30.

-HIM-

“You said you would leave me alone after it. I hope you are a man of your word,” She spoke as she walked out of the door. Meanwhile, I was left watching her leave while I couldn’t stop her and tell her everything she needed to know. Oh, how badly I wished that my hands weren’t tied.

I was mad at myself for messing this up. I was finding it hard to believe that I lost control so easily. I let my beast take over me and take her. So many years of practice to build the vicious self-control and discipline had gone to waste the moment I had laid my eyes on her.

I had thought always that working in the Legacy would be easy. I had chosen my sacrifice but now that I knew about all the things that I would be missing out, I was finding it hard to hold onto the values that I was supposed to act by.

I had always judged my father because he had broken the rules of the Legacy because of my mother. Now, when I am in a somewhat similar situation, I am starting to understand the hard choices he had to make. I was starting to realize how harshly I had judged him but I would never admit it to him.

I didn’t know how long I had been standing in the living room but when I stepped out of the house, it was already dark. Instead of driving to the hotel, I drove to the office next. I had rescheduled my time because I wanted to have some time alone with my Czira and look, what we ended up doing.

I didn’t regret anything that happened between us. In fact, I and my beast liked it. He was already starting to crave for her. Even though I had said that I would leave her alone after this but I hardly doubted that I would be able to stay true to my words. I would have to fight hard with myself and my beast.

Still, I doubted that I would be able to keep my hands off her after this.

Fortunately, Valter wasn’t in the office. He was the last person I wanted to talk to. I didn’t want him to find out anything about me and Anna. In fact, I didn’t want anyone to find anything about me and Anna. That would create such a mess.

I still wasn’t sure how I wanted to define my relationship with Anna. Now that I looked into the chances, I could still be with her but I would have to give up my position at Legacy and step down but I wasn’t ready to do that so easily after how hard I had worked to earn it.

The other option was that I continue to see her in secrecy. It wasn’t a very good and safe option but I was so much tempted to do that. But again, I was reminded of how Anna would perceive it. She might not want to do anything with me. After we were done today, her demeanour suggested something similar but I would simply hate it to let her go.

“Strategos Vittori,” Roderigo came into my cabin while I tried to concentrate on some latest updates from the Legacy.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“Tim is here again,” He informed. At his words, my eyes instantly found the digital clock on my desk. It was almost 10 pm.

“Now?” I frowned. Roderigo nodded before adding, “He says it’s important,”

My eyebrows instantly shot to my hairline. I didn’t waste a moment to get up from my seat and leave my cabin to see the seer. Tim was waiting for me in the small waiting section as always.

“Archseer,” I greeted him as soon as I walked in. He remained seated and simply nodded at me. I didn’t miss how he looked at me. It was as if he knew everything about me. It made me uncomfortable for a moment but then again, he was a seer. One of the best out there. His knowledge and vision were limitless.

My secrets were naked before him and there was no point in hiding anything from him. I had learned that the hard way in the past while on a mission. I took my seat beside him and waited for him to speak.

“How are you, Strategos Vittori?” He asked very calmly.

“I am fine, Archseer,” I answered.

“I see,” He spoke, “How’s everything going on your side?” He asked after a calculated pause. This made me look at him before I asked him, “Why are you asking me all of this if you can already see everything?”

He smiled lightly at me and answered, “I can see through my eyes but now and then, I like to lend other’s vision,” I fought hard not to roll my eyes at his very calculated answer. He was very diplomatic.

“Everything’s fine till now,” I told him, “We are waiting for updates from the Lycans. Meanwhile, we are trying to track this Magister. So far, we have found no clues on him,” Tim listened to me silently.

“I assume you have met Commander Deviller,” He spoke. I nodded, “Did he tell you anything?” He asked.

“Yes,” I breathed. Silence followed. When I didn’t say anything, he asked, “And what did he tell you?”

“That they are withholding important information from us,” Tim chuckled lightly at my information before he commented, “Commander Deviller is very outspoken,”

“I don’t like him,” I admitted, “Or his kind,”

“But you two function very similarly-- your kinds, that’s what I meant,” He added instantly after receiving a pointed look from me, “I assume you know what I am referring to,” I knew he was referring to Anna. He knew everything.

“I do,” Silence followed after my answer. Meanwhile, he pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to me. I took it from him. It was slightly heavy and I could tell that whatever was inside it was made of metal. Although before I could open it, he stopped me.

“Not here,” He told me sharply. I was soon aware of the tension in the room. I stared at the envelop while Tim rose from his seat.

“I will leave now. Hope to see you there,” He spoke very lowly. It was almost a whisper. I sat still and watched him leave the office while I felt the object inside the envelope. I slipped it in my pocket before I headed back to my cabin.

It was around midnight when I finished work and drove to the hotel. I was very much exhausted and wanted to go to sleep but the weight of the envelope in my pocket kept me awake. I first took a cold shower before I walked out into my room with only a towel wrapped around my hips.

I took that envelop out of my pocket and headed to my bed. I first examined the outside of the envelope. It was brown and nothing was written on it. I then proceeded to open it very carefully. As soon as I was done undoing the seal, the metal object in it slid and dropped on the bed.

I was left staring at it. It was a dagger but it wasn’t made of metal. I first found a handkerchief before holding the dagger with it and examining it.

The dagger seemed to have been carved out of Ice although it wasn’t really Ice. It was a supernatural element. Upon close inspection, I found cravings just above its cross-guard. A single Q was carved on it. I kept staring at it before it finally clicked.

I dropped the dagger and reached for the envelope. I held it upside down and shook it but nothing fell from it. I looked inside it but found nothing. I stared at the dull brown envelop for some time and tried to feel its texture.

I gently tore the envelop open until it was an unfolded sheet of paper. A smile climbed on my lips when I saw letters on the envelope paper as soon as I held it in front of the bedside lamp.

The letters were written from right to left and jumbled. But it didn’t take me much time to figure out that it was an address and what surprised me the most was that I had already been to that place.

It was an art exhibition studio in Spinefall.

**...
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