Hi everyone, this could be my last chapter for a couple of days because I'll be at work, and possibly seeing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 for the second time. Please review and comment it makes my day I swear. Hope you're all having a great weekend.
Our suite had a dining room, living room, kitchen and two bathrooms so it didn't feel to invasive bringing Christian's great grandfather back, but I had suggested we talk in a more public place for the time being. Only one of us knew this man and the rest of us seemed to have forgotten we were in hiding. Lissa was over the moon of course as she always was when making a new discovery about spirit and that good mood lifted my spirits also. Adrian was pensive but I could tell he was also happy about having someone else to talk to about spirit, after all, this guy was in Las Vegas, maybe he was more like Adrian than Lissa.
We all sat around a table in the restaurant of some hotel or other to begin what was sure to be a lengthy discussion. Christian still seemed a little in shock but he was laughing and joking with his great grandfather as if no time had passed. Perhaps it was only me that thought it was strange that we had been trying to hide our identities and whereabouts and now we were welcoming someone, basically a stranger to all of us but Christian, into our inner circle. Dimitri's face seemed displeased, but only because I could read him so well. Mia seemed disinterested, neither spirit nor Christian's family held any meaning or interest for her. I could tell she thought that even speaking to this man was risky, as did I.
'So, you're a spirit user, Lord Ozera?' Lissa asked when we were all seated with food in front of us. The elderly man was sat slightly straighter than he stood and was still all twinkly eyes and mischievous grins.
'Please dear, call me Isaak' he said, waving the protest forming on her lips away with a withered and wrinkled hand. 'Yes, I am a spirit user, as are you my dear and as is this handsome young fellow to your right' Izaak Ozera looked back and forth between Lissa and Adrian while they nodded. Through Lissa's eyes I could see that Izaak's aura was a bright gold, the same as how she saw Adrian's and there were also the same flecks of warmth she got when she looked at Christian's aura. She seemed to be forgetting that Avery Lazar had lied with her aura and that Izaak could be doing the same.
'Do you know of any other spirit users Izaak?' Adrian asked, straight to the point which was unusual for him, he glanced over at me and I realised that he was a little more suspicious of this old man than he'd been letting on. 'Of course dear boy, though a few of them have been institutionalised or are in prison now, few of us remain. However I do believe you Princess, and of course Lord Ivashkov here, will have helped now end the mental instability that occurs with young spirit users just specialising. Maybe this mental health issue can be fixed early on.' He seemed genuine enough, and he was Christian's great-grandfather after all, but his flippant way of speaking about the psychological side effects of spirit put my teeth on edge. I felt Lissa thinking of the prison which we had helped Viktor escape from and the insane prisoners she'd known were spirit users without even going through the door and I willed her not to mention it. I wasn't sure if Dimitri and Mia knew what we had done and I sure as hell didn't want Izaak Ozera to know. I was already in enough trouble with the law.
'Now Christian my dear boy,' Izaak said taking his great-grandsons hand 'how is my darling Tasha, I've been hearing she's making quite the impression at Court. She sent me a letter about your, er, disappearance you know, she's rather worried.' It did seem like Izaak just cared about his great grandsons well being, more than he cared about their being other spirit users at the table, I suppose when you're that old its less exciting, especially as he seemed to have met so many before. But to Lissa that was the most exciting thing, and although she was happy Christian had run into his great-grandfather she wanted to talk more about spirit.
'I know Grandpa, believe me I'd give anything to be able to call her but I can't right now. We're trying to stay hidden, so could you maybe not tell her you've seen me?' Christian was sheepish asking his great grandfather this I could tell, he was close to this man and hated to make him lie, or to lie to him. 'We have some stuff to do and the Council can't know about it, ok?' Izaak nodded solemnly.
'Of course Christian, I trust your judgement. You know I've always said the Council are a bunch of fuddy duddys who wouldn't know a good idea if it bit them on the ass!' we all stared, shocked for a second before bursting out laughing, even Dimitri managed a smile before returning to his usual composure. 'But, Christian, I hear your doing something a little more illegal than the Council would like' he said, flashing a wink in my direction, 'but I agree you couldn't very well leave this young lady to rot in jail now could you.'
After much more banter Lissa attempted to steer the conversation back to spirit. 'Izaak, I was wondering, is there anyone else you know in this area, a spirit user I mean.' She spoke so tentatively, practically brimming over with excitement. 'Well there's Robert Doru, but I haven't been in contact with him for a while' Adrian and Lissa both flashed me a look before returning their attention to Izaak. 'Otherwise there is a young boy whose homeschooled by his single mother about thirty miles from here, he thinks he hasn't specialised yet but I know he's a spirit user. He hasn't been exposed to your little revelation yet, being home schooled and all, so he hasn't put two and two together.' Lissa was excited, but she hadn't made the mental leap that I just had, along with Christian and Dimitri by the looks of it. Single mother, home schooled boy, Las Vegas area. This could very well be Lissa's half brother.
'Sir? 'I asked, hoping I wasn't, as a guardian, speaking out of turn. My worries were unfounded however as Izaak turned towards me with a twinkly eyed smile 'would you be able to tell us where this family lives?' Christian and I shared a knowing look before Izaak answered.
'Why of course I can my dear, I happen to be good friends with the boy's mother, and of course I knew his father, did some business with him before he died' I silently begged him to stop speaking, he was obviously detached from the Moroi world somewhat and didn't realise that this was a huge secret, my prayers went unanswered however. 'Of course the Princess here knew him too, better than I ever did' Izzak said smiling his cheeky Christian like grin at Lissa, she looked confused and he seemed to realise his mistake for a second but deciding to plough on anyway. 'Your father dear, Eric Dragomir, the boy is your half brother.' Oh dear, it seemed Lord Izaak Ozera was going to be somewhat of a loose cannon.