Enchanter

Chapter 37

Cia opened up the door to the apartment holding several boxes of pizza. "Are you sure that it's safe to stay here," she asked.

"Of course," Cas said. "Before they got into the shower they said that they spell bound the place to make sure that no one could see it." Cas pulled out some paper plates from the cabinet. "We got lemonade or water."

The door swung open to the shower room. "No beer," the man said. "Damn and he I thought a nice cold one could really hit the spot right now."

"You could say that again," Cia murmured.

"Whatever," he said while he zipped up his sweater. "By the way thanks for the clothes, something told me that the old trench coat wasn't going to work anymore."

"No problem," Cas said. "The food's here."

"Thank god," said the woman exiting the bathroom as well. "I fell like I haven't eaten in ages." Grabing a thick slice she bit into it sounding almost too relieved. "Never get cancer," she said looking at Cas and Cia. "By far one of the worst experiences of my life."

"Nope, I can't do this," Cia said standing up. "So we are just going to ignore the fact that you two look nothing like Eli and Eleanor and let's not forget about age."

"Cia," Cas said. "We can talk about that later." Cas couldn't stop smiling his dad was right next to him and all he wanted to do was get to know him.

"Eh, I see your point," the man said putting down his pizza. "The reason why we don't look like the people you knew for so long was because we were hiding right underneath them the whole time."

"It's actually quite smart," the woman said. "The first time I saw Eldon I thought that his body type was a bit peculiar for an encoder, plus the fact that his hair wasn't all primp and proper just made it so much better."

"For me it was just how small she was," remarked Eldon. "I always had a thing for short girls who could literally murder a thousand demons. The fact that your hair became a field of cosmic energy was kind of the icing on the cake."

Cia looked at Cas, "Are you really buying this?"

"Well it makes sense," Cas said. "I mean the siren spell for making two people love each other not find any interest would have to alter their appearances."

"You see our son gets it," Eldon noted. "Now sit back down and we'll finish answering all of your questions."

Cia, slightly sceptical took a seat right by Cas. "So how did you trick the system," Cas said really excited, "some sort of potion or blood spell. I really have to know."

"Well, the pilgrimages helped us with that," Ellie answered. Pulling back her hair she showed them the bird mark behind her ear. Eldon pulled down his shirt to show them a heart in a mirror on his chest. "I'm pretty sure that they've seen it just about the same time you got your abs back, honey."

"Well maybe they wanted a second glace," Eldon said sarcastically.

"Come to think of it I no longer question the fact that he's your father, Cas." Cia hid her face. "I mean it's not the worst thing that's happened this week."

"That's the spirit," Eldon said. "Besides it got one of the trial out of the way. You could call it a win-win situation."

"Speaking of which," Ellie said. "What is the last task?"

"I don't know," Cas said pulling the scroll from his pocket. "Let's see. Kill the queen and set the world free." Rolling up the scroll Cas sighed. "They just aren't trying anymore with these riddles."

"Great, so we just get rid of Kristi and we can spend the rest of our time at the academy," Cia said.

"There is no 'just' here," Ellie said. "Think about everything that has happened so far. Not just directly at Cas, but to everyone she has victimized just to collect research."

"She is by far one of the most insane people I've ever met," Eldon agreed.

"Let's not forget about Christopher," Cas said. "He's got to be planning something else." Cas was shaking with rage. "He isn't just going to disappear. He wants us dead."

The room became silent as each one contemplated how to solve the predicament that they were in. "I think I might have an idea," Ellie said. "Are the men that we caught still in the closet?"

Before they could get a full explanation, Cas and Cia were in the back of a car with their hands cuffed. "For the record I do not like this idea in the slightest," Cia said.

"Oh calm down," Ellie said wearing the stolen garments of a bounty hunter. "My major at the academy was in espionage this will work."

"Besides, Kristi won't even remember us. We make perfect decoys." Eldon stretched his arm over Ellie. "Even so, I made sure that the two of you have plenty of spells under your belt. They won't see it coming."

"You better be right about that," Cia said.

"How much further," Cas asked.

"If the bounty hunters gave us the right information, it's just a few blocks away," said Ellie.

"You know I find it rather amusing that our first family road trip is like this," Eldon said. "You know next time we should just be basic and go to the Grand Canyon or something."

"We're here," Ellie said pulling in front of a prison. "Let me just go talk to the guards real quick."

"Watch this boys and girls," Eldon said. "You're about to see why they call her 'the false phoenix.'"

The guard began to smile as he told the gates to open. Getting back into the car Ellie said, "These guys are way too easy."

Pulling through the gates Cas heart began to race. "One last trial," he said cutting the tension from the air.

They all laughed and said it in unison, "One last trial!"

Being pulled from the car they were escorted down a long hallway filled with prisoners. Each one looked at them as they walked down the hall with disappointment. One inmate said with sadness, "they just get younger and younger lately."

Slowly a door of steal swung open and revealed a large office garnished with the three colours of the balance, and naturally the colour black. Turning to look at them with a victorious grin was Kristi, keeper of the balance.

"Guards leave me be with the hunters, but be sure to address that we have two of the culprits." Bowing to their queen they closed the door. She approach Cas and grabbed his chin forcing him to look at her. "I should have killed you from the start."

"Well you made your bed so you might as well lay in it now," Cas said smirking.

Kristi pushed his face away. "I am going to enjoy dissecting you, alive." Turning her back to them she said, "Now because you only brought me two you'll only be getting a percentage of what I said-." Being interrupted by an arrow she turned around to see both Cas and Cia no longer cuffed weapons aimed at her.

"I told you it would work," Ellie said smiling.