“No, I’m sorry, chérie,” Madame Jeanette answers. “Everything Victor told us about last night doesn’t appear in my visions.”
“Victor, could I please talk with you on the lanai for a moment?” Wren asks.
“Whatever needs to be said to him, you can tell everyone,” Superior Charles remarks.
Wren stands tall to Superior Charles, even though she’s the same height as Victor. “With all due respect, Superior, Victor is not in a coven, and you are not my superior. Now, after I speak to him, he can decide whether or not to share this information.”
Victor and Leo are surprised at how Wren just spoke to Superior Charles. Superior Charles squints his eyes and flares his nostrils. Wren makes her way to the lanai, giving no fucks. Victor stands up and follows after her.
Victor closes the door behind him and meets Wren at the far end. “So, what’s up?”
Wren pulls out a small, worn-out book from her back pocket. “I have something you should see.”
“Is this the book about older blood oaths?” Victor asks, taking the book from Wren.
“It is. I dog-eared the page for you,” Wren informs.
Victor opens the book and studies the page. “There is a loophole of sorts. But it won’t be easy since Derek is currently locked up.”
Wren takes a very deep breath as she prepares herself to tell Victor some news. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you in private first.”
“WHAT THE FUCK!!”Superior Charles shouts, startling Victor and Wren.
“Well, looks like someone else just found out,” Wren comments as she walks over to the door.
Victor looks at Wren from the corner of his eye. “What just happened?”
Wren slides the door open and says, “Derek broke out.”
“WHAT THE FUCK!!” Victor bellows out.
When Victor walks back inside, Eddie and Chiyo have arrived. Victor looks at everyone and says, “Tell me this isn’t true.”
Eddie steps forward. “Yes, Derek broke out yesterday morning. We don’t know how he was able to break through the wards.”
Victor is befuddled. “But the bracelet that I placed on him. Can’t I send him right back?”
Eddie and Chiyo look at each other before Eddie looks back at Victor. “He chopped off his hand.”
Leo jumps up from his seat. “HeWHAT?!”
Eddie walks over to Leo, holding up his hands. “You don’t need to worry too much because he inflicted thisinjury on himself.You will be fine with the blood oath. Also, he’ll have to use a significant amount of healing with whatever magic he’s using. Derek won’t be able to astral project to see you anytime soon.”
Victor pinches the bridge of his nose. “So not only do we have to worry about my uncle returning for whatever he could be planning, but now we have to deal with Derek coming after me again?”
Chatter engulfs the room. It becomes a white nose as Victor walks to the couch. The noise grows louder around him. When he takes his seat, it becomes louder and louder, to the point where he can’t take it anymore.
“QUIET!” Victor roars. A flash of light with a green hue pulses off Victor. Everyone in the room immediately stops talking and becomes calm without realizing what happened.
Victor stretches and rotates his neck and shoulders, keeping his eyes closed. When he opens his eyes, everyone is looking at him, stupefied. “What?” he asks, shifting his eyes between everyone.
Superior Charles walks over to Victor. “Outside. Now.”
Victor moans in aggravation as he follows Superior Charles through the bedroom and out onto the balcony. “Why didn’t you want to go out to the lanai?”
“There’s more sunlight here. And I need to look at you with natural light.” Superior Charles closes the sliding door and turns around.“Plus, there’s more privacy.” He walks over to the railing overlooking the waters. “Your ability is growing. And it’s growing rapidly. Do you know what you did just now?” Victor looks at Superior Charles with skepticism as he shakes his head. “You pushed your aura off you, which caused everyone to calm down. Even me.”
Victor is dumbfounded. “I’m sorry? I caused you, a warlock more powerful than me, an empath, a superior, to calm down. Just by pushing my aura off me and onto you?”
