Part 21 (2/2)
It went from the most contentious to the funnest lesson we had ever had, and the most informative We learned about sires, brood sizes, and certain telepathic powers they possessed (”They feel a connection with their broodLennox had never explained to me amply, and also about what kills vampires
This was the part I shi+ed away from The other Neophytes and I looked at each otherexcept for Vittoria, who said, ”I just wonder what kills those big hairy balloon ani a olf out of a balloon Apparently her date with Paolo hadn't gone that well
Lia overheard this but didn't say anything She may have been mad at the olves herself Fro her shabbily I was going to have to have a long talk with Ballard about that
Lux signaled for the end of the lesson
”One last chestnut,” he said, ” yes, Lia?” Lux looked surprised Lia hardly ever raised her hand
”I don't know about you guys,” she said, addressing the other Initiates, ”but I could do with a ladies' night out What d'you say to getting out of here for a while?”
The other Neophytes and I looked at each other
”Seven o'clock?” she said
We nodded It was agreed upon
”To us back teuest speaker Try not to be late”
”We won't be long,” said Lia
Lia and the rest of us shuffled out of the roo to wherever he went Vittoria was looking at Lia like soo The other Neophytes and I whispered excitedly together We agreed to et in and out of the Gathering There was a big van, or soand soa snorted some
November visited the Roman countryside that afternoon with thunderclouds and a fierce torrent of rain water, so I spent the tihtfall, when the stor cleared up
We had a little surprise waiting for us e got there Two little surprises
The first was that Vittoria wasn't coht
”It was almost like she didn't want to come,” said one Initiate in a hushed voice
Lia smiled at this
”Vittoria was all buddy-buddy with Veruschka Ravenseal at the party,” she whispered to ”
It sounded like Ravenseal had their new Initiate Vittoria Ravenseal
When I thought about it, it madeIt didn't see any House she's a part of,” I said
The next surprise was that Ballard's ape van aiting for us, a curious little vehicle that rode on three wheels There was a single driver's seat and a little homemade chair behind it The other Initiates would have to make do in so
It was obvious that the majority of them had driven here I didn't knohat I had expected, brooic carpets But we piled into as few automobiles as possible It was Lia and I in the ape van The rest would have to follow
When I crawled inside, there were bits of straw, like chickens had lived in it The front end was badly daed but the motor had been fixed It was the color of a pale blue sky, covered in rust Lia started the ignition and the engine rattled to life ”Gaven brought it,” she said
”How is Gaven?” I asked, but she just shrugged Lia et away froed for the cityfor the piazzas and all the places she knew In a sense, I knehere she was co from But she had it worse
My hoht possibly be recruited by a prestigious Wiccan Household Lia was in the Hopper with the rest of us, but if no one picked her, if she wasn't selected, she didn't have the past that she could fall back on, of going and being a olf again And even though she had Gaven, neither did he Losing your aniht
The bashed-in ape van wobbled and picked up speed The leaves on the trees were in their last gasp of life And the h the clouds was crescent It was a blue h the rearview
We went that night to a piazza, whose stalls were open, just to walk around The other Initiates, none of ere from Italy, took the opportunity to walk around and ad up fro knickknacks
Lia and I bought so thes
”I want to show you so,” she said We took our purchases to one of the fountains I think it had a satyr in it Anyway
The light fro in the water revealed her Wiccan Mark
It was faint But it was there She hid it with her hand so that only I could see It had a fingerprint A sort of unique swirl at the tip of her index finger Silvery-blue like streaked lightning But so finely wrought that it was almost invisible Her deltathat was the point of her elbowlooked like an intricate knot work of silvery veins that glohen she hid it in her other handit came out in the dark ”Lia it's beautiful” I said
She glowed
But then her eyes got sad ”I'as,” she said ”That's e call it when so sleeves I hate that we have to hide Wiccans, I s, by the way So at least you'll be able to run really fast, if you have to get away”
We joined the rest of the Wiccan Neophytes I kept thinking of as Initiates because the Houses had still nota fraternity A sorority, because ere all witches Why was that, by the way? Why were the Initiates all feto her codex, ”and it's they're looking for somebody,” she said ”This super witch”
”Is that what this is all about? Which House will get her?” I asked
Lia shrugged
”The others think that that House will take over,” she said ”They're angling for supremacy, the Houses Even the va her Mariayou know she will be there at the Wiccaning, right? She's brought a psychic wereleopard, remember? It's where they read ourher as the rest of the piece The one thing Maria needs to take overto start another war Maybe I' paranoid”
She popped a chestnut in her mouth Liatheir purchases
We sat that night around the fountain, talking
It would coo, the rain
I learned the rest of the Initiates' naht, Larissa Nightblooet, Shaharizan, Astra, and one last one, the strangest of them allGemo where, and what they would do Perhaps Lia understood that She was, after all, the oldest of our lot, a Mistress in her own right We treated her like Big Sis