Chapter 6.
Dinner with mum was amazing, we talked for hours, even dad was happier with her around. Nice to know she can bring that out of him instead of me. She spent the night and was off to work the next morning and I walked with her so she could show me where the courts library was.
The court library is huge. Rows and rows of book, most of which are historical. There are display cabinets placed here and there, I ask the librarian where I can find the family history books. A few minutes later I'm settled in a little desk between the entrance and where the art books start.
"Do you need anything else?" the librarian asks politely.
"No, thanks, these will do for now." I give her a small smile and she walks back to her desk. I sigh and open one of the big books on 'Common' Moroi family history. To which I find nothing. It's just pages and pages of certain people that have achieved greater things, and no Marksons. Realising this could be a bigger search then I thought I wave over the librarian and ask to use the computers and an extensive research engine. She sets my computer up and brings up the site.
I type in Markson and am surprised to find a lot more information than I have on my computer at school. Thinking of school I wonder how Max is. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I bring up the third section of information, I scroll through my family history, and this goes back multiple centuries ago. My search stops at a Vienna Markson. How ironic. Though she was adopted at 2 months of age, this is the earliest I can find on my family history but at least now I have a lot more information. As I'm scrolling through the information of the first Vienna, the room changes. I'm a nursery, in a very, very old styled home. The carpets are green, with lace patterns scattered through it, the walls are a deep red, lined with tapestries of a family and seated in a corner is an ivory, high backed rocking chair with blankets draped over the top of it. I spin around and on the other side of the room is a wooden cot, which I suspect is actually made of a deep brown wood. The door is open and I slowly walk towards it. I feel some sort of compulsion to touch the walls, to try and feel the lives that lived here, and as I do, the scene changes again, a mother holding her baby, the father seated in the rocking chair with his head in his hands.
"Louella, we have to do this, for our daughter's sake. For the family." The man whispers, and the woman's smile falters a little but she doesn't look up from her child.
I take my hand off the wall and I'm back in the empty room. I pad quietly out the door and freeze right where I'm standing. The pillars. I see the pillars. The door behind the pillars is open and I can see the shelves filled with books inside it. This is where the book is, it's here. I have to find it. I go to walk towards the library door but I'm propelled back into my real time body.
My breathing is accelerated and my hands are gripping the mouse and the side of the computer desk. Now I've learned to control the visions, I just need to control my body's reaction. As I close my eyes and to calm my racing heart, I realise that half the reason I came here was because the book was meant to be here.
I shut the programme down and rush up to the librarians counter.
"Excuse me, um, I heard my history teacher talking about a book that hasn't been opened since it was found in one of the strigoi wars and he said it was here, do you have it?"
She raised her eyebrows, legitimately surprised at my question.
"Why yes, though no one has asked about that book in years, I'm surprised they are still teaching it. Would you like to have a look at it?" I nod eagerly and she walks out from her counter and strides with renewed purpose over to the display section and goes to a small corner adjacent to the door.
"Here it is, this book is one of a historical mystery if you ask me, never been opened since it was found and believe me, many have tried."
"Do you know why it won't open?"
"Well, no dear. No one knows why this book won't open. We have tried all the magic elements, even destruction, but it remains intact each time." She gives me a small glance and a nod, and walks off. I just stand there, dumbfounded. This is it. This is the book. I touch the glass, hoping to bring on a vision or something, anything. But nothing happens.
The book is covered by brown leather and not even the pages can be seen. Even though it is centuries old, the book looks to be in perfect condition, like it was written yesterday. I just stare at it for what seems like a few minutes but I look at my watch and it's been an hour and a half.
I go to walk out the door but am interrupted by the librarian.
"Excuse me sweetheart, you forgot your books." She hands me my schoolbooks where I've written down my research. I take them from her and head out the door and straight to a café. I order a salad sandwich and a coffee and sit down at a table in the far corner, away from everyone and open my books to go over what I've got and start constructing what I hope is a sensible family tree.
I start with myself, continue with my parents and so on. I skip a few generations and write the first Vienna Markson at the bottom. I lean back and admire my work and start to think about the visions I had today. Honestly, all my visions have been insignificant to me. I have no idea what they mean, or why I'm seeing them. The woman is stuck in my mind too, Louella, I think her name is. Maybe I'm related to her. No I can't be. I never found a Louella in my research and it only goes back to Vienna, which I think was probably near her time. I can sort of see a resemblance though. She had hazel eyes and long brown hair that sat in the middle of her back. I take a bite of my sandwich and go back to working on my family tree and writing down the information I need.
"You should see Rhonda" a conversation drifts over to my table but I try to ignore it.
"I'm not sure, there are two different psychics in court, and I just don't know which to go to." Another woman replies. Psychics? They have them here at court? I glance over at the two women walking past my table.
"Honestly, she is the better psychic, a lot of people recommended her to me and I would too..."
I watch them leave and mull over their conversation for a second before I shut my book, shove my stuff into a bag and head over to the information desk.
"Excuse me" the lady peaks up at my voice, "Could you tell me where Rhonda is? The Psychic?" She explains her location, which is down the hall on the right and I'll see a reception desk. I thank her and head down the hallway I first came in. I see only one white marble reception desk and the receptionist books me in for a few hours later.
I walk back to our apartment and mull over everything while I'm in the shower. After I've had some food, and watched a little TV, I head back out to my appointment with Rhonda.
I wait patiently as she finishes with her current client, who walks out with a confused look on his face and his hands stuffed in his pockets. Was this really a good idea? I stare at his receding form and he walks out the door just as the receptionist calls me to go in. There is a woman sitting on the floor but I pay no attention. I can't stop looking around the room. The room is filled with deep red, well, everything. The walls, the pillows on the floor, even Rhonda is dressed in red.
"Please, sit" she says. I sit and look her over for any sign that she is like me. Which is stupid, she wouldn't be any different on the outside. Neither am I. I don't think.
When I stop staring I suddenly realise she is also staring intently at me. It's really unnerving. Does she look at all her clients like that? I sink further into the pillows and see tarot cards in a pack between us.
"Your very intriguing, my dear" she says, quiet mystically, might I add. It's creepy. "You shouldn't need me to find your answers."
"I'm sorry, I don't understand…" she doesn't give me time to finish my sentence.
"Yes you do, you have…powers, don't you. I know why you are here, and so do you." Well isn't she straight down to business.
"I need help. I'm having visions, of places and people I don't know and I can't understand them."
"You have special abilities catered to only one family. I have seen this before. Do you have any siblings?" she has seen this before?
"No, I don't, I'm an only child." She frowns but doesn't say anything. Why would she want to know if I had any siblings?
"You need to learn. You need to control it." Her eyes bore into me and it's unnerving. Does she really know?
"I can't, I don't know how, I need help." Even I hear the pleading tone in my voice.
"If you do not control it," she starts, "It will destroy many, many things, both personally and literally. Your abilities are in ground in many centuries of secrets, in a very rich history only you can know."
"How do you know all this?"
"I just do. You need to continue your research to find your answers. No one but you can complete this task. Only you can achieve what many have not." It's with that note, that the receptionist knocks and tells Rhonda her next appointment is here. Has it really been half an hour? It feels like minutes. Rhonda stares at her tarot cards as I stand but then gives me one last piercing look as I walk out her door.
I walk silently outside and sit on one of the benches in the hedge maze. I have more questions than answers now. I have no idea what to do. Control what, find out what, what secrets? It's so frustrating.