Chapter 21
Chapter Twenty-One
Bartimaeus
B ellcolor is a despicable creature. The more I watch her, the more I can’t understand why it’s her of all people. Why did Lilith choose this pitiful child over every other demoness running around like the world’s in the palm of their hands? She’s so weak, so pathetic, that sometimes I feel a little sorry for her. The poor thing has no idea she has enough power in her little finger to destroy the world as we know it. I make it a point to lead her to discover what’s been kept from her so far. I’ll lay a trail of breadcrumbs until she reaches the whole truth, that the witch at the end of the trail is actually her, and that of all the evil around her she should be most afraid of her own shadow.
But I can’t do that as long as other demons circle her. The first rule of the hunt is isolation, and I put all my efforts into isolating her from her pack, one by one. The rich demons are the worst. And the demonesses? Treachery, thy name is woman.
I planted the first seed during my initial meeting with the Dean. I had to get Belle to the library, but I knew I had to do so in the form of a punishment she’d receive from him. Teens today don’t read books willingly as they once did. And one look at the teens in this place was enough to let me know this was true.
The first time I met the trio, it enflamed my corrupted blood so powerfully that I almost lost control of myself. I hate giving him that power over me, and warring against him is probably the hardest thing I’ll have to deal with. They’ve managed to corrupt their hearts to the extent that I couldn’t recognize any innocence or purity in their despicable eyes.
I learned that the girl who was always hanging out with them was Valentina, meant to be Bellcolor’s best friend. How easy it was to change her behavior. It was just ridiculous. When I saw her turn towards the soccer field I whispered the talismanic incantation in her ear, but it wasn’t enough. I was lucky to see her again as she fled the dorms, her eyes haunted, panting like the Devil himself was after her. All it took was the light touch of my finger on her forehead to plant the divine seed in its entirety, disrupting her memory.
It was more complicated with the trio, because they clung to each other like flies on shit. Fortunately for me, Liam had his eyes on Bellcolor.
I found him sniffing around her a few times, and used the first moment he parted from the group to plant the seed within him. The same happened with Tyra. As soon as Valentina’s relationship with Bellcolor loosened, she found a new friend. I must thank Valentina for doing the work for me, and thus Tyra was trapped as well. And since the two siblings were already marked, the third brother Evan was easily snagged as well.
And then Ms. Kingsley came into my office, curious to meet the new lecturer. Her curiosity drew her directly into my trap.
I taught the right lessons, planted the right book, moved all the tools into all the necessary positions, and waited. Patience is a virtue that no longer receives the respect it deserves, and I have it in spades.
The day I summoned Bellcolor to my office and she didn’t show up, I thought she simply had cold feet. The next day, as I entered my classroom as usual and found Bellcolor missing, I started to get suspicious. Another day passed, and another, and still no sign of the lanky demoness. Not only that, but Liam had disappeared as well.
“Valentina, Tyra,” I cleared my throat as they were leaving the classroom, arm in arm. They stop and give me questioning glances. “Do you know anything about Liam’s and Bellcolor’s absence?” Tyra recoils and casts her gaze down. Valentina hurriedly pats her back to calm her friend down. “Well?” I’m impatient today. Babysitting instead of fulfilling the purpose for which I came here.
“Liam’s returned to his creator. Bellcolor’s with the Council. I don’t know when she’ll be back, if at all…”
“I see, you’re dismissed.” My venomous voice leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
They scurry out of the classroom, and as soon as I hear the door slam shut I hurl all my things off the table with a quick sweep of my arm. The thought that Libretto has her is terrifying. I have no access to his castle, and not even the slightest notion of his abilities. What is he planning for her? Will he put his plan into action now that he’s gotten her away from here? The Pope won’t be pleased. Every time I think I’m making progress, Satan throws another obstacle into my path. Damn it all… was it all for nothing?
Summer’s almost over. The senior students will be returning tomorrow, filling the campus entirely. And yet… no sign of Bellcolor.
My weekly donor gurgles next to me, and I kick him to shut his mouth. I mustn’t drain him entirely, or he’ll fall into a coma. His disappearance will raise questions I can’t answer without getting caught. I rip the IV tube out of my vein, put a hand on his head and say: “TheLordshall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul 1 .”
He gets to his feet and walks to the door. “Thanks for the help, Dr. Abano, I hope today’s private lesson gets my grade up.” He smiles and leaves my office, unaware of what really happened here.
I have no choice but to initially flunk students, luring them to my office; I have to continue polluting my body with their blood and extracting any information I can about Lilith and the Council.
I lock the door to my office. The new blood has already started scorching my veins, and my skin bubbles like a pot of water left on a lit stove.
It’s going to be another night of agonizing pain. Another week of desecrating my body in vain, because Bellcolor hasn’t returned to campus this week either. The Church has instructed me not to abandon my post, but the foreign blood running through my veins has a life of its own and it’s starting to affect me. I don’t think they understand that I can’t hold out here much longer. Soon enough His Holiness himself won’t be able to tell me apart from the rest of the damned. I know I need to wave the white flag, because I’m afraid to discover that the Devil has defiled not only my body but my soul.