ghost [k. parker]

• CHAPTER 13 •

CHAPTER 13: italian magicians

Roma looked onwards at the Trevi Fountain, the aquamarine blue of the water vastly different to the sky blue above. The day was hot, very hot and Kai had wandered someplace to find gelato. Roma had sent Kai on more and more of these errands in the past few days to get some time alone, whereas previously she'd have gone with him. When he was gone, she would patiently and thoroughly read and examine every page of Sebastian's book- his diary -which detailed all the years he'd lived, important spells and information about magic. Roma hit the jackpot a few days back in Paris, and promptly but subtly suggested that the pair should visit Rome. Her wish was his command.

One night when she had stayed up to do some late-night reading, she discovered that the blade was created by a coven in Italy, specifically in Rome. The Iovis Coven created the Devorantis blade a millenia ago so that the coven leader could gain the power of any enemies they vanquished, however, sometime over the centuries it was lost from the coven. Sebastian notes that it wasn't till the recent few centuries that people discovered that the blade's abilities could be harnesssed by someone who didn't have magic.

The problem arose in the fact that she didn't know exactly where the Iovis Coven was located. Sebastian hadn't gotten ahold of the blade from them so he hadn't written down the location. Rome was a large place. The only possible option she could think of was asking Kai- he must know something, either from his years belonging to the Gemini Coven or because he had travelled the world for years looking for a way out. Roma just had to figure out a way to ask him without looking suspicious.

She had briefly wondered about why she couldn't tell Kai her plan- they were almost friends, right? They were comfortable with each other and there was little to no malice left between them, and they both had the ultimate end goal of getting back to the real world. Everything would be so much easier with his help. Then she remembered that Kai was a sociopath and the minute he found out that he was in possession of a blade which could make the owner practically immortal and was a constant source of magic, he would skin Roma until she transferred ownership to him. Kai was a jealous siphon, and she could not let that happen.

As much as she had grown to tolerate Kai, she understood what was to happen: she needed the Devorantis blade to get home but she could not tell Kai about the blade and therefore, she could not take Kai home with her. It was cruel, but she knew Kai would be relentless to obtain the Devorantis blade, in this world and the other. He had told her so many times about his dream of going back to win the merge and then slaughtering the rest of his family- with the blade he would've been unstoppable. He's a sociopath, Roma told herself. It'd be best for society. But it wasn't her morality that had concluded on this decision. It was her selfishness. She wanted her revenge. That's what her whole life had been about. And she would never admit it, but she liked the power.

And so, in her mind she offered Malachai Parker a fleeting apology, to the boy she would leave behind.

She felt bad as he approached with gelato in hand, a twinge of guilt clouding over her. Things had changed from all those weeks ago when he killed her in a fit of rage in the tunnels.

"Where to first, my dear?"

Roma hesitated for a second- oh, his stupid, adorable pet names- and then phrased her next words very carefully.

"You're a witch, right?"

Kai paused mid-bite of his ice-cream (another reminder to Roma that he truly was a sociopath). Then slowly shook his head. "No, not according to my family. I'm not a witch and I never could be. I'm a siphon."

The distaste and bitterness with which he said those words almost made Roma regret saying anything at all.

"That doesn't matter to me. What I meant to ask is, you witches, do you know how to find other witches?"