glances over my head but I know its just in their concern for me, reassured Stone opens the door and we enter the room.

The cool temperature had made this room perfect for Tiana to preserve her spells and ointments, and looking round now, its stone floors and walls made it a very effective chamber for our prisoner, who was chained up against the wall. Stone guided me to a pair of chairs facing him and sat down next to me, Chase leaning on the wall behind us. Stone looked around and then nodded at Talon to begin.

"Gerand St Germaine we have some questions for you about the St Croix prophecy, it would be in your interests to cooperate, as we will get our answers in any way we can, it's up to you if it's the easy way or the hard way. Do you understand?" Talon asked politely, removing the gag to allow him to reply.

"You won't get away with this" he splutters, spitting at Talon. "You have no idea who you are messing with. The council will deal with you"

"The hard way then, okay" Talon smiles at him and I see the flicker of fear cross his face, as River steps forward with a big knife, slicing away the man's clothes, till he is just in his underwear. River trailing the knife down his side, with just enough pressure for him to feel it but not cut the skin... and that was all it took for him to break.

"Stop, please stop" he cries out and we all wait "I'll tell you, everything... but you've got to promise to protect me" he sobs.

I hear a click behind me and realise Blaze has started recording, good then we will have proof.
"Okay, lets begin..." Stone tells him and the questioning starts...

I feel numb, I'd passed anger some time ago and now I was numb. Talon had just injected The Prophet with a sedative and was cutting him down. I knew my block was down and from the concerned looks coming my way, I knew the boys could feel my emotions.

"Tavi?" Blaze whispered lifting me from the chair into his arms, taking us away from the man that had destroyed my life with a vague prophecy.

"Tavi?"
"It was all lies" I croaked out and Blaze tightened his arms. "How could they have taken that and made it fit the massacre of my family... How?"

"Because people twisted the truth to fit their own agenda, and then it was twisted again to ensure results and then the lie was buried, when people started to see through it" Chase answered, coming into the kitchen behind us.

"No one should have that power" I growl, feeling the anger returning.
"Powerful people will often do anything to keep hold of their power, the prophecy, taken either way, was a threat to how they ran things. Either your family would help balance the links between faerie and here, or would break them. Those in charge knew your family was good, they knew the risk they were taking, but chose to sacrifice you for greed." Chase said, and I could hear the disgust in his voice. He had worked for the council for years as a hunter, how many times had lies been told and he had carried out his job for them.

"We can't exchange him, if the council gets hold of him, they will kill him, Prophet or not, he is a liability to them. We may need him to prove what's happened. I don't think the recording will be enough" Talon added dropping into a chair next to us.

"How do I find my grandfather then?" I ask and feel Carnwennan come to life, a whisper through my mind 'you just needed to ask me' and a vision of an old man in a regal bedroom crosses my mind before I am zooming out of the image and I see the house and grounds and a crest.

"Thank you" I say putting my hand over the belt before raising my eyes to the others "I know where he is... sort off" I shared the images through our bond and the boys gasped.

"He is at the Academy" Stone tells Chase.
"How..."
"Carnwennan told me" I tell him. "What is the Academy?"
"Its where young witches train before choosing their path. It would explain why no one could sense him, the Academy has layers of protection, blocking many gifts, to keep what happens inside the walls from scaring the locals, however in this case it looks like it's keeping him hidden" Stone explains.

"Can we?"
"Did you see his room?" Chase asked and I nodded. "Then you can create a portal there, just be careful, he may not be alone. we need to plan..." he warned.
I didn't wait but summoned the portal before anyone else spoke, leaning out of Blaze's arms to reach it, Blaze tumbling through behind me into the room Carnwennan had shown me.

"Who are you and how did you get here?" Boomed a voice above our heads and I wriggled out of Blaze's hold to look up.
"Grandfather..?" I croaked, seeing him and memories flashing back to me.

He dropped to his knees, his eyes on me "Oleander, no Octavia? How?" he reached out his hand to me, unsure he was'nt dreaming.
"LuPa" I cried clasping his hand, my childhood name for him falling from my lips as tears fell from my eyes.
"Vivi, oh my child" he whispered as he pulled me closer, patting me as if to prove I was real.

Blaze jumped up at the sounds of rushing feet outside the room. "Tavi, sir, we need to go" he muttered lifting me up into his arm and grabbing my grandfathers arm, pulling us back towards the portal and through.

"Tavi, Close it quickly" Chase ordered as we appeared in the kitchen, the sound of angry voices yelling at the Academy as the portal closed. There was a moments silence then angry voices this end as the boys let me know I was in trouble.

"STOP"
My grandfathers voice brought silence and he scowled at the men around the room, ending on Chase.

"Chase, what are you doing here with my grand-daughter and who are these boys" he demanded, hands on hips.
"Sir... I am a guardian to Octavia and her... harem" Chase said standing up straight.

"Her what?" grandfather growled.
I felt the tension in my boys and stepped forward in front of him. "LuPa, these are my bond mates, Stone, Talon, River and Blaze"

"Four... Impossible!"
"Sir, it's true. We all carry Tavi's mark"
"Four..." he shook his head "I need a drink, then you had better start from the beginning"
I grinned, taking his hand "Come on LuPa, let's go sit down, there is a lot to tell you" and led him to the lounge, Chase and the boys following behind us warily.