Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ It's in the Blood ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 8 )

When Orphen and Majic returned to town the next day, everything seemed normal. Orphen went to Cleo's mansion to talk to her as he'd promised Majic he would. He noticed as he approached the house that Hartia was standing by the tree, which looked towards the front of the house and specifically at Cleo's room. Actually it was the tree where he was when he and Cleo first talked or rather fought. `What the hell is he doing there?' He took one step towards Hartia to find out what he was up to, when he noticed that Mariabella, Cleo, and Agan were exiting the house. He stopped and watched them. Agan and Mariabella had genuine smiles on their faces. Cleo was smiling but it was one of her -I'm doing this to humor someone- smiles but she seemed to be enjoying her sister's company.

Until she saw him, that is. She stopped in her tracks. She said something to Agan and Mariabella and returned to the house.

Once close enough, Agan greeted Orphen. "How did your search at the ruins go? You're back sooner than I expected."

"We found some writing we need to get translated. I have a friend in Alenhatan who is very good at reading ancient texts."

"I think I know what you may have seen. That casket thing with writing all over it, which looked like it, had been broken. It was done centuries ago, so it's not like some monster is going to come out and get us."

"I thought it had been opened recently."

"Oh, come now, I didn't have much time to explore the ruin myself, but it was buried until a few weeks ago. My team and I haven't disturbed anything. How could it have been opened recently?"

"I guess you have a point." Orphen's eyes narrowed suspiciously, something wasn't right here. "I'm still going to get it translated as soon as possible."

"As you wish, but I doubt it will be anything of importance." Inwardly Agan was worried. He'd sent them there to get them out of the way but now they found something. Something, which could be considered a betrayal of Garik once translated.

"This is the first ruin of the Heavenly Ones ever to show signs that they actively tried to hide it and you say it won't be anything important?"

"Well…." Agan shrugged "you obviously know more about the ruins than I do." Orphen found himself suddenly wondering if there was more to Agan then appeared. Maybe there was something to the noise Cleo has been spouting. He certainly came off false.

"Orphen, were you coming to see Cleo?" Mariabella asked.

"Err…. Well, yes."

"She should be coming back out in a few minutes, she said she forgot something. We were heading down to town for a few things."

"Sure…. So, the big days tomorrow, right?"

"No, I asked Agan for a little more time. Cold feet, I guess."

"I'll see you later then." `So that's why she ran away. She made Mariabella delay the wedding and she knew I'd yell at her about it. Wait till I get my hands on that little brat.'

He looked back at the tree to see that Hartia was gone. Orphen went up to the house to out find that Cleo had left. Mrs. Everlasting said she had muttered something about going for a swim. Orphen knew what that meant, the lake with the tower, his tower.

He arrived at the lake and she was swimming in a two-piece bathing suit. At least, it had better have been a bathing suit because on the shore almost hidden by trees he saw Hartia watching her. He was just standing dumbstruck with anger, shock and betrayal when she got out of the water. The shock was simply the realization that Cleo, awkward, lanky, childish Cleo, was maturing into a woman. That change was even more evident in her appearance in the bathing suit, but marring that image were some dark splotches across her midsection that looked like bruises. `Bruises?!?'

He was still standing there when she saw him. He knew he needed to say something but he was still reeling from the harsh parting words she delivered two days ago. It came out more harshly than he intended, "Cleo, we need to talk."

She picked up her towel, dried off, slipped on her shoes, pulled a large loose dress over her head and walked right past him without saying anything.

He turned and shouted, "Cleo!" Then he saw her to start to run. `She ran from me? What the Hell?'

Just then, Hartia walked past him as he went to follow Cleo. "Geez …Krylancelo, you look pissed. No wonder she ran away. "

Orphen moved so fast, Hartia didn't quite realize what happened. He only knew one moment he was walking past Orphen and the next he was pinned to a tree by the throat. "You're going to tell me what's going on. She looks like she has bruises across the stomach and Majic saw her leave your room crying the other night. Now what the hell is happening?"

Hartia punched Orphen in the stomach to make him release him. "No, it's her story. I will say this much, I don't know exactly what's been happening. I do know that whatever you did caused her not to turn to you when she damned well should have."

"What!?!"

Hartia continued to walk along the path.

"You usually teleport away after delivering a message like that."

"Trust me I would love too but my magic still has not fully returned."

"You fool! You shouldn't have wasted your magic like that."

"Wasted!!!!!! You bastard!" and Hartia cast a lightening spell on Orphen. "I guess my magic is back!" He teleported away from a very confused and sore Orphen.