Times Change (complete)

Chapter 12

"I have told you about Tasha and those here on campus that want to bring harm to my wife. But what I haven't told you is that I also know about the spell."

"Spell, what spell?" Alberta asked.

Abe sighed, "it is a cloaking spell. It cloaks, who and what, Rose really is."

"Back to the what." Alberta mumbled. Looking at me she asked, "can you explain that to me now?"

"Yes, unless Abe would like to tell you the story?"

"Yes, I will tell it."

Taking a deep breath he looked at Alberta. "When Janine was three months pregnant with Rose. Yeva Belikova who is Dimitri's grandmother, came to me, we were living in Baia at the time. Which you no doubt know is where Dimitri is from."

She nodded.

"Yeva told me, that my enemies were going to try to kill Janine, as soon as they found out that she was pregnant. And that as soon as possible, the two of us had to be separated from Rose, for her own safety."

"That's why, Janine left Rose here?"

"Yes, we discussed it and we decided that since she knew that you would look after Rose as if she were your own. St. Vladimir's is where we would enroll her. Yeva told me that I could have no contact with my little girl, until she became old enough to look after herself. And that Janine, could only have the bare minimum amount of contact with her. She told us that people would always be watching the both of us. And that even if we separated, we would still be under constant surveillance and scrutiny. So, in order to protect Rose, Yeva took me to a witch that she knew named Adele. Adele gave me a potion that was to be put in one of Rose's first bottles. When Janine was six months pregnant she left Turkey. Which is where we moved to right after I met Adele. After Janine gave Rose the potion she got word to me to let me know that it was done. That was the last time that I heard from either one of them, until Dimitri called me yesterday."

"What exactly does this spell do?"

"It cloaks Rose's magic, as well as the fact that... Rose was born 96% moroi and 4% human. Still making her a dhampir, just a very special dhampir. According to Adele, there has only been one other, born like Rose. My little girl is only the second alpha dhampir to ever be born."

"Who was the first?"

"Our first queen, Elizaveta Alisha Mariann Badica. She is the reason that the Badica's recognize their dhampir children, grandchildren and great grandchildren as heirs to their line."

Alberta's eye quickly flew to mine. "Is that why you didn't tell me who the new queen is? Is it Rose?"

I nodded. "And if you will think back over the things that I said to you yesterday. You will see, that although I couldn't come right out and tell you, I did give you several hints."

Abe and I watched as Alberta thought back over our conversation from the day before.

Eventually she nodded and said, "so you did. I don't know how I didn't see it. How could I have possibly missed that?" She asked, but didn't expect an answer, since she was talking to herself.

I then picked up our previous topic of discussion. "I need the antidote to the spell, Abe. Because one of the things that I am supposed to do here is bring out Roza's magic, all of her magic. Not just her shadow kissed powers but also her birthright magic."

Abe reached into his pocket and pulled out a small round silver flask. Like he carried it on him at all times. I wondered if he actually did have it on him at all times.