The Ancient One

Chapter 18

"No, Jacob. You were operating under false assumptions, and though an all agree it is sin, it is still forgivable. Now that your eyes are opening, will you continue to do so?"

"No," Jake said, becoming more sure of where he was, thanks to the simple logic Father Wolfram had presented to him. It wouldn't have worked as recently as ten minutes ago, either.

"Now, I ask you again, are you willing to put aside your prejudices and use the best resources available to rescue your sister and her son?"

"Yes, Father."

"Although you did not begin this in the manner of a confession, I have my stole on and will count this as such. Ego te absolvo, in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen. Now, my son, go do what you just committed to, and that will serve as appropriate penance, I think."

"I still have a hard time trusting them."

"As you should," the old priest said, with a smile. "I do not, and so prepare well when I deal with them, as I did with the girl."

"I don't understand."

"That is alright. You need not understand. There is one other item I must address, with your newfound insight, and shedding of old assumptions and prejudices. As Commander General of The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary, I pronounce you as Knight of the Second Order. Go with my blessing, my son."

A smile grew on the old man's face as Jake stared at him, his mouth partially open. "Don't look so silly. It's not becoming in a Knight of the Second Order."

"But."

"I could not let you know, and honestly didn't expect how things have played out, but it was masterful. I'll even bet the girl doesn't know what we have done, and she is very shrewd."

When Jake still wasn't moving, or talking, Father Wolfram said, "Jacob, you have a task to do, and it is of the utmost importance. By the way, we wish to enter into discussions with the House of Latvia, when this issue is resolved and she is done with her task. I think it is past time to make amends for past wrongs our order is guilty of, and when the time is right, I would like to consider you to assist in this effort."

After another long pause, Jake left, still too stunned to speak. However, once he was in his car, he pulled out his phone, and typed.

"Stefans, I need to speak to the Queen." After staring at it a moment, he pressed send.

"She will see you." The reply came amazingly fast, as if they had been expecting it. Following that was an address, with instructions to text when he arrived.

It took Jake little time to make it to the condo building, which was much closer to the hunters HQ than anyone knew. It was also the first time, as far as Jake knew, that a hunter knew where a vampire hide was located, probably in hundreds of years.

"Her Majesty is waiting, hunter," Stefans said, when the elevator opened.

Jake considered telling him he was no longer a hunter, but decided against it. That was not important, at that moment, not to mention he wasn't sure what his status was.

"Majesty, the master hunter," Stefans said, once they had entered the living room of the condo. It wasn't a throne room, as Jake had envisioned, but a living room like in any house.

"Please sit," the old woman said. He'd seen her a couple of times, so he was at least a little familiar with her. Kristi was sitting at a piano on the far side of the room, casually playing some mellow music.

"What brings you before us?"

"My sister and her son have been kidnapped." Her eyebrows rose at that, and Kristi stopped any pretense of playing. Jake realized, her playing had been exactly that.