Unmarked

Chapter 38

"Mom?" Lavina said coming in the door with Anghi close behind. He closed the sliding glass door behind him, took off his shoes and headed up the stairs. "Mom?" Lavina walked into the kitchen and put her bag in the closet. After she closed the door she saw a piece of paper on the table.

I'm off with Unora to get her some ingredients for her elixirs. Then I'll be at the palace late. You don't have to wait up for me,

Mom

"Ugh." Lavina sighed.

"What is it?" Anghi asked from behind him.

"She's with Ophelia again. Almost wants to make me call her 'Unora'."

"I admit, she has been spending a lot of time with her, but it's not like there's any true proof or doubt that she's back to her old ways, right?"

"Well, I don't know. Before mom's coronation started I caught the end of their conversation."

"Woah, you ease dropped? That's not ok."

"Oh come on, Anghi. A little won't hurt anyone, besides it helps me to build a case."

"Well, I suppose, but just this one instance." He pointed at her. "So what did you find out?"

"I'm not quite sure yet, to be honest. Mom was kind of blindly following her and doing what she asked. But she also called Ophelia 'mother'. And Ophelia was quite the bossy puss, yet I don't know what it was about."

"Maybe she just really needed something to get done. She could have been sick, or her powers could have been acting up."

"What about the mother thing then?"

"Maybe she was referring to Cristel."

"I doubt it." Anghi put his hand on her shoulder.

"Try not to get too jealous of her." Anghi turned away from her and started up the stairs.

"What are you, under her spell too?"

"Course not!" He yelled as he shut the door to his room.

"Hm." She said, putting her hand on her chin. "That's it! A spell, but how? She wouldn't know that type of spell yet, unless- Ophelia, hi. I thought you were with mom."

"Uh, yeah, she asked me to grab her something."

"Oh, did she?"

"Yeah, it's something for her queen stuff."

"Like what? Maybe I can help you find it."

"No, no thanks, I can find it."

"You sure? It's not up somewhere high that you can't get to."

"Uh, gee, I don't know."

"Come on, let your big sister help you." Lavina put her hand on Unora's back. "Now what are we looking for?"

"Let's see, uh- I think she called it calligraphy ink?"

"Oh, that must be in the office. Come on."

"I don't feel too comfortable going in there." She pressed her fingers together.

"Really, why not?"

"It's her office, I don't want to intrude." She put her hand on the back of her neck.

Lavina laughed, "Alright, but don't go anywhere." Lavina walked into the office, closing the door behind her. She opened the drawer on the desk and grabbed out a few black ink cartridges. She came back out of the office. "Ophelia, Ophelia, I have the ink..." Lavina looked around the living room and kitchen, but Unora was gone. "Ophelia?!" Just then she came running down the stairs and past Lavina. "Ophelia, Ophelia!" Unora stopped and turned around.