Undercity: Manifest

Chapter Eight

Dante watched Zach and Sadie's interaction from behind the mirror where Zach had banished him following his display. His cousin, Payden stood beside him taking notes. She was his only family and one of the only people he had any time or care for. He took his eyes away from the interview room for a moment to study her reaction and watched in silence, as she routinely pushed her fallen hair back behind her ear, before scribbling down her observations. 

'Well?' It was all he needed to say for Payden to understand what he was asking. 

'I don't know'. It was rare for Payden to come up with nothing. She was the lead researcher at the Coven and dedicated her life to learning the history of all Mystics. It was one of the ways they were able to maintain their secrecy. Unlike Dante, who's role was to enforce the law and do whatever was necessary to maintain order.

Payden wrote down a few more thoughts before placing her notepad and pen on the stool next to her. She folder her arms and turned to face him, needing to look up to meet his eyes. 

'It's clear from her reaction to your magic- you're a dick for that by the way- that she isn't lying about not knowing what she is'. Dante swallowed a laugh. He knew he was a dick, but Zach's approach wasn't getting them anywhere, and he needed to get the job done. His cousin didn't return his sense of humour and carried on. 'She looked terrified. I've never read about anyone finding out about us after spending their whole life believing they're human'. Payden's voice was laced with sympathy. 

'I'm more interested in who hid her and why.'

'Of course you are.' Payden sent him a knowing glance as she spoke. He both loved and hated how well she knew him. 

They both turned back to listen in to the rest of the conversation in front of them. The atmosphere in the room shifted when Zach and Sadie discussed manifestation. 

Sadie's weak voice carried across the room as she asked, 'What other groups exist... do any of the Mystic groups include... animals?'

Payden snapped her head towards Dante just as he did the same meeting each other's eyes as Zach answered. 'Yes'. Dante noted the pace of Sadie's breathing increase and the way her face paled as she waited for Zach to continue. 

It was Zach's voice that now filled the room. 'Shapeshifters take on the form of animals and are one of the weakest groups- magically speaking'.

Sadie didn't reply leaving her stare to burn holes in the table instead. 

She eventually managed a reply, 'And... when they die... what happens to them?' 

Dante shifted on his feet. 

'They return to their animal form.' Zach's answer didn't pull any reaction from Sadie. 'It is said that they return to the animal they feel the most connected to'. Sadie moved her hand to wipe a fallen tear from her cheek. 

'What would it take to kill one?' 

Dante got the feeling he knew where this was going. At least one mystery surrounding this woman was about to be unearthed. 

Zach took hold of Sadie's hand and rather than answering her question, which let's be honest Dante thought, was pretty board, he asked a question of his own. 'What happened?' Sadie finally looked up and met Zach's eyes. Hers were filled with tears. 

'It was two years ago. I was driving home from work when a man appeared in front of my car'. She paused taking a moment on an unsteady breath. 'I tried to stop, but by the time I realised what was happening, I hit him'. Her voice was becoming higher and more frantic as she spoke. 'I managed to get out of the car and called the emergency services expecting to tell them I killed someone. When I made it to where I hit him, there was a dog lying dead in the road. I was so sure I had killed someone.' A sob broke out for a moment. She composed herself quicker than Dante expected. 'I was relived. How fucked up is that? I spent the last two years relieved it was only a dog I killed and not a person. I thought I was crazy, but I know what I saw'.