Disclaimer: Does not own WITCH
Love is a Hearts Child: 3 – Two Halves of Dark Hearts
Chapter 6
Steven and Cedric walked down the stairs into the basement of the bookshop. Surprised to see only Hay Lin remained. "It's about time you two got back." Hay Lin said getting out of the chair she had been waiting. "Where is everyone?" Cedric asked, Taranee had said she had a plan, but he hadn't expected everyone to be gone. "In Meridian, well except Orube she in Kandrakar." Hay Lin replied. Cedric was about to ask why, Orube was in Kandrakar but didn't. If Orube was in Kandrakar she was safe and that all he needed to know really.
Cedric walked up to the portal and started imagining Meridian castle; the images came and went until it focused in on the library and mass of people inside. Once the image had fully formed Cedric stepped through without a word expecting the others to follow. Steven and Hay Lin followed quickly behind. Only to appear behind Cedric, with a guard holding the tip of his sword up to his throat. "Whoa put the sword down." Steven said pulling Cedric back away from the sword. "Cedric." The queen said approaching a less than happy look on her face.
Cedric noted that she didn't tell the guard to put his sword down. It was not like the sword would have done much good against him now that he had his powers back. The queen however would not have needed a sword with the difference in power between them. "I am here to assist with finding the guardian's daughter. If you wish to throw me in a cell for the crime of the past, could at least have this brought to Taranee first." Cedric replied holding up the book he had been asked to retrieve. "What make you think you have the right to enter my castle?" Elyon said anger in her eyes. "Because I am not the same man as the Cedric you knew. And I regret the actions of the past." Cedric replied stepping forward purposefully allowing the sword to once again be near his neck. "Fuck that." Steven said gesturing with a hand. The sword of the guard disappeared and appeared in his hand instead. "You can settle whatever history you have later." He asked dropping the sword to the ground.
Hay Lin moved between Elyon and Cedric. "It okay Elyon please. Everything's cosmic no need to start using magic." Hay Lin said giving Steven a glare. "Whatever." Steven said kicking the sword across the ground toward the guard it belonged to. "Fine, someone should have at least warned me that you were bringing him." Elyon replied to Hay Lin. "I think everyone maybe a little to distract to have thought of your majesty." Steven used the title like a sword. He hadn't forgotten the queen had put him to sleep when he had first arrived in Meridian. Elyon glared at Steven, Hay Lin joining her. "Could we perhaps focus on the matter in hand? Steven, make yourself useful. Give this to Taranee." Cedric said tossing him the book.
"You." Elyon called out pointing at another guard nearby. "Stay with that man." She said point at Steven as he slunk away. "You. Keep an eye on him. He goes nowhere. Call for help if he tried anything." She said to the guard, picking up his sword, while pointing with Cedric. "I am not going to try anything. Your majesty." He said with a bow he remembers from the days surviving Phobos. "Hay Lin we need to see the others. So we should go find them we've been waiting for you to show up.
Steven realised that he hadn't a clue where he was storming away to. The library was large and he didn't know. Turning to the guard who had been ordered to follow him. "I don't suppose you could direct me to were the guardians are could you?" He asked. The non-human but humanoid form of the guard was slightly unnerving. The guard didn't respond. "Do as he asks." Elyon interrupted annoyed. The queen and Hay Lin having caught up quickly. Steven gritted his teeth, but said nothing. "Could you two try and get on please." Hay Lin broke the air as the guard lead them around the library. "You know introduce yourselves. We need to work together." Hay Lin added hoping whatever was going on between the do wouldn't interfere with that.
"We have. She replied by putting me to sleep with magic." Steven said spitefully. "You try to attack me." Elyon responded. "You threatened to lock me up for no reason." Steven snapped back again. "Enough!" Hay Lin shouted at the pair. "Sorry." She added blushing not often losing her cool like that. "Fine." Steven replied cutting the conversation to an end.
Up ahead the guard finally lead them up to Taranee. She was sitting at one of the library tables with Cornelia and Vathek. "Taranee here you book. Sorry Cedric couldn't make it but the queen he doesn't want her walking around." Steven said placing the collector's book in front of her. Realization dawned on Taranee that unlike them who had been around Cedric and grown to trust him. Elyon had not, and there was worse bad blood there then the rest of them due to how she had been manipulated by the man. "Oh my god, Elyon I'm sorry I forgot to mention it. I didn't think." Taranee apologised standing up, ignoring the book at the present second.
"It's okay, but warning would have been nice." Elyon replied looking down at the book Taranee ignored. "What's next on the agenda?" Steven asked. "Me and the girl need will go find Irma and Will. We need to cast a spell and Will thinks it best if we try together." Taranee said picking up the book. "Elyon is it okay if Cedric is allowed to help searching the library, if Vathek goes with him?" Taranee asked. "Okay, Steven take Vathek to Cedric." Elyon ordered. Steven was about to complain at the queen giving him orders, but he found his words wouldn't come out. He glared at Hay Lin as the 4 women went on their way to meet Will and Irma.
"I can't believe you brought Cedric here of all things?" Vathek said in disbelief standing, the table and benches moving as he did so. "Hey I was just doing what I was asked to. So what are they ladies looking for?" Steven asked Vathek. He didn't hold many hostilities against the blue beast, while he had been the one to march him before the queen. He wasn't the one who knocked him out. "Some old Meridian man, known as the collector. He is the one who has kidnapped the girl. One of the guardians Irma saw it apparently. " Vathek told him. "Irma? My god she going to be scared to death." Steven exclaimed to himself rushing off after the women, leaving Vathek behind.
Elyon and the guardians gathered together once they had met back up, and linked hands. "Now everyone focus on the collector and anything connected with him. Picture it, and let your magic flow." Elyon told the girls and the guardians did so in turn.
Steven rushed up to them, but didn't interfere. He didn't know what breaking their concentration while they work could do. With concern he watched Irma. He could tell she wasn't in the greatest state. He could see the fear on her face at trying to find the collector, and he knew why. He had been the one that had delivered the kick that had nearly cracked her skull open. How Irma had even come close to liking him after that he didn't know. She hated his powers; she never liked him using them unless it was really needed. She hated how much time he been putting in to his lessons, not because not being able to see her, but she was scared he would start using them more, even though that wasn't his intention. At first his powers hadn't mattered, but as they grew he could see that she was scared that he would be lost to them. Being unable to look at her fear filled face any longer he sat down on the floor nearby, closed his eyes and waited.
It was around half an hour later when Cedric foot got him out of his wake up, with foot to the tight. "Get up Steven they've found something." Cedric said pulling him up. He had somehow fallen asleep waiting. Letting himself be pulled to his feet, he realized that everyone was watching him. "Steven where is Brigitte?" Cedric asked plainly, his tone it didn't sound right. "What why the hell would I know?" Steven shouted what on earth was going on. "Where is my daughter?" Will screamed hand out stretched, a bolt of lightning bursting forth from her hand and striking him.
Steven jerked up right with a scream of fear and pain. "Are you okay?" Caleb asked looking at down at him. "Thank god, just a night mare." Steven said getting up with the help of Caleb. "They still at it?" Steven asked the other man looking at the group. "Yes." The voice of Cedric replied, shadowed by Vathek. "It has been about an hour and they have found nothing. But I believe I have." Cedric replied holding a book, it wasn't the one from before. "Wait you have? What did you find?" Caleb demanded to know at the revelation. "Yes, but I think it be best to let the guardians hear as well. Would one of you be so kind as to make them unlink hands?" Cedric asked. Vathek stepped forward and took the queen and Will by the hands. Just when he was about to pull their hand apart, each of the women opened their eyes. "I know where she is." Irma shouted out to all of them.
