The Spirits' Guide

Chapter 28

"The king's ambassador is here, Miss," A witch whispered into Iris's ear as she rested on one of the benches in the infirmary. She got up and walked to the curtains.

"Time to go," she said through the curtains.

"Let's go," she heard Luka's voice, soft for his mother. Iris nodded as she waited for Luka and his mother to walk through.

Within a minute both were through the green, Marie was looking brighter than before but she was still dull in comparison to Luka who was glowing with joy.

She motioned with her head for the two to follow her as she began to walk out of the infirmary to the main doors.

Iris bit her cheek as she caught sight of the tall man waiting next to Josephine. Neither looked as though they were enjoying themselves.

Stopping in front of them, Iris gestured to Marie and Luka, "Marie and Luka, daughter and grandson of the king of Stila."

The ambassador raised his chin, not bothering to look at Iris, and spat, "Use your magic, both of you." Iris snapped her teeth together.

"I wouldn't do that. One has barely received training and the other has never trained." Iris interjected before Luka could drown the school once more.

The ambassador swiveled his head to glare down at Iris.

"The only way to know if they are related to the king is through their magic. Regardless of their ability, they should still be able to use their magic. Isn't it your job to keep the school intact?" Iris gritted her teeth as he smirked at her.

"Go ahead. Hopefully, you'll drown this ass before anyone else," Iris grumbled to Luka.

Luka raised his arm, muscles straining. Within a second, the ambassador was dodging a golden icicle. Iris was impressed, she would not have been able to move fast enough to escape.

He looked barely disturbed by his near-death. Straightening his shirt collar, the ambassador looked to Iris and said, "No need for further questions. It appears that you have brought the true heirs home. Well done, Arke." Iris stiffened, the blood drained from her head. Even Josephine appeared startled by the name.

The ambassador looked closer into Iris's face. Reaching a hand out, he traced markings that could not be seen by the human eye.

Leaning back, he looked back into Iris's eyes, "Apologies, Iris. I had mistaken you for Arcoiris Desaparecidos. Farewell, my rainbow." With that, he gestured for Marie and Luka to follow him to the carriage waiting outside.

Even when the doors were shut, neither Josephine nor Iris could move. Iris was sure that Josephine had believed the same as she: no one knew of Arke. Iris began to move when she saw the flutter of a curtain and the small page boy walk to her.

Gesturing for her to lean down, he glanced to Josephine. Iris glanced at the woman as well and understood that she was petrified, frozen in place until the spell was broken.

Without taking her eyes off the demon, Iris leaned down. She felt soft lips on her ear as the boy whispered, "Dante's son is not waiting for you. Dante himself is waiting. Everything is a lie." Iris sucked in a breath as everything began to move normally once more, the little boy gone.

She straightened as Josephine turned to her, her face still pale from the shock. "That man was not human nor witch. He was demon." As the words processed, Iris understood how he knew Arke.

"She's in Hell. Arke Bloodworth is in Hell." Josephine nodded silently. Iris turned her back to the demon and began to walk away. Then, Josephine said something that Iris never wanted to hear.