Riddle Of The Owl - YA Fantasy

Chapter Fourteen

Her parents' worry was etched into everything they did that morning after Alleria told them what had happened. There was no discussion on the matter, it was a shorter conversation than she anticipated. She sometimes wished they'd show her more and wouldn't struggle to keep up a strong facade for her sake. The arrangements to move would begin that very day.

After her parents left for work, Cassel showed up at her house. "I talked to Mr. Malluri on the telephone," she told him. "He wants us to meet this evening."

"I can take you there," he said quietly.

"I didn't tell him what happened but... he sounded strange. Something's the matter. Do you think he knows?"

Cassel shook his head. "It's rich men and their rich troubles. Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with you." Something in Cassel's face warned her not to question further. She had no place to pry into her patron's private affairs.

That evening, there were several strange cars parked outside the Malluri mansion. Alleria knew next to nothing about cars, though these were all black and expensive looking. It was odd for her benefactor to have guests at this time, especially when he knew she was coming. Money didn't actually give people freedom, they were bound by so many rules and restrictions that it was almost surprising anyone ever yearned to become rich. Malluri's friends, who weren't actually real friends, would never arrive without having planned it in advance and without a particular cause in mind.

Alleria walked ahead with Cassel behind her, she began mounting the marble stairs when a tall, dark, figure stepped in ahead of her, blocking her path. Her breath caught in her throat before she realised who it is.

Willum looked odd, his face was pale and drawn, there were dark circles underneath his eyes and his hair stuck out from his forehead in a way that suggested he had ruffled it many times. His eyes were steely cold, though, and he glared darkly at her through his wire-framed spectacles.

"You, least of all people, should be here." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper but closer to a hiss.

"Malluri said —"

"My father is oblivious to what's going on," Willum said in a flat voice. Alleria would have thought he sounded bored if she could disregard how angry he looked. "He'll eat up every lie that's fed to him. As long as it comes from people whose opinion he values"

"What's —?"

"Priests are here, right now, but not for you. Not explicitly." Willum passed her, and began walking down the stairs. He pulled keys out of his pocket. "I'm taking you home."

Alleria looked back, searching for Cassel, but he had vanished. She wondered if as a demon-touched boy he had a mystical power that allowed him to disappear, or he was just talented at sneaking away. "Priests? You mean from the Church? But why would they be after me?" she hurried to follow Willum, lowering her voice to nearly a whisper.

"All these exorcisms you hear about? Who do you think's performing them?"

"Individual groups, fanatics..."

"There's a known and powerful witch operating in the empire. The Church has been given sanction from the bureaucracy to act, so they act as they see fit." They approached the same car that Cassel had used to bring Alleria here. Did Cassel have a copy of the keys? Did Willum know that it went missing on occasion?

Willum was already inside the car turning the key in the ignition, Alleria hurried into the seat at his side, slamming the door. "And what does that mean?" she asked.

"It means they're networked, well connected and organised. You've been exposed, Bellencreek. They know what you are. They've hired an exorcist to take down the witch, and you can bet that they're going to use the opportunity hunt as many as your kind as they could find. "