Defiance: The Hybrid's Tale

Cassandra Pope.

I turned around and followed the councilor. I couldn’t give up. There were too many people’s lives depending on me to succeed.

I made my way down a long, dimly lit hallway toward the men’s bathroom. I hovered in front of the red door before stepping into the bathroom. I didn’t care if it was the place where men did their dirty deeds. The councilor was busy washing his hands in front of a washing basin while an attendant waited on him. He held out a serving platter with wiping cloths and hand lotions for the councilor.

“Get out,” I said to the young brown-eyed attendant while the councilor scowled back at me through the overhead mirror.

The young man’s head snapped from me to the councilor and then back again, utterly confused, until I lost patience with him. With a snap of my fingers, the attendant disappeared on the spot. The clatter of a serving tray hitting the ground echoed outside the bathroom. He uttered a few curse words, ‘bitch,’ being the kindest. Did he kiss his mother with that mouth?

“You really know how to test other people’s patients, don’t you?” the councilor said. It wasn’t a question, but more of an insult.

I walked forward, took a clean wiping cloth off the rack, and presented it to the councilor. He hesitated for a second but took it nonetheless.

I ignored him and asked him a question in return. “Tell me, Elder. Do you hate me because I’m simply working for my father or is there another reason for this open hostility of yours?”

A dry laugh echoed throughout the bathroom. “Really, young girl? I’m not so juvenile. You have shown me no other side of you other than the same arrogance displayed by your father. You and he are the same.” Those words made my jaw clench. Fuck him! I was not my father. “See, even that glare reminds me of him. Your silly display outside just proved to me that you’d do anything to get your way no matter the consequences.”

Vance walked past me, discarded the used washcloth into a hamper next to the bathroom’s door, and then he exited the bathroom. If he thought this was over, he’d be unpleasantly surprised at my resilience. I followed him yet again. When I exited the bathroom, the young attendant yelped as I shoved him out of my way. Yet again, his serving tray crashed to the floor, forcing him to pick up the towels and bottles of lotion again.

As I entered the dining area, the councilor was back in his seat. A waiter was taking another order as I walked up to them. The waiter quickly scurried off as I took my seat opposite the councilor.

“You’re persistent and a nuisance—”

“Do you really think I don’t care about my actions and how they affect others?” I interrupted the councilor. I was getting sick of his constant attacks on my being. “Of course I do. Four of my loved ones’ lives are in my hands. And if I don’t act quickly, they’ll die at the hands of my father. So sorry, Elder, if I don’t have the luxury of playing nicely, but my father isn’t either. He’s using every tool in his depraved arsenal to eradicate everyone that I care for.”

My words caught in his throat. His eyes lingered on me and softened a bit. What seemed like an eternity woven into a few seconds, he leaned back in his chair and sighed.

Finally! I broke through!

“Who are these people you are referring to?” he asked, lowering a silver fork and knife to the plate in front of him.

“My sister, nephew, niece, and sister-in-law.”

Vance raised one of his bushy, gray eyebrows. “As far as I’m aware, your sister-in-law is safe and sound, happily married to your brother. As for your sister and her children, they are on the run from justice.”

I scoffed. “And as you know, Elder Vance. They are all lies. The woman you know and have seen around my dearly demented brother is not who she seems to be. She’s a decoy. A stand-in to fool the Council as well as the Blackthorns. My father imprisoned Aveny Pope years ago and she still remains there.”

I had to stop talking when a waiter brought the councilor another glass of Merlot. To my surprise, the waiter also placed a glass in front of me.

“Just a precaution...” the councilor smirked while he took a sip of wine. I couldn’t help but smile as I too took a sip of wine. The subtle tones of cherry and raspberry slipped along my tongue. Delicious...

I waited until the waiter was out of earshot. “As I was saying, councilor... The lies my father had me spread about my sister were another cover to buy time. As you know, my father appointed my nephew, Nathan, as his successor, but when Nathan turned thirteen, an unforeseen development forced my sister to flee. She never tried to kill my father to take his throne, so to speak. My nephew turned into a werewolf.”

“How’s that possible? He’s a warlock if I’m correct. Your father paraded the young boy around like a prized hound on show and declared him a worthy heir.”

“Come now, Elder. There are beings known to the magical community that have the abilities of multiple species. Rare but they do exist.”

I took another sip of the delicious wine, savoring every drop. What could I say? The man had taste.

The councilor’s eyes widened. “He’s a hybrid.”

I nodded.

“Shouldn’t your father be proud?”

I laughed. “Elder, you know my father. He’s a purist, like those few on the Council. My father was already enraged when my sister fell pregnant with my nephew, but when he found out that she had relations with a werewolf, he flipped his throne and vowed to snuff out the ‘abomination’s’ life and hers as well.”

“Damn!” The councilor slammed his fist onto the table, drawing a few of the diners’ gaze upon us. “We cannot allow your father to succeed. Every hybrid is precious to the Council.”

“I know it, you know it, and so does my father. That’s why he’s been interfering with the Council, turning your gaze away from his attempts at killing them. However, so far his efforts have been in vain. My sister is as powerful as he is, and with my help, they’ve been able to stay three steps ahead of my father.”

“It’s a dangerous game you’re playing.”

“One that I’m willing to play,” I announced with a smirk.

Silence reigned over the table as the councilor soaked up the information. I, however, pouted over the fact that my glass was nearly empty.

The councilor cleared his throat. “Tell me about this impersonator that has been clinging around your brother’s neck.”

“You mean the bloodmaiden?”

The councilor choked on his wine, sputtering into the golden napkin he had on his lap. “Goddess! Does your father have no human decency left?”

“No. No, he hasn’t.”

“So why are you here?” Vance asked. “Why are you now coming out with all of these secrets?”

“I told you, Elder. You’re my only hope of saving Aveny.”

The councilor wiped his mouth off and said, “And how am I going to help you?”

I shifted around in my seat. “I need access to the Archive.”

“And why would I allow it?”

“Because it’s the only way that I can liberate my sister-in-law from her prison. My father threw her in a mirror he enchanted. Then he destroyed all the knowledge to free her. I spent all of this time trying to get the counter spell to free her but without success. It’s old magic and the only place that I know where the knowledge lies is in the Archive.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because my father tried to destroy the tomes once, by using his connections in the Elder court, but failed. He killed all those who ruined his one chance. Since then, the Archive has been on high alert for any trespassers since then.”

The councilor rubbed his forehead and chuckled. “Ahh! The explosion in the Archive from five years ago...”

“Correct. He still failed. From the investigation, the intruders blew up the wrong section.”

The councilor drained his glass of wine in one gulp. “What do I get for the information you seek?”

Thank the goddess! Hold on, Aveny. One of these days, I’ll be able to hold you tightly in my arms.

“Hem-hem! Are you still with me, Cassandra?”

“Oh sorry, Elder. If you give me the information I seek, I’ll hand over all the incriminating evidence on my father’s shady dealings, especially with his involvement in the destruction of the Highlands pack.”

The councilor shook his head in amusement. “Should have known... Fine. You have a deal.”

I breathed out a sigh of relief. Finally, hope.

I rummaged through my purse again and handed the councilor the orb he had a fit over earlier. “Please, Elder.” I watched as he glared at the orb. “This is the only way that I know of where my father won’t be able to spy on us. We’ll only have to use this once to finalize the meeting point and to hand over the information. You can then destroy it immediately.”

He sighed. “Very well, but I do this under protest.” He took the empty orb and uttered an incantation. He flinched for a second before he gave back the orb. It was filled with his own blood. I then handed him the second orb with my own blood. He quickly wrapped it up in a handkerchief and stowed away the orb in his inner pocket of his suit.

“Now, if that is all you wanted to discuss, I bid you farewell.” Councilor Vance pushed his chair out and stood.

I got up from my seat and pulled out a white envelope. “Here are the details of the spell I require. Thank you so much, Elder. You won’t regret helping me.”

The councilor took the envelope and placed it with the orb. “I hope for your sake that I don’t; otherwise, I’ll make your life a walking hell. Good night, Cassandra Pope.” He nodded and then returned to his meal.

With a lighter heart, I made my way out of the restaurant. But as I touched the cold handle of the front door, an oily voice slithered down my spine.

“Good evening, sister. Had a lovely chat with the Elder, did we?” Ethan said smugly.