A Hymn of Snakes

TWENTY SIX

     I had an epiphany this morning, when a saw a raven sitting down on the ledge of my window.  He watched me through the glass as he crowed, my heart jumped immediately. The second the night rose above the sky, I marched down to the Queen's quarters. The door opened as she sat at her desk, drawing up something on a sheet of paper. "Delia, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked as she put her pen down to look at me.

"I have a plan to find Natalia." I told her, her brow quirked to me as a smile crossed over my face. I had a hunch but I wouldn't know if I was right until I did it, even if it meant possibly harming myself in the end. Still, Ithe warned me and said that she would do what she could to keep me alive and I believed her. "If I am able to scry for her, another witch can cast a locator spell while I'm asleep to find her." It'll just take a mirror, a map, and another witch. The only problem was that one of those might get in the way.

The Queen asked the question I was waiting for. "Do we have another witch?"

The young girl's face came to mind, I had discovered that young Amelia had been coming to watch me train. She was curious about what I was capable of and only a little of curiosity was needed to open a gateway. "I know one, she's a Keeper right now but I see her potential." I answered whole heartedly, it had been apart of my plan to find all the potential witches that were loyal to the Keepers and show them another way of living.

I had sent letters to the witches I had met while on the run and told them about my plan. To turn the manor into a school of magics, to train witches in the craft. To create a home for them to be protected. They were all on board, of course worried about my safety but I convinced them to remain calm. The Italian witches I met all moved and from that way on I knew I was doing the right thing.

I was afraid that once I gave up her name her life might be in danger, but if that were to happen I would do what I could to keep her safe. "Amelia Bordeau. Once she completes the spell, I ask that she be sent to Scotland." I stated sharply, the Queen valued bluntness more than any other woman I met. She wanted me to get straight to the point, she didn't have time for me to walk around my words. "I want to make the manor becomes a safe haven for all witches. I've begun to spread the word that Scotland is under my rule, thanks to a few little ravens." I commented as I nodded over to the window, the Queen watched as the black bird flew around the Palace.

She shook her head at me in understanding, pride and all. There was a look in her eyes I couldn't pin point, like the way a teacher looked down at her student or a mother to a daughter- whatever it was, I didn't want to ruin it. "I know. You're very smart for doing so. I have eyes everywhere, even when you think I don't." The Queen told me and I didn't know what she meant, even after saying a name that pulled chills down my spine. "Kazimir." She said as a figure pulled from the shadows.

"You." I said.

The hound's black hair was pulled from the edges of his face, revealing the entirety of his looks to me. How did I not know before, I wondered. The pieces were laid out in front of me but I clearly wasn't smart enough to call it out. "Hello there." He said as a flirtatious grin adorned his face like a decoration, I should have felt betrayed. He was spilling all of my secrets to the Queen, she knew everything.

She looked between the two of us, "I see you two have met." The Queen wasn't happy about that, she didn't like that I knew her secret before she was able to reveal him. That's because the hound was a pawn just like me, decorated to be a precious piece of the game board. Not to be revealed unless needed. I didn't need an introduction to him but then again I had been awaiting to know his name for so long. Then a memory came to me, this was the Kazimir Leon had told me about. He was the one who said he would throw his life out on the line for me. "This is Kazimir Belova. He's my Hound, he's been keeping watch of my son and the Keepers." She confessed to me in his place.