House of Anubis: The Real Ones - Book 1 - COMPLETED.

Chapter 8

He spun around in his chair. His weary face was droopy, full of agony and deprived of sleep. "I'm glad all of you were able to make-"

"Why do you want us here, Victor?" I interrupted as soon as I heard that strong accent of his. It's not like Victor was nice to us these past 3 years. He was cruel and irritating. "We need answers."

"And I will give you them. All of you. Please, sit down." Victor had 2 couches in the small room for the 8 of us. But I can't 'sit down', I need to stand. Once Fabian realized I was doing this, he stayed next to me and slowly moved his fingers to lace with mine.

"Would any of you like anything to eat or uh, drink?" Victor asked. I was already getting annoyed with him.

"Ooh! I'll have some food!" Alfie exclaimed.

Victor sighed. "Of course, Lewis. Mr. Montgomery!" He yelled as Victor's housekeeper came in with some pastries and light drinks. He placed them on the coffee table in front of us.

"I don't even know where to start." Victor shook his head behind his desk. "Where do you want me to?"

"From the beginning." Eddie said. "Why did you leave Anubis?"

"Ah, yes. I knew all of you would be heading back for college. I knew about the future of this school before any of you did. And I had a strong feeling in my gut that all of you would be back. So, I departed. I thought it was best if I was out of your way. I was wrong. I should have at least stayed somewhere near the school grounds, I just didn't know what would become of this year. Oh, but now I do know. And it's not good, but we shall get to that toward the end."

"Where are you keeping The Touchstone?" Patricia asked.

Victor unlocked a drawer at his cluttered oak desk to reveal a small, black box. "In here."

"Show Nina and I what it looks like." Amber said sitting down, legs crossed. Victor unlocked the box and revealed a small, purple stone in the shape of an oval.

I stared at it for awhile before I asked, "Why did I have nightmares on the plane? One involved Sarah."

"You're The Chosen One, Miss Martin. You tell me. All I can say for certain is that you should take precaution. I'm surprised you haven't had many already at Anubis." Victor put The Touchstone Of Ra away, locking the box and drawer shut.

"Who has it out for me? A girl tried to kill me with some weird type of poison at the last party."

Victor cleared his throat, loudly. "I think you know exceptionally well who that is, Nina. Take a guess."

"Is it somebody we all know?" K.T. asked.

"Everybody except you, my dear."

"You're kidding." Fabian said. squeezing my hand.

"Rufus Zeno." Eddie finished Fabian's thought with a stern voice. "He's back, isn't he?"

"Mr. Miller and Mr. Rutter, yes, I knew you two would be the first ones to figure it out. Now, from what I am about to tell you on, you need to pay close attention. Rufus Zeno escaped The Underworld in the Lake of Fire from Duat."

"How's that even possible?" I asked, stunned.

"Did he turn into a zombie?" Alfie's pupil's grew bigger. "I knew it!"

"There have been rumors that people have been escaping The Underworld, or at least are attempting to." Fabian told us. "Victor, do you know how?"

"Not a clue. But he's back. So is Caroline Denby, she escaped The Underworld too. Whoever tried to kill you at that party must have been hired by Rufus or Caroline. Oh, and Nina? That guy at the airport and your taxi driver to Anubis, didn't they look like Rufus? You haven't seen Ms. Denby, but that girl who offered you poison at the party-"