Neophyte / Adept (10 page)

We left the rough portion and exited through the underground
tunnel into a silver and porcelain hall. Red porphyry columns with inlaid
stones and high overhead ceilings with bright heaven-spun lights. Miniature
obelisks littered the sides of the round hall. We filed in. There were two more
figures in robes, ready to greet us. Gaven handled all of the ceremonies. Each
member of I Gatti was given a care package, which included a map. It was
something seeing these hardened female warriors and guys ripped from body
magazines holding boutique bundles with wrapping paper sticking out of them,
but that’s what they were doing. My own included a map. It looked like a
snowflake almost, with a huge central circle, like a nucleus, and then, clearly
delineated, sections for Werewolves, Wiccans and Vampires. The Magical Three.

In shape, it was very like the Aurelian Wall. The geographic
boundaries were clearly marked. Obviously the masterminds behind this little
get-together, say what they would, didn’t want the particular ‘races’ mingling.
There were tunnels that led off to No-Man’s Land, which must be like the one we
had just left, and rooms that were clearly outlined, but didn’t have a purpose.
The central room was for
the Gathering
...

My pulse quickened deep in my chest. I was leaving hand
marks on my books. My fingers were nervous with sweat. It ate into the cloth of
my diary. I had been neglecting my diary. That happened when I didn’t have time
to pause and reflect. It was all happening too quickly. I suddenly wanted more
time. But I was out of time. What did they expect me to do, invoke, raise up,
incorporealize, bewitch, ensorcell, do sleight of hand? I was a fraud, a
flimflammer. I wasn’t special.

Lia completely took me out of my head. “I still need to take
you shopping,” she said to me, her eyes gleaming, and her smile as radiant as a
million suns.

Gaven continued whispering with the two docents. I took the
opportunity to look them over more fully. These two were a man and woman, in
appearance exactly as the woman who had signed in Lia and I. Witches and
wizards. Their robes were intricate and flowing; the silver-bright threads
imbued with flowing lunavotum symbols. The cloth looked alive. Obviously it had
been enchanted with something. They continued with Gaven, but I noticed them
look from the corners of their eyes at Lia and me. Gaven laughed, and they
shook hands. They left us. It was just the werewolves and I standing in the
hall.

I felt like a third wheel. Although fourth would be more
accurate.

I felt
between
was
what it was. Not a werewolf. Not a vampire. Not a Wiccan.

I realized what was wrong. I should be here with St.
Martley’s. In fact, I had the strangest sensation that St. Martley’s didn’t
even know anything about what was going on here. I decided to get to the bottom
of it.

The whispering was like a barrelful of loud and whispery
things. I stood nervously on one toe then the next, and blew the strand of hair
out of my face. My forehead buzzed with a million thoughts and ideas. Gaven
looked like a sculpture decorating the center of the hall. We all looked to him.
I suddenly admired him very much. He and I had never really spoken. I shushed
my inner monologue and waited for him to speak. Lia bounced up and down on the
balls of her feet.

“We’re here,” he said, he looked from one to the other of
us; I could feel the atmosphere change. “I have just been speaking with Stavros
and Gisela. They are from a northern coven. Not Prague. Everyone is here. We
were the last to arrive. But there’s a problem,” he said.

“Isn’t there always?” said someone.

I listened, wondering what it could be. Gaven made sure the
doors were closed. He looked to one of his guys––Paolo, I
think––huge and buff and put stars in your eyes. A thumbs-up was
passed between them. Gaven continued with what he had to say.

“I know that you’ll want to get moved in, but a word of
caution first. We arrive optimistic; not stupid. The Wiccans have informed me
that the vampires arriving was not without incident. Part of the purpose of the
Gathering is to renew old ties.
Risky
wanted this. I trust Risky. There is a Welcoming Ceremony later today. I and
the warlocks and everyone who worked on this to make it the safest place
possible have supplied the Gathering with whatever you may
need––that includes food, clothing, and sleeping accommodations. We
can live here indefinitely. In just a moment I will break you into groups. Each
group will be assigned a Team Leader. He or she will have the responsibility of
protecting that group. Do not make it difficult for them to do so. Leaders
report to me.”

There was some general nodding. Some of the faces looked a
little glum. Others were angry. They didn’t like this business about the
vampires.

“This is the last time that we will have an opportunity to
be alone like this. Just because the Wiccans say something, doesn’t make it
so,” said Gaven. “Remember that.”

He changed gears.

“While you are here, you represent us––the
werewolves. Do not give them an opportunity to point the finger at us. Lia,
Halsey, as Wiccan potentials, you have
carte
blanche
, and also a bit of a conundrum ahead for yourselves. I will not
tell you to say this or not say that. Nor will I ask that you
spy
on either of the other groups. The
better you are able to move between Wiccans and werewolves, the closer our ties
to the vampires, the better for all sides involved.”

He proceeded to identify the Team Leaders. One was Paolo,
whom he regarded as a beta, a number two. The werewolves cheered when Paolo’s
name was called.

Gaven called three others. Their names were Locke, Leander
and Liesel. I got assigned to Locke.

I was hit with an overwhelming fact. This Gathering was
about Politics. For all this talk about magical partnerships, the real reason
we were all here was to check each other out.

Gaven assigning me to one of the werewolves, when in reality
I was here as one of the Wiccans––invited by a vampire, no
less––the letter was still in my diary––gave me my
anchor. It gave me my freedom to fail. It was like he was saying if I didn’t
make it with the Wiccans, I could always find my place with the werewolves.

That was the same lifeline Lennox had extended to me.
Because it would always be us. If everything else failed, Lennox and I could
always go live on Rat Rock.

There was some whispering that Lia should’ve been made a
Team Leader. But I knew better. She and I would soon have very hectic
schedules. Hope, hope.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” said Gaven, “I need to go have a
talk with the delegates from Ravenseal, and the other magical houses,
and
the Lenoir. Leaders show your groups
to their rooms. Everyone is on their best behavior. Be good.”

He found the door he was looking for, and before I knew it
he was gone.

“What did he mean by other magical houses?” I asked Lia.
“And who, or what, is a Ravenseal?” Lia was also in my group. She shushed me as
we walked along. Locke, as a werewolf, was unusual. He looked guarded. Like his
mind was closed. I looked for Ballard, but he was with Liesel’s group. I saw
him looking at her butt as she led them off in another group through separate
doorways. There were doors and doors, in this place. And miles of tunnels.
Locke explained. But he had no interest in babysitting a bunch of us. Nor
should he. Everyone here was an adult. The werewolves had all come of age.
Except for Ballard. And I––I was almost eighteen. My birthday was in
three months. Anyway it gave Lia and I an opportunity for some privacy. And
after the initial shock, I found I quite liked being in her company. She said:

“Ravenseal is the coven from Prague. There are also the
Harcorts and the Covens. But the Ravenseals have the most power. They are from
where Magic began originally. So I hear. The Covens come from really far away,
so I guess they don’t matter. I bet that’s where the name comes from.
Covens.
Otherwise they have a serious
lack of imagination.”

“And the Harcorts?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I think they’re British or
something. We’ll see. Oh. And that’s another thing. Gaven was furious. So I
guess he doesn’t agree.”

“With what?” I said.

“If we are, well, indoctrinated and everything...”

“Yes?” I said.

“I mean, if we’re chosen to be, well, you
know––Anyway we have to take one of their names.”

“What d’you mean?” I said really fast.

“It’s like a
House
name. House Harcort, House Coven, House Ravenseal. I would become Lia Harcort.
Or you might be Halsey Ravenseal. You’ll see.”

“You mean we have to take their
name
?” I said. Something about that really bothered me.

“I know right. Gaven was really upset. He wants me to take
his name, you see.”

She said it with a certain pride. How could she not? He was
a total hottie.

We meandered through very confined spaces. Some of the
tunnels barely fit the description. We had to go through them single file, or
else duck low. Glass globes of gas lamps were in niches in the walls. Other
sections were more hi-tech. I don’t know if that’s the right word. It was
almost like the Gathering had been built on the bones of something far more
ancient.

We were finally shown to our rooms. I stood under the glow
lamps and marked the space on my map. Accommodations were tight, but
manageable. I could hear voices in the distance. Locke said, “This is you.” Lia
and I had a compartment all to ourselves. Perhaps that was by design. It
consisted of a bunk bed cut into the wall, a minuscule closet at the end, and a
workspace for a single occupant––so obviously we weren’t going to
be spending too much time in here. Lia called top. So I guess that made me a
bottom. We did have a slatted door that could close. And it was a wing of the
compound occupied entirely by werewolves, so I tucked my diary under my pillow.
And I put the
Magus Codex
and my
laptop under my bed. All so that Lia could not see. Next I reread Maria
Lenoir’s letter. She was here right now. The docent had said that everyone had
arrived. That meant Dallace and Camille, if she was also coming, had arrived. I
had allies.

Maria’s letter was like a threatening
specter––and I wondered what she would be like.

Old, probably. I had never really spoken to Lennox about
vampire aging. Did that mean she had Powers as well? She had passed the
Agonies. She must have. And she was not alone. The Gathering was filled with
dangerous things that could kill me. I needed to be wary and stay alert, and
above all, protect the other werewolves.

Somehow I didn’t think I would be having those dreams while
staying here. The dreams were about possibilities, after all. The things I
could become. I remembered Mistress Genevieve, in one of her tiresome speeches,
I missed now that I was no longer their chief subject. She had said that for a
young person like me I could be anything. “Right now, you have doorways open to
you. But it won’t always be so. We make our choices. Soon you will have to
choose for yourself.”

I had. Instead of the world, I was in a very small closet.
It wasn’t a room at all. “I hope the food is good,” said Lia.

With Lia.

Chapter 10
– Welcome

There was a large rectangular hall listed on the map in what
I had come to privately call neutral territory––not a part of one
of the delegations’ territory. It was the dining hall. I labelled it
MEADPALACE. Somehow that seemed apt. The Meadpalace was where we would be
meeting later today. So Lia and I spent the remainder of the time getting to
know the werewolves on our block. That is, Lia introduced me around some. If I
might be one of them some day, I should at least get to know them, right? There
was no segregation while we were here. Guys slept with girls, and vice-versa.

There was Raina. She was a beta. You could tell it by their
natures. When Lia invited her to sit down with us she jumped at the
opportunity. Lia warned me. “You have to be careful with Betas. They’re the
tricksters.”

Lorentz. An Alpha. “Everybody wants to be Gaven,” said Lia.

Pendderwenn, Blunt, Giorgio, Berenice, Michelle. I tried to
remember all of their names. But it was too much.

“That’s pretty much everyone in the Pack, of those who are
in
this
group,” said Lia.

I could tell them by their beauty. The werewolves were
earthy, splendid and pure. I could tell them by their beautiful and bright
smiles and untainted spiritual openness. They had been whelped in Roma.

The Wiccans I had yet to judge. Aren’t I Miss Judge? From
what little I had seen, they appeared cold and manipulative. I took Gaven’s
words to heart, to let them all show themselves––vampires and
Wiccans––for who they truly were, instead of being all
constant moral judgement stance girl
, to
let them exhibit, show off, or hang themselves. Locke wasn’t rainbows and
kittens, either. The Wiccans were probably not all frostbite and foul weather.
And my heart, to speak of the vampires, beat for someone’s that did not.

My revery was interrupted by a voice over the PA System that
I didn’t even know was there. Perhaps it was a magical trick.

In any event, someone said, “Attention!”, in a voice so
amplified that everyone could hear it. “At this time, we would ask that the
Houses make their way to the dining hall, clearly outlined on your maps.”

It was repeated in several languages.

“Please drop what you are doing and
join us
for the afternoon luncheon,” said a bright female voice.
“The Welcoming Ceremony is about to begin... Thank you...”

It shut off. I looked at Lia. “I guess that means us,” she
said. She had been in a debate with one of the werewolves I seemed to recall
was named Sofia, about what was preferable, a monkey wrench or a sledgehammer,
when it came to turning over an irksome engine that refused to start.

“Just as long as it does what I say, when I tell it to, we
won’t have a problem,” said Lia, which I guessed made her an Alpha. What
happened when two Alphas got together? Obviously, they ruled the Pack. I
wondered where Ballard was and what he was up to? He and I would likely be
going our separate ways. At least until the Gathering was over.

He was a werewolf and I was a witch. But then I wondered
what exactly was the point of getting us all together, if we were just going to
be separated, and do whatever we were going to be doing independently? There
must be more to the Gathering than I knew about. Hopefully this little snack
break would fuel more than my hunger. It would satiate my ravenous desire, by
telling me what I was doing here.

* * *

We went single file through the tight-fitting corridors,
until they opened into an expansive concourse. The design was not unlike the
Colosseum––except it was buried way underground. Everyone was
hurrying to the first open gathering. Many of the werewolves had changed into
simple russet-colored robes. These were woolen. It was like wearing giant
burlap sacks.

Lia and I had changed into black robes which were to be worn
by the initiates. They had been waiting for us in our closet along with a note
pinned to each. “Blessed be, Halsey Rookmaaker,” and all that.

They had thick hoods. I wore mine down. My pale skin
contrasting with the darkness of the robes was like fire and ice. My hair was
wrapped sleekly around my neck and down one shoulder.

Lia and I stood out. Ballard waved. He gave me the double
thumbs-up and then the universal Italian I took to mean: “Wow. Nice.” His
fingers wiggling at the corner of his mouth.

I beamed.

We followed the long, sloping corridor until it opened
further. Suddenly more people were there. Different. Of a kind I had not seen
since I had left New England and the confines of my Academy for all girls.

They were witches and wizards, and in among them, Dallace
and Camille. I couldn’t believe it! They were watching the arrival of the
werewolves for signs of me. “There you are!” said Dallace. He waved me over,
excusing himself through werewolves. Camille followed. She looked reticent to
be among so many members of the pack.

“This is Lia,” I said, introducing her when I finally pulled
away from Dallace’s cold embrace, which had nothing to do with any kind of
apathy on his part. Even through his vampire getup I could feel his
obsidian-hard washboard abs. His smile was intoxicating.

“Pleasure,” said Dallace.

Lia smiled weakly, before becoming more comfortably herself.

“Halsey Rookmaaker,” said Camille, and let it go at that.

Between Camille’s staring and Dallace’s joviality, I felt
like I was meeting the in-laws all over again, except there was no Lennox with
me this time. “I have still not heard from him,” whispered Dallace.

“Is that unusual?” I asked.

He shrugged, being absolutely no help. We were creating a
bottleneck. The other werewolves continued to squeeze past us. I could see
Ballard up ahead keeping his eyes fixed firmly on Dallace and Camille, whom he
seemed to regard as a little bit crazy, just to make sure that I was still
okay. I wasn’t a baby. I could take care of myself.

We began walking again, headed to the Ceremony.

“Did you just get here?” I asked Dallace. “When did you
arrive? How long are you going to stay? What have you been doing for three days
in Rome? Are you all right?”

I continued to jabber on unnecessarily.

“We’re fine, fine. We stayed at a lovely little bed and
breakfast. The food was superb.”

At this Lia stiffened. But Dallace was
joking––joking...

“I hope so,” said Lia so that only I could hear.

There are certain lovely noises. Hearing a full orchestra
tuning its instruments, all simultaneously, before the start of a big show, is
one of them. The Meadpalace sounded just like that. Full and throaty.

Everyone was there. Talking. Laughing. One look around and I
could see them all. The werewolves continued to seat themselves. But there were
also the Wiccans, some of whom were in high seriousness, but others looked like
they knew how to have a good time. And, of course, the vampires.

They had come with a retinue of servants. “It is always the same,”
whispered Dallace. He wished me good luck, and went to find his seat. Camille
went with him. She continued to look straight through me, like a child that has
been carried away.

I felt like she knew what I was going to do before I did it.
She was just waiting for me to trip up. Then she could offer me advice.

Meadpalace had high roofs disappearing into infinity,
belying the fact that we were entombed within rock, deep underground, and
multilevel pews, running down both sides and around the back.

In the center, a long table sat, upon which there was a
feast of food, and around which were the more important members of the
Gathering. I recognized Gaven at once. He witnessed us entering with a solemn
expression on his face.

There was also a group of black robes, like me.

This was the smallest section, a single row, midway to one
side. It was to here, Lia and I were directed, to take our places nervously
alongside the other initiates. I looked at them. There were twelve in total,
once Lia sat down. I made thirteen. Most of them had snotty looks upon their
faces. Like they were too good to be here. I wondered what that was all about?
Then I realized they must know the other wizards and witches. It was a little
known fact that you could tell the master by the servant. Lia and I were, I
thought, purer initiates, and Lia moreso. She had no idea what to expect. I at
least had gone to St. Martley’s Academy for the Gifted. I took my seat.

A tinkling glass interrupted the oboes and clarinets and the
loudmouth bassoons. To end that metaphor.

I looked for the source of the noise. “Shall we?” said
Gaven. He stood up along with the others seated at the long table. He was in
white robes with red stripes at the sleeves. I noticed Wiccans: three to be
exact, standing at other places around the table. One was a woman with
candybright blue hair; she had an angular, smart face. Chin upraised. A little
like Mistress Genevieve. The other two were wizards. One looked affable, the
life of the party, a great guy. Almost, dare one say it, a TV personality. With
a rub-on smile and an overtly cheerful personality. The other looked dire,
self-important, like he wouldn’t know a joke––or might possibly
instruct us in craft laws, otherwise known as ardanes. I groaned. Hopefully this
wasn’t going to be a chore.

There were two vampires and another individual who looked by
far the most interesting––but it was one of the vampires who caught
my eye, mainly because she was staring at me.

I wouldn’t have noticed her unless I had noticed her. Which
is the verbal equivalent of a set of never-ending stairs. If by some trick of
the eye she meant to put me on my guard, she had succeeded. I withdrew my gaze,
to study her with more leisure within my own mind, one of those happy
facilities where time stands still while you peruse a particularly unnerving
face.

By her eyes alone, which were dark and subdued in shadow, I
would say I had met someone wholly without goodness. Her look was pure evil. It
gave me the chills. But this was nothing compared to the rest of her.

Where Camille was childlike, this vampire was predatory,
almost pure mind. A wave of intelligence unlike any I had encountered radiated
from her, and those eyes. Those absolute evil eyes. They had sized me up cool
as you please.

I looked again, but her attention was directed elsewhere, to
Gaven: she continued to take interest in things, revealing nothing, but I had
seen her eyes. Her interest waned and she looked at me again, locking eyes. I
refused to look away. I didn’t know where this power came from. But something
inside me refused to allow her to win. I was having a staring contest with a
vampire.

“...My pleasure to introduce Maria... From the Lenoir...”

I came out of it. The dark-haired female vampire was
acknowledging Gaven graciously. In fact, she unleashed a radiant
smile––and took a bow like this was all an act in a play
acknowledging the enthusiastic applause of the audience.

Sound returned. I could feel my heart thumping. She didn’t
look back. The introductions continued on––and I felt I had seen
something no one else had.

Whoever the other vampire was was forgotten. I continued to
catch my breath. Nobody had noticed anything. My heart continued to flutter.

It was only then that I noticed the third
individual––the one who was so intriguing-looking, but whose
perusal had been cut short by the little tête-à-tête between myself and Maria
Lenoir.

He was not so oblivious after all. In fact he looked at me
almost as though he was concerned for my safety.

But this was a Ceremony––and it was their duty,
at the table, to drown out any protests I might have with speechmaking, and
toasts, and Get along, and For the benefit of all, Forgive and forget, blah,
blah, blah.

I could’ve learned a lot, had I cared to listen. But it was
her eyes that got me. Staring out of a porcelain face. Almost like a mask.

* * *

After lunch, which consisted of tiramisù and various other
delicious oddments––my cheeseburger diet was being compromised by
Italian cuisine––there was a little commingling and whatnot, where
a few of us intermingled, and so I learned a few of the names of the Initiates,
which I promptly forgot, and pretty soon Lia and I were making our way towards
Gaven. Quite a few of us made that mistake. The center table drew us like
flies. Everywhere I looked were people and were-people in various-colored
robes. It was by far the most cosmopolitan of the after-meal crowds.

“Your speech was excellent,” said Lia, giving Gaven a hug
before kissing him discreetly on the mouth.

“I was afraid it was a little heavy-handed. You know, about
The One, and all of that.”

“No it was perfect. Very practical,” said Lia.

Any time I stood in their presence it was like finding two
impossibly compatible people who knew what they had and were not afraid to show
it. I was beginning to gather Gaven was something of a Romeo and I determined
Lia should tell me the story of how the two of them had met at the first
possible convenience. I could use a little vicarious hot talk.
N’est-ce pas?

These Frenchisms were impossible to stop once the Lenoir had
arrived. Why, oh why, if vampires were all French, was the Venice Coven allowed
to exist? Another little mystery certainly. Maybe I could ask Dallace whenever
I saw him again.

I was just about to say something to Gaven, when someone
cleared her throat, waiting to be introduced. Gaven turned to look.

Maria Lenoir had arrived, together with her
retinue––it included the peculiar-looking individual, who made up
the third member of her group. He wore spotted leather pants and a matching
indigo-colored vest. A silver chain was around his neck, and he had dreadlocks.
To top it off was an animal skin––it went daringly down his back.