Chapter Twenty-Nine
Victor and his friends sit around Superior Charles’ meeting room. Leo is sitting in a chair, sipping on some whisky. Elliott and Frank are standing by the liquor cabinet, trying out almost every bottle to calm their nerves.
Amber is pacing around the center of the room. “A Warlock! Warlock!”
“Yes,” Lupe states while she’s sitting in a chair. “We have established Victor is a warlock.”
“Why didn’t you tell any of us?” Amber asks aggressively.
“Yeah!” Elliott adds as he opens a bottle of bourbon. “I thought we were friends. How could you keep something like this from us?”
Victor massages his forehead. “You have to understand; I was only trying to keep you safe. You saw how dangerous those witches were back there.”
“That you murdered,” Amber snaps.
“It was technically self-defense, babe,” Lupe comments.
“And that justifies what Victor did to them?” Amber retorts.
“This isn’t the first time,” Victor mentions.
Amber is gobsmacked to hear that her friend has killed before. “You’ve killed others before?”
“It was all in self-defense,” Victor reiterates.
“How can you just stand there and act like it’s normal? Do you even sleep at night afterwards?”
“Honestly,” Victor pauses, “I haven’t had much time to process all of it. I’ve been getting my eight hours of sleep a night.”
“Amber, you have to understand, it was either that or they kill him,” Leo states over the rim of his glass.
“I take it you’re a warlock too?” Amber asks Leo.
“I am,” Leo replies without hesitation.
“You lied about how you met Victor. Is your name even Leo?” Amber questions, crossing her arms as she stops pacing and gives Leo a pointed look.
Leo looks up at Amber and responds, “Yes, my name is Leo. And we only lied because of the way everyone is acting now.”
“Guys,” Victor interjects as he stands up. “I’ll explain everything. I just need–”
Victor is interrupted by the double doors to the room opening. Superior Charles, Superior Jackie, and Akisha walk into the room. Superior Charles has a slight snarl in the corner of his mouth. He marches over to Victor.
“You forgot something at the restaurant,” Superior Charles says as he tosses the silver card to Victor. “Try not to lose it again.”
Victor catches the card. “I’m sorry, Superior. The witch dressed as a server pickpocketed it out of my vest.”
Superior Charles stops in front of Victor and places his hands on his hips. His tall stature gives the impression of a father looking down at his son as he scolds him. “And how did you not know there were a couple of witches at the restaurant?”
Victor feels ashamed. “I guess I was distracted celebrating with my friends.”
Superior Charles looks over to Leo. “Have you not talked to him about breaking his ties to the mundane?”
Before Leo could speak, Victor answers. “He did. He’s mentioned it to me several times. He even spoke about it yesterday after the barbecue.”
“Then why were you with your friends?” Superior Charles demands. He looks at Amber and says, “Happy birthday, by the way.”
Victor cranes his neck to look up at Superior Charles.
“How am I supposed to let go of years of friendship in an instant?” He looks at Superior Jackie and Akisha.
“How are you to expect someone like me to tell my friends, two of whom I’ve known for over 10 years, that I can’t be their friend anymore?
It might be easy for you, or you . . .” Victor looks back up at Superior Charles.
“. . . or even you, Superior, because all of you grew up in this life. I didn’t. I grew up with the mundane.”
Victor walks over to an open area where everyone can see him. “I didn’t even know witches or warlocks existed until over a month ago. To me and my friends, it was all superstition. Fairy tales. For fuck’s sake, we all sat in front of Madame Jeanette without knowing she was a witch.”
Frank perks up. “Madame Jeanette is a witch? I knew it.”
Victor gives Frank a pointed look before he continues. “These guys are my family. I trust each of them. I love each of them in my own way. How could you ask me to give all that up?”
Superior Charles taps his foot while he thinks.
He walks over to his bar and pulls out a bottle from a hidden compartment.
“This life is difficult to be a part of. You see, mundane.” He turns to look at Victor’s friends.
“No offense . . . one thing you don’t understand is Victor will no longer age with any of you. ”
Superior Charles pours himself a shot, then downs it.
“As Victor continues to use magic, his aging process will slow down. By the time you turn 70, he may still look as he does now.” He pours himself another drink.
“Look at me. I’m over 147 years old. But I look like I’m in my mid-50s.
Are you saying it’s okay for him to watch all of you die while he continues to live on? ”
“Why should any of that matter?” Elliott asks.
Superior Charles looks over at Elliott. “Did you not see what happened at the restaurant? Your attachment to him put you in danger.”
“But we weren’t seriously hurt,” Elliott responds. “He even protected us.”
“And what about his eyes?” Superior Jackie mentions as she walks forward.
“What about them?” Frank asks.
“Did that not startle you?” Superior Jackie responds. “Seeing his eyes change colors or even become completely blacked out?”
Victor’s friends look at each other and then over to Victor.
“You see, you all had to stop and think about what you just witnessed. He literally had to murder two witches to protect himself and each of you. Do you think you can continue to witness something like that as you stay friends?” Superior Jackie asks Victor’s friends.
“It was self-defense,” Lupe remarks. “I might have done the same if my life had been threatened. It’s a ‘mundane’ instinct to fight or flight.”
“May I interject?” Leo asks as he stands up.
“Victor’s friends do care about him. And although I mostly agree that we should not mingle with the mundane, his friends are .
. . special.” Leo looks over at Victor as he continues.
“When Victor was out cold after the attack at Otsu, I responded to all their texts as if I were Victor. I knew if I didn’t, someone would be breaking down Victor’s door to make sure he was still alive. My bet would be on Amber.”
“I would also bet on Amber,” Elliott adds, trying to lighten the mood.
“Oh, my money is definitely on Amber,” Lupe comments.
Leo rolls his eyes before he returns his attention to everyone in the room.
“What we are asking him to do is not as easy for him as it would be for any of us. Look at them now. Yes, they are shocked about what happened tonight, but they trusted Victor enough to walk through a mirror to an unknown location. They could have run when they got the chance. But they stayed, knowing they were in danger, all because they care for Victor.”
Superior Charles looks at Elliott and Frank. “Want some from my personal distillery?” Elliott and Frank look at one another, unsure about the request. Superior Charles chuckles as he opens a second hidden compartment. “Don’t worry, it’s available in stores at $150 a bottle.”
“Is that a peace offering?” Victor inquires.
“In a way,” Superior Charles responds as he pours two glasses.
Akisha finally speaks up as she walks further into the room.
“You know, Superiors, the mundane are right. We are asking a lot from Victor. He has lived among them his entire life.” She looks over to Victor’s friends.
“You four understand that Victor’s life will always be in danger?
Will you be a support system for him as he learns how powerful he can be?
These aren’t parlor tricks; this is real magic.
You saw it with your own eyes tonight. Witches and warlocks are real.
We remain in hiding because of the mundane’s fear towards us. ”
Superior Charles turns to Akisha. “Have you forgotten how dangerous the mundane are? Or how many were lost during several riots worldwide that were used to cover up the witch hunts?”
“Excuse me, may I come in?” Everyone turns around and sees an older woman standing in the doorway.
“Elder Maggie,” Superior Charles says as he stands up straight. “Yes, please come in.”
Elder Maggie slowly enters the room while smiling at everyone. “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but I could hear you all the way in my study. I’m sure by now that the entire coven knows we have non-magic folk here.”
“I’m sorry, Elder Maggie, we didn’t mean to disturb you,” Superior Charles remarks.
“It’s alright, dear.” Elder Maggie keeps walking towards Victor. She studies him for a moment before she speaks. “I don’t know how we lost our ways. If you remember, Charles, I too lived with the mundane. On more than one occasion, I had relationships with mundane men.”
Superior Jackie walks closer to the older woman. “Elder Maggie, you know we had to protect ourselves from the religious. Especially after the Salem Trials.”
“I remember, dear,” Elder Maggie comments. “I was there during those trials.”
“Excuse me, Elder Maggie,” Lupe interrupts. “How old are you?”
“Young lady, it’s not proper to ask a woman her age,” Elder Maggie says in a slightly stern voice. “But if you must know, I’m 350 years old.” She gives Lupe a wink. “And I must say, this argument is getting tiresome. Everyone is going round and round, and when will it end?”
Elder Maggie turns her attention to Victor.
“If this young empath, who could very well be the hope we are looking for to bring order to chaos, can trust his friends, why should we tell him to cut the cord with them?” Elder Maggie turns to walk away.
“Besides, if he does become the Grand Warlock, then it will become his word over yours.” She winks at Victor as she makes her way out of the room.