Crossroads → Nicholas Scratch [CAOS]

xiv. unity

UNITY
CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DANI TRACED HER HAND DELICATELY over the heavy, hard-back book, brushing the dust off with her fingers. It was another Latin book of spells that she was unable to even remotely understand, but even so, it had become an important book to her over the past few days. Inside this book that she had picked up from her father's office, were small notes of translations written by her mother beside the Latin texts. The labels her mother had written for each spell were short and brief, but that didn't matter to Dani. All she wanted was to understand the life her mother had, how she hunted and how she died. The notes didn't tell Dani much, but it was better than nothing. She shut the book and set it back on her lap, looking up from her low position on the chair at her father who stood behind his desk, pointing to objects and symbols on the wall. He was finally giving Dani the explanations she had wanted, but now she was starting to wonder whether these were answers she really wanted. She had seen enough terror that came with the life of hunting and magic and had come to the conclusion that it wasn't the life she wanted to have anything to do with. Really, the only thing Dani was interested in was her mom. Every opportunity she had been given to be in her dad's office, she had used to search for books or anything that could have had something to do with her mother. If she wasn't going to get answers from her dad or brother, this was the only way.

"Are you listening, Dani?"

Raising her attention to her dad, Dani mumbled, "huh? Oh, yeah. Hexes...", trying to recall what her father was saying to her while she had been distracted.

He folded his arms over his chest after setting the sigil-covered Angel's Tablet he was holding on the desk. "You're not paying attention."

"I am!" she insisted, raking her hand through her hair.

"Do you think I want to teach you all of this? The last thing I want is for you to get involved." He waved his arms, motioning towards the bookcases and boxes of tools.

Calum sighed, leaning against the desk. "I think Dad's just trying to say he wants to keep you safe which means staying away from hunting and magic," he said, trying to soften their father's words.

"Trust me, I don't want to hunt."

"Good because there's no way in Hell I'd let you," Matthew said firmly. When neither Dani or Calum said anything, his features softened, his once angrily furrowed eyebrows now relaxed and lips forming a straight line. It was clear that he was watching the way Dani hugged the spell book to her chest. "Wait here. I need to get something." He walked around the desk and as he exited the room, he quickly added, "and don't touch anything!" Obeying his request, Dani slumped in the chair, glancing back down at the shut notebook.

"So what's up? How come the sudden disinterest? Just a few weeks ago you were dying for us to tell you everything we know." Calum broke the silence.

"That was before I almost died twice." She chuckled. Then she shrugged, "I don't know... I guess I already have the answers I wanted. The secrecy with you and dad... that all those times Sabrina would miss school it was because she was at the Academy." And Nicholas. Dani shook her head as though to brush the thoughts away. "...yeah, it all makes sense now."

"And Nick? You gonna tell me you don't miss him?"

"I don't!"

With a chuckle, Calum raised his eyebrows. "Right..." he said, unconvinced.

"I mean it, Cal." Calum was about to respond but the two silenced when Matthew Monroe reentered the room with a bronze, old-fashioned key. Warded in the bit that went inside locks was a pentagon which Dani assumed was supposed to represent a pentagram like the ones on the walls. With big, intrigued hawk eyes, Dani watched as Matthew made his way toward a large frame on the wall with an enormous silver blade in it. He carefully removed it from its nail and placed it on the floor against the floor, revealing a safe. When Matthew opened the safe with a key, he began digging through the large pile of books, angel tablets and small cases that Dani assumed were filled with weapons. With wide eyes, Dani watch eagerly as Matthew pulled out a leather book with a lock on it. She sat up straighter when she saw her father walking towards her with the items, and when he held them out for her to take, she gaped at him, confused.