chapter FIFTY
“Perhaps I should set up a meeting with Clavius,” Vittorio said once we were back at the hotel and Courtney was safely in her room.
“But what if he does know what Samuel is doing?” Kevin asked.
“There is only one way for us to find out,” Vittorio said.
“I don’t want you to get hurt by these people again. I won’t let you just give yourself up to this guy if he is part of it all,” Kevin said.
“I’ll be armed, and it’s the only choice we have. We haven’t figured anything out on our own, and we can’t just sit in this hotel forever.”
“At least let me go with you,” Kevin said.
“Absolutely not. Look what happened last time. You have no defense against them. What if they killed you?” Tears pricked my eyes at the mere thought of losing Kevin.
“Elena is right,” Vittorio said. “It would be safer if you stay here. I do not want her to be distracted with worry over you.”
Kevin stood. “Fine. Whatever. I’m going to my room.”
A tear slid down my face as he walked away.
Vittorio reached across the table to wipe it away.
“I am certain he understands, mio amore. It must be hard on him to be stuck here with us, hiding, yet unable to do anything to help.”
“I know. I just hope our friendship can take it.”
“It will. Kevin cares for you very much. He will not let this destroy your friendship.”
I tried to smile.
“Elena, I want to start teaching you more about witchcraft. Now, more than ever, with the strength of your power, you need to be able to decide if you would want to be Sacerdotessa or not.”
“You said yourself you don’t even want to be Sacerdote. Why should I want something you don’t?”
“I explained to you the obligation I feel to my coven and why I would not refuse the title. If you were by my side, it would be more bearable. We could do great things together.” He reached for my hand.
“I don’t want to do great things, with or without you.”
“Sometimes, the fates have things planned for us which we do not like, but must go along with even so. You would not be blessed with such power if there was not some purpose for it.”
“Blessed? You call this a blessing?” I pulled my hand away from his.
“Some would, yes.”
“I don’t care about some. I care about you.”
He paused, as if debating how to answer. “Yes, I call it a blessing. I know it is hard for you to understand. I have had power almost all my life; you only a short time. You do not understand. In time you will see it for the blessing it is. Look at what you did for Kevin, and for me. Would you give that up?”
“Of course not! I would never take back having been able to heal both of you. It’s all just a bit overwhelming. Please, be patient with me.”
“I understand, mio amore. Will you at least let me teach you? I will not push you one way or the other if the opportunity arises, but I want you to know my ways, even if you do not adopt them as your own.”
“Yes. I want to learn. I need something in my life to center me. But I don’t know if I believe in God, much less many gods.”
“All you can do is learn. Time will help you discover what you believe.”
“I’ll do my best for you, Vittorio.”
“Do your best for yourself, mio amore. Now, shall we retire? We both have a lot to think about.”“Clavius has agreed to meet us at the Eat Rite Diner. It’s a few miles from here, but we can make the walk,” Vittorio said the next day.
“I’m going to tell Kevin where we’re going, and when we’ll be back.” I knocked on the door to Kevin’s room. “Kevin, Vittorio and I need to go out for a few hours.” I explained the situation to him. “If we don’t make it back, call Jerry. If we’re going to be late, I’ll call.”
“I still think this is a bad idea.”
“We don’t have much choice. We haven’t figured anything out ourselves, and we don’t have time to waste.”
“Arguing with you isn’t going to do any good, is it?”
I shook my head.
“Alright. Be careful.” He sat down and turned on the TV.
Vittorio and I started walking to the restaurant.
“Mio amore, your power is bleeding off you. You must concentrate,” he said after a few blocks.
“Sorry. What if Clavius does know what Samuel is doing? We could be walking into a trap.”
“That is why we must shield so strongly. We must block out any power he may attempt to throw at us.”
We seemed to have arrived early, so got a table in the back and ordered coffee. I thought about ordering an appetizer, but my stomach flip-flopped too much for me to consider eating.
Clavius slid into the booth across from us. He studied me as he had the first time we met, and I felt the weight of his gaze even more strongly. As I had before, I froze, unable to think or move. I recovered as soon as Clavius took his eyes off me to look at Vittorio, and made a mental note to be careful with him. He affected me as strongly as Vittorio did, but in a much less pleasant manner.
“Tell me what is going on between you and Samuel.” Right to business.
Vittorio told him everything. “Samuel seems to feel that not only does Elena want to replace Elizabeth, but that I am going to try to usurp your position. Please believe me when I say that is the furthest thing from my mind. I take my position as La Guardia very seriously, as I am sure you know, and that would go against everything I believe.”
“Yet you want to bring someone as powerful as Elena into the coven.”
“I love her. I did not know she had power when I first met her, and I have no intentions of taking over anyone’s power or position. I simply want to share all aspects of my life with the woman I love.”
“I sense the truth of your words. Yet Samuel believes you are a threat.” He gave the waitress his drink order.
“I am sorry for what he believes. I have tried to explain it to him, but he will not listen.”
“He also tells me that you were not willing to help him with something he needed.”
Vittorio went still. “And what was that?” he asked, voice neutral.
“I think you know what I speak of.”
“You know how dangerous the ancient spells can be. I will not put the woman I love in danger, even for one I viewed as a brother.”
“You say that in the past tense. What has happened so seriously between you and Samuel to change your view of him? I know how close you were.”
“Perhaps he did not tell you the full circumstances of the manner in which he tried to obtain our help.”
“He told me that he asked you and you declined.”
“I see,” Vittorio said. The waitress brought fresh coffee for us and a mug for Clavius.
“Is there more?” Clavius asked when the waitress left again.
“Elena, show Clavius your arms.”
I pushed up my sleeves and laid my arms on the tabletop so he could see my fresh scars.
“My goddess.” The horrified look on Clavius’ face made me feel a tiny bit better about him. Even if he was involved in Samuel’s plot, perhaps he was not such an evil person. “I am so sorry about this. But…those are old scars. What game are you playing?”
“They are very fresh. Elena has the power to heal. But that is not important right now. Do you know what Samuel wanted from us?” Vittorio asked.
Clavius did not answer.
“Do you know he recently stole a valuable item?”
Again, no answer.
“Usually, when people don’t answer, it means they have something to hide. What are you hiding?” I asked.
“How dare you question me? You are not even in full control of your power, yet you deign to question the Sacerdote of a coven which you hope to join? You should show a little more respect. What Vittorio doesn’t know, is I can easily remove him as La Guardia, and banish him from the coven.”
“I only have my coven’s best interests in mind. Have I not served you loyally?”
“You have, but Samuel has been loyal, as well. Samuel understands my need.”
“What need is that?” Vittorio asked.
“The need of my wife!” Clavius shouted, pounding his fists on the table.
The few other patrons turned to stare, forks halfway to their mouths.
“I am sorry Aerin is gone,” Vittorio said softly. “I understand your pain.”
“How could you? Who have you ever lost that would let you understand my pain?”
“I thought I would lose Elena when Samuel kidnapped and tortured her.”
“It is not the same. You do not understand.”
“Perhaps not, but I can try to imagine.”
“You cannot! Samuel understands.”
“His mother,” Vittorio stated.
“What does he believe this spell will do?” I looked around and realized all the other patrons had left. That struck me as odd, but I didn’t have time to worry about it just then.
“He is only trying to obtain it for me. I believe it will give me eternal youth and unlimited power,” Clavius said.
“And what are you going to do with that power?” I asked, tired of being ignored.
“Get my wife back.” His voice cracked with painful emotions.
“You think there is a spell to bring people back to life?” I failed to keep the derision from my voice.
“It must! I cannot live without her!”
“You’re putting an awful lot of stock into something you don’t even know will work. No one knows if I can translate the text.”
“You could try.” Clavius started at me, tears glistening in his eyes.
“I will not put Elena’s life in danger. Attempting to translate an ancient spell could kill her if she isn’t gifted with the power.”
“You say that as if you had a choice.”
The air was thicker, harder to breathe. I tried to strengthen my shields against whatever Clavius was about to do. A blast of energy so powerful I never could have kept it out overtook me at that moment, and I lost consciousness.