Birthmark

Ch. 27: Double Agent

In the throne room, Belos sat below the heart.

"If Caine for one second thinks he can get my granddaughter, he has another thing coming."

With only a theory of what he would want Luz for, Belos already had plans in place to protect her and deal with Caine or his forces if they showed their faces.

'You're very protective of her.' The Titan said.

'Would you not be protective of your child, of the isles if we were in danger?' Belos asked the all mighty titan.

'I never said it was a bad thing, I was just saying.' Titan said, 'We've known each other a long time. Do you know why I told you to take in Lilith and Edalyn?'

"Because you saw potential in them? And their lives mattered?' Belos asked.

'While that is true, I never told you the third reason.' Titan said, 'I've watched you rage war and lose your heart, your spirit, I knew if something like this kept going, you would not survive. I told you to take them in, because I knew they would bring light to your soul.'

"So...you had me take them in to save me from myself?" Belos said aloud.

'Yes. People might not know it but sometimes, the most dangerous person is themself. Their inner demons that they hide from the world because they believe they can manage them but sometimes, it's good to have help. Even if you don't ask for it.' Titan said to him.

'I had never thought about that.' Belos thought.

Belos had never been more grateful to the Titan than he was now. Personally, if he didn't take Eda and Lilith in to raise as his own, Belos fears he would have grown to be a cruel tyrant then a benevolent ruler.

'Thank you, Titan.'

'No thanks are necessary, old friend.' Titan replied.

"It's time to look through everything I have on my brother."

Getting up from his throne, Belos marched through the castle to the file room of the coven where they keep all of the information they have on the Isles. Criminals, investigations, and the darkest secrets of the covens. He grabbed a large one that had Caine's name on it.

"Everything we have on him." Belos said, "He dropped off the face of the Titan a decade ago, and now he's back. No one just disappears like that; he was hiding somewhere. the question is, where?"

That had been the biggest question on his mind, how did his brother manage to vanish without a single trance? Not even a tracking spell could find him, so how did he do it? The only way possible was using a portal to another dimension but the Titan's Blood had run dry years ago and Eda possesses the only known portal.

"He can't have a portal, and if he does possess a portal, then he needs to be stopped now."

Though that brought another question to mind. If Caine had a portal, why did he not go after Luz in the human world? Did he not recognize her or was he secretly watching her all this time to study her?

"What is his endgame?"

If there was one thing Belos knew about Caine, it's that he is patient. Before Caine betrayed him, he saw his brother wait, two years, just tracking down the person that robbed him for ten dollars. He was either a Titan damn genius or a lunatic. Belos was leaning more towards lunatic. But either way, Belos needed to stop him and to do that he would need trusted allies, an ironclad plan, and a secret ace in the hole. He already had the first one, the second was close at hand, and third would be a scroll call away.

"Guards, let the Coven Leaders know there will be an emergency Coven meeting tomorrow. Attendance is mandatory."

"Yes, your highness!" The guards said before leaving to spread the news.

"I need to contact my ace." He said.

Alas, Belos wasn't the only one to have that idea as Caine was planning on calling the exact same ace. The Ace's scroll rang and they picked up.

"You called?"

"I need you help."

"Ah, Emperor Belos, to what do I owe the pleasure."

Belos was lucky to get to her first... the last family member he had... his younger sister. A woman that looked a lot like him and Caine but with long blonde hair that reached her back. Currently wearing a dark blue dress with one long right sleeve, a black sash around her waist, and heeled boots.

"I told you, you don't have to call me Emperor."

"Sorry, big Brother." She said, "What do you need?"

"My granddaughter has returned. Lucenda is home." Belos said as the woman gasp, dropping whatever she was holding.

"S-She is? B-But I thought that-" the woman tried to say.

"So did I, but she's alive. But if we don't act fast, then she will die."

"Eh- Do you mean Caine?" She asked.

"Yes, our brother has plans for Luz and I fear what they may be. That's why I need your help." Belos said through his scroll.

"Just name it and I'll do whatever I can." The woman said, determined to protect her grandniece.

"I need a spy." Belos said.

"Someone inside of Caine's forces to give you information?" The woman guessed.

"Exactly. I know this sounds risky but I need someone I trust to let me know ahead of time if he makes a move." Belos said to her. "I can also send you magic charms to protect you if he tries anything like curses or hexes on you."

"Oh, Philip, you know how much I love jewelry." She said, almost taunted.

"Yes, I know, especially magical jewelry... and don't call me Philip, you know I hate being named after... him." Belos said to her. "So, do we have a deal?"

"I get to stick it to Caine? Hell yeah!"

"Thank you, Rachael. I'll send the protection charms immediately." Belos said.

"See you later." Racheal said.

Ending the call, Belos got up and find the enchanted jewelry that would protect Racheal. He didn't want his sister, the youngest of the triplets, going in half cocked and in full danger.

"They should be in my office."

As Belos went to get the promised jewels for Rachael. the woman herself was currently looking over her messages and saw she received a message from Caine.

'Speak of the devil.' Rachael thought as she listens to her other brother's message.

"Hello little sister, I'm sure you wouldn't mind helping your older brother with a small issue. Call me back when get this message." Caine's message was.

"Alright, big brother, let's see what you have to offer over Belos. Not that it'll sway me to actually join you." Rachael said as she called her other brother.

She waited for the call to pick up.

"Hello, Caine, I received your message, I was wondering what I could do for you?"

"Ah, Rachael. Glad to see you got my message. Anyway, I have an offer for you and before you ask, I can pay you handsomely if you choose to accept." Caine said to her.

"Well, money is the fastest way to my heart." She said, "What's the exact number?"

"How about 2 million snails?" Caine said with a smirk.

"Deal."

'Magic protection jewelry and 2 million snails in one day? I impress myself sometimes with how easy I can make a profit.' Rachael. thought with a smirk.

Rachael ended the call and texted her brother, Caine, for the location so she could report to him to "join" him.

"Alright brother, what are you planning?" She asked herself.