Huntik Trilogy. Volume 1 The Battle Against The Specter

One Special Guest

Zhalia was sleeping hugged to a pillow in her completely dark room. The night before, Sophie and Lok had sent Dante with Guggenheim to Switzerland to take the wedding rings from a jeweler who used to made special work. Everything to enforce the tradition that wants the two spouses not see eachother before the ceremony.
"Wake up! It's the big day!" Sophie announced, entering the door and opening the shutters of the room.
"Sophie, it's only six o'clock!" Zhalia complained. "I slept very little tonight, and the children woke up often."
"You have an appointment with the hairdresser, the make-up artist and the last rehearsal of your promise!"
Zhalia took refuge under the covers, trying to go back to sleep.
Sophie approached the bed to whisper in her ear.
"I inform you that Dante has been awake two hours ago already and he's coming back here."
At these words Zhalia jumped up to wash herself.
"You have twenty minutes for the shower and the hairdresser is waiting for you as soon as possible to choose your hairstyle." Sophie scanned with precision. "I'll have to get dressed too soon." she added, remembering the lavender dress she had hung in Dante's guest room.

At eight o'clock, Zhalia had her hair ready and the dress worn.
"The children?" she asked apprehensively.
"With Metz, Cherit and the Fears brothers." Sophie reassured her.
"Den and Harrison are here?"
"Yes, they arrived this morning. They got angry because they didn't hear a word from us for months, but they didn't let them leave." Sophie said. "Where did Dante send them to train?"
"In China, I think." Zhalia answered, choosing a pendant to wear around her neck in the jewelry box, but she was undecided about which one to pick up.
"Den took Marcus and Harrison Clara. They're good as a baby-sitter!" Sophie laughed, choosing a diamond-studded drop pendant for Zhalia.
Zhalia looked out of the bedroom window to the guests who were coming into the courtyard where everything was set up for the ceremony.
"Isn't that Lucas?" she asked as she saw Sophie's brother conversing with Dellix and Lane near the refreshment table.
"Yes, he arrived around six o'clock this morning."
Her gaze ran to the entrance where a group of seekers arrived and immediately surrounded a thin man with long white hair and sparse on his head.
"I can't believe it!" Zhalia exclaimed biting her lip "But that's..."
"Let's move on and let's start with the make up!" Sophie announced, dragging her away from the window.

In the courtyard the guests were taking their seats. Dante was with Lok before the altar. The group of agents who were escorting the man who looked like a supervised prisoner approached them.
"Klaus!" Dante greeted him, signaling the Foundation's agents to let him approach to him alone.
"Dante Vale!" Klaus greeted him. "In the end there is a reason if Zhalia entered the Huntik Foundation."
"But you must admit it's nice to know she's happy."
"Yes, I concede you that." Klaus smiled. "Even though I asked her to eliminate you and not to marry you." he whispered threateningly.
"I must, on the other hand, thank you." Dante replied. "You were a father to Zhalia, I saw the picture in your old bookshop in Vienna."
"The same that thanks to your team went on fire, incinerating the work of a lifetime and my home." Klaus growled through clenched teeth.
At that moment Den came along with Harrison and Metz with the twins in their arms.
"Remember that you are always guarded and that at the end of everything you'll go back to prison!"
"I didn't forget it, Metz!" Klaus answered.
Dante took his daughter from Harrison; for Klaus it was impossible not to notice the resemblance to Zhalia.
"She looks a lot like her! I wasn't told you had a daughter!" then he noticed the baby boy sleeping in Metz's arms. "Twins?!" Klaus frowned. "I left Zhalia only for a few years and you..."
Harrison and Den were about to say something, but Dante intervened first.
"Yes, Klaus, I know!" he said, looking down. "The children weren't expected." Dante looked up to meet Klaus's green eyes. "You care about Zhalia or you wouldn't be here today."
"I can't understand what is your secret. Is to read the soul of your neighbor, Dante Vale? How can you be sure of all these things?" the man curiouslyasked.
"By trusting Zhalia, you can get to know some small details of his past life, which is why I insisted you come today. You are a non-negligible detail."
Klaus looked down.
"I feel adulated!"
Marcus woke up and leaned towards Klaus; even if he looked more like Dante, he had some characteristics that reminded his mother, like the hazel color of her eyes and some expressions. Klaus was impressed and was surprised when Dante put his son in his arms.
Suddenly a shadow of melancholy fell on Dante's face.
"What is it, Dante Vale? On the day you are getting married you change your joy with sadness?"
Dante touched his scar to the height of his ribs hidden by his shirt.
"There's a new threat, right?" Klaus sensed. It was not easy to hide the truth from a man like him, who used plotting in the shadows.
"Yes, Klaus. I am worried about Zhalia and my children. I don't want them to go through what happen to me, I would never forgive myself!" Dante touched the scar again, turning to the Fears brothers adding: "Let's move to another place, it's good for you too to know."
Lok and Metz took the children, Dante moved inside the house with the others and began to tell the story.

Sophie made three turns around Zhalia, arranging the skirt of the dress, the rebellious loks of her hair and the last details.
"You're perfect Zhalia! You'll leave everyone speechless!"
She didn't answer and just bit her lower lip.
"What's wrong, aren't you happy?" Sophie incredulouslyasked.
"No, it's not this!" Zhalia hurriedly answered. "I think I saw Klaus before..."
"You don't like the fact he's here, do you?"
"I'm glad he's here, but the thought that he's still in prison..." she broke off thoughtfully again.
"You are not responsible for the choices he made when he were in the Organization, Zhalia!" Sophie consoled her. "You have noticed your mistake and you have entered the Huntik Foundation. What matters now is that today you are happy with Dante!"
"You're right, Sophie!" Zhalia smiled, thinking of Dante.

Everything was ready to begin, in the front row there were the bast man and the maid lady, with the children in their arms, Klaus, Den, Cherit, Harrison, Eathon Lambert and an empty seat reserved for Metz, who was about to lead Zhalia to the altar.
Dante could keep his nerves steady and waited patiently before the altar under the attentive gaze of the guests. When it was time, everyone got up to see the bride's arrival, which, as Sophie had predicted, left everyone astonished.
The celebrant began the ritual and soon he arrived at the most important moment: the exchange of promises.
"Dante Vale, do you want to take Zhalia Moon as your legitimate bride, to love and honor her every day of your life?"
Dante took the ring and placed it on the left ring finger of Zhalia.
"I do!"
The Celebrant went on, while Cherit tried to hold back his tears. Lok came to his rescue, pulling off the silk handkerchief he wore in his jacket pocket.
"Zhalia Moon, do you want to take Dante Vale as your rightful husband, to love him and honor him every day of your life?"
Zhalia imitated Dante, but waited a moment before putting the ring on his ring finger. Dante looked worried, but she gave a half sly smile.
"I do!" she answered by slipping the wedding ring on his ring finger.
Someone of the guests breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then I will declare you husband and wife!" the Celebrant solemnly concluded.
Dante and Zhalia looked at each other and smiled. A few minutes passed, but the two remained in that position.
"What are you waiting to kiss her, Dante?"
"Lok, you're always the usual troublemaker!" Sophie addressed him.
"Ah, love!" Cherit sighed. "Something tells me that you'll be next, my boy!" he whispered in Lok's ear.
Dante and Zhalia kissed, provoking general applause, and the moment of the launch of the bouquet arrived; all the female guests pushed each other to get it except Sophie who was talking to Metz behind them and was surprised when she found the flowers in her hand. Dante laughed giving a pat on the shoulder of Lok who in that moment wished to disappear.
"Sophie..." the boy grumbled.
"What's up?"
"Maybe one day I'll ask you if you want to marry me, but not today!" he said hiding in the house and everyone laughed.
Zhalia approached Klaus in order to speak with him alone.
"Hi, Klaus!"
"Hi, Zhalia!"
It was strange for her to see him with tears in his eyes.
"You're beautiful! You've always been!"
"Thank you!" she answered, embarrassed.
"Vale told me everything. I know about Shadow."
Zhalia jumped at just hearing that name.
"He had sworn that we wouldn't have thought of him today!" she hissed angry.
"I want to apologize with you, Zhalia, for everything you've been through because of me." Klaus continued.
"I accept your excuses willingly, but I believe that, somehow, I must thank you too."
"I saw your children. I noticed that not only the female, but also the male resembles you. How did you call them?"
"Marcus Dante and Clara Zhalia"
"What refined names..." Klaus commented.
"Klaus, we have to go!" Metz warned, interrupting them.
"I hope you'll come to visit me soon, Zhalia." Klaus invited her.
"Yes. I was pleased to talk to you."
Dante approached Zhalia who watched the agents taking Klaus away.
"Are you ok?"
"Yes, don' worry!" she turned to him. "I know it's thanks to you if today he could have been here."
"It was the least I could do." Dante hugged her.
"Why did you tell him about Shadow?" Zhalia asked him.
Dante held her closer to him and she sighed.
"I think I understood." Zhaliasentenced. "Better if we go back to the bash. They are for sure looking for us."