The Delacours: Part Deux

thirty-one.

A few days later, Anna texted me saying that she and Margo were on their way to us. They were going to meet us at my office in three hours. Val quickly got to work to finding me an outfit that would hide the small bump I was sporting as if Anna saw it, she might say something without thinking in front of Margo.

"I just don't trust her!" Val said. "I know you can't really tell, but I don't want Anna saying something."

"That's fine by me. Other than her attitude, why don't you trust her?"

"She practices voodoo magic. I have the same reservations with that as I do with Santeria. I'm fine with the cultural practices of cleansings and prayers and stuff, but that stuff can go sideways real fast in someone who's inexperienced or caught up. I just don't want this to end up like New York. One bad spirit is enough for now, yeah?"

"You're right. But let's just hear her out. If you think what she has planned isn't gonna work, then fine, but Anna wants your help, and as Eminence, you have some sort of duty to help out the supernatural beings of this world."

"I know. But it's kind of hard for me to separate my mind now that you're pregnant and there's people who want to kill people like you."

"There's always been people who want to kill people like me."

"Yeah, but not like this." She put a jacket on me, and then adjusted it from the front. "There, you can't even see your bump."

"We could hardly see it in my normal clothes, did I really need to be this dressed?"

"Liz. You're the Magister of America. You need to present yourself as a woman with some class and dignity – especially in the face of someone who we don't know and will make her first impression of you be her only impression of you."

"I was in a t-shirt and my hair was a mess on that video chat, Val. I'm pretty sure her first impression of me is already down the toilet."

"Which is why we need to make sure this goes right. Give me a few minutes and we can go. Make sure Chris is ready to go too." I left the room and knocked on the door to Chris' room. He was just finishing up his hair and was wearing a button up shirt and slacks. We headed downstairs waiting for Val. When she was ready, the three of us drove to the office, leaving Zane with the kids for the day.

'Liz, we'll be there in twenty minutes.' Anna sent. I stood up and started to pace the room, nervously. I could hear Aria talking to someone who'd just walked in.

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm here to speak with the Magister. Who are you?" I heard a woman say with a strong French accent.

"Welcome to Massachusetts branch of the VSA, I'm her assistant. Is she expecting you?" I could hear the attitude in Aria's voice wasn't as friendly as her normal greeting.

"I would assume so. We came all this way to speak to her. I would hope she hasn't gone off to do something else."

"'We'?" I heard the door open again. "Oh, Anna!" Aria said; her tone of voice changed again. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were coming with someone else."

"It's okay, Aria. Liz is here right? And not busy?" Anna asked.

"She's in her office." I heard the phone beep at my desk. "Liz, Anna's here with someone. Are you ready?" I rushed over to my desk and hit the button to respond.