The look on Colette's face was that of scorn and hatred and the way those two emotions blended so strongly caused her visage to appear darker, evil. And Isabella noticed the resentment she received and in response to it, she kept eye contact with the girl, never wavering in her confidence or allowing herself to be intimidated.
The wine glass that laid motionless on the table was brought to her crimson lips and she sipped gracefully. The silence that sat among them lingered until Isabella put the wine down again.
"Enrique!" the woman eventually called out sharply and seconds later her young assistant appeared at the sound of his mistress' booming voice. It seemed as though he jogged because for a few seconds the man hyperventilated as he stood with his hands to his side.
"Yes, mistress?" He questioned his gaze to the woman whose eyes he couldn't see.
"Fetch miss Rivers a cold compress," Isabella ordered and the young warlock bowed quickly. Enrique didn't need further instructions, he went about his business and came back seconds later with an ice pack on a platter. He was more efficient than a lot of people thought the brunette who sat quietly through the whole exchange.
Extending it to Colette when he returned, Enrique seemed to be the only one who truly empathized with the girl—he saw the marks on her shoulder and knew immediately who it came from but he said nothing about it.
"Your cold compress miss,"
Colette was still so emotional at the entire exchange, she couldn't help it. Her lips quivered, her eyes watered and casually she wiped the tears away while sniffing. She missed Adira, she missed having the woman there to protect her. Colette knew for a fact if her majesty was there Isabella would've never laid a finger on her.
But she wasn't there, no one was.
Taking the object that the man offered, Colette looked him in the eyes and was taken aback to see concern written extensively on his face. She couldn't lie, being so close to him, being exposed to his aura reminded her of Oliver. Whatever happened to the poor boy thought the brunette. Was he even safe? Did the vampires get to him? She hoped not.
"Thank you," she feigned a smile over to the man with the neatly trimmed hair and he smiled at her with the gentlest smile he could muster.
The young warlock didn't wait around when he had completed his duty, instead, he quickly left the two women alone again.
In his absence, Colette carefully placed the cold material on her bruised arm. She winced upon the impact of the cold against her flesh.
"I can get carried away at times," said the sultry voice as an indirect apology and Colette ignored it.
"But you bruise so easily," added Isabella as a way to deflect that she held the girl a little too harshly.
"Maybe you should stop touching me then," muttered Colette and then there was dead silence again and this silence wasn't like the silence she would encounter with other people, no, it was extremely awkward, tangible. She knew and could tell that Isabella was also affected by their proximity and acquaintance because why else would she look so tense and troubled.
"I know you don't like this just as much as I do, it's why I wish you would let me go. I could tell this is making you uncomfortable,"
"I thought I'd be able to figure out what was so special about you. I thought I could learn about the thing that has Adira so hooked," stated Isabella and Colette fell quiet at her confession.
"Truth be told," the older woman sat up, taking her sunglasses from her face. The bright sunlight caused her eyes to look like honey left out in the sun, they were so gentle and warm. But there was a frown on the woman's scarred brows that aligned with her bewilderment and it did not stop Colette from finding her breathtaking.
"The council truly hadn't a clue what to do with you, so I stepped in of course and decided it was the perfect opportunity to try and decipher what it is about you that started this entire mess, what it was about you that appealed to my daughter,"
At her confession, Colette sat up in her seat as well. Even Lottie who laid by her feet sat up, her ears twitching at those words.
"So you lied?"
"Yes, I lied," Isabella replied unrepentantly.
"Adira's gonna be so god damn m-"
"I spent weeks before showing up to the hearing trying to garner what it was about you that caused Adira to be this version of herself because I can tell you she wasn't always like this. I'm sure others could attest to it, perhaps her former paramour, Petra could speak on the subject— Adira was impenetrable and sibylline and to watch that dissolve to the point where she's completely empathetic towards a human and claims one is her mate is...interesting,"
Isabella turned to Colette and the girl saw the look of intrigue on her face.
"Which is why I figured it was you who I needed to study and not her, then I came to learn of your abilities and it all made sense. The Avalon has lot's of secret abilities and charms that people don't know about, but the thing that's baffling to the mind is that you already started affecting her way before whatever William had you agree to do. So in short, it couldn't have been the Avalon,"
"God, are you so detached from the world that you haven't a clue?" Asked Colette and the woman arched a brow.
"Contrary to whatever dating system you grew up with back in your days, people date someone they like now. It's not magic or anything otherworldly, we just liked each other."
"Hmm," Isabella hummed observing the brunette.
"I guess you're right, these days people need to like someone before they copulate."
"Isn't that what you did with Adira's father? I'm assuming you were infatuated, if not I'm sorry,"
Isabella caught on quickly at what Colette was insinuating at the latter part and she laughed that hearty, feminine laughter that the girl rarely heard from the woman.
"It would've been nearly impossible for me to be taken advantage of by a mere human— I wanted him, my biggest mistake yet,"
"Again, this is so strange as I feel like you're the last person to feel attraction to anything,"
"Flattery won't get you anywhere darling," answered the older devil and Colette rolled her eyes.
After some seconds the girl took the ice pack away from her shoulder only to realize she'd healed herself unknowingly. Isabella was observing her while she studied herself and she noticed out the corner of her eye.
"How did you meet Aksel?" Questioned Colette still spying on out the corner of her eye.
"You think I'd tell you? No one knows that story, well not a lot of people if I'm being honest,"
"Did he woo you or did you spy on him in a tavern somewhere in Europe, forcing him to be yours or face a savage end?"
"Close yet so far," stated Isabella. "I heard whispers of who he was and I found him only for one thing to lead to another,"
"How? What was it about him that caught your attention?"
The older woman squinted at the girl's question but she knew she wasn't being forced to answer, she had a choice and she decided that she'd respond as a way to redeem herself for lashing out at the girl, for causing the bruises despite them no longer being there.
There was a moment though where she debated sharing history but decided it wouldn't hurt anyone as she was certain Aksel would've already told Adira everything, so she wouldn't be sharing something her daughter didn't already know.
"I was created if you weren't already aware. Formed directly by the hands of the creators. I was forged before many of the planets and galaxies and moons in the universe. So, you could imagine my astonishment when I heard whispers about Aksel, of a man dwelling on this planet with admirable abilities. My mind was never blown until then,"
Colette's eyes were wide, her attention turned to the woman who sat adjacent to her.
"I had travelled the earth and for many years until I heard it, of the man who conjured fires from the thin air, a man who could speak to the dead, cause infertile land to regain its suppleness. Eventually, I became curious to know who this human was that did godly things, so I pursued him. I had deals, bargains I wanted to make with him. And I found him, nestled in this tiny cottage in Denmark. He was charming,"
Colette cleared her throat and the woman glanced at her with an arched brow.
"Quickly it came to mind that this human was going places and could also take me there, as in I could get him what he wanted and in turn, I would gain from it. So, I granted him the gift of longevity. I taught him things in exchange for shares of his wealth and other desirable things."
"Why did you make such a deal when you're a powerful being who could get these things for yourself?"
"Because there's a negative to being a devil like me, we can't wish wealth upon ourselves or for anyone, but we could work around it and I found a way to work around it."
"Why?"
"I like things, shiny things, gold things, big things, little things; I like owning things and I like controlling them," the woman answered and it was there Colette caught the euphemism within her statement and she blushed.
Isabella smirked.
"Once our alliance was formed, Aksel himself told me his secrets. It turns out he came from a long line of humans who did magic but they kept it a secret from the other humans until his generation. It's unknown who taught them as they were among several families of who learned to wield magic and cast spells. I have my suspicions though, about who introduced them to it. There are other devils out there who are just as hungry for things as I am."
"So he was a cool dude and you liked him?"
"I liked him enough to fall for his charms. I then assured Aksel that we had nothing to worry about because this devil wasn't created for procreation. After I realized I was expecting, I left without a word."
"You figured you couldn't get pregnant?" Colette frowned. She never knew that...at all.
"I thought so and it didn't help that I was completely oblivious to what the whole mating thing was. I never thought we'd be compatible that way."
"Wow," said Colette, her emeralds wide and sparkling. She was so excited all so suddenly to learn how Adira was conceived, she was excited to hear the older woman share so much.
"How did you know you couldn't get pregnant?"
Isabella took up her glass of wine and drained the last of it, tilting the glass to her head. She frowned for a while.
"Let's just say I was warned against trying to conceive a child, I was lied to as well."
Colette knew it was a touchy topic for the woman because the way her features changed was a clear indicator. Isabella's lips stretched in a thin line and she took her gaze away from Colette casting it over to the horizon where she heard the soft crashing of the waves down below.
Not wanting her to lash out again, the girl decided to change the subject. She wanted to see how much she could get out of Isabella first before she attempted to unpack and question things that she felt was linked to the woman's hostility towards Queen Adira.
"Have you ever met God or Satan?"
There was a moment's silence as Isabella contemplated sharing more with the girl than she'd ever shared with her child. But there was something about Colette that compelled her to share, maybe it was her wide, puppy eyes or just her curiosity.
"Many times, they are not what these religious books and fables depict them to be."
"I see. So god, what is he like?"
"Before I say, do you think this universe was created by just one being, and a man at that? Darling," the older devil drawled.
"Do you even know how big and special the universe is?" Asked Isabella and Colette was so intrigued she pulled her chair closer to the table and the woman couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm intrigued."
"I can see that," the woman dipped her up and down. "What would you like to know about the gods then, about the universe?" she finally caved in.
"About yours and Adira's existence, what are you and why were you created? I don't think it was for you to go around making deals with humans and getting rich off of those deals,"
"You're a smart girl, you know that?" The woman asked rhetorically. "Most people don't ask those questions but are usually distracted by wanting to make a deal, or wanting to hear a long spiel about the gods,"
"If I want to make a deal I know who to go to,"
"Of course," replied Isabella. She studied those wide emerald eyes and was pleased to see how tuned in the girl was.
"Multum, what we were known curtly as is a Latin word for deal and that was the only thing we were affiliated with. We were created as bargainers among the gods. If you did not know, the gods and goddesses of the universe are vengeful, envious twats who are just as uncivilized and corrupt as their creations.
Conflict arose among the divine way before they created the earth and its neighbours and that separated them as hatred and jealousy flooded through many of their veins. My creators, or the ones you humans call god decided to mitigate as it was becoming out of control. My kind was created with a purpose and that was to peacefully bargain with the gods, drawing them closer to each other again. They used us as security, just in case a being felt themselves and wanted to retaliate. We were bred to take the brunt of their anger, to withstand violence but that plan did not work as most of the multums deviated from their purpose. The minds of some were skewed and that is why there is a shift among my kind. It's why pact angels and deal devils exist."
"So you're one of the devils who sided with the corrupt?"
Isabella didn't answer because she did stray but for a short instant. She would never forget because her decision to do so, to side with the corrupt cursed her physically. It left her marked for eternity so she'd never forget.
"How long have you known you were able to do that?" Asked Isabella and Colette was taken aback by her question, it deviated from what they were talking about.
"Do what?"
"Influence people, it's an ability the Avalon has, it's psychological but you've exhibited those traits long before you came into contact with her spirit, haven't you?"
The girl didn't know how to answer the question because truly she didn't understand it.
"I have questions as well, sweetheart." Responded the woman. "What was it like when you were growing up? Did you ever realize people often felt inclined to follow you even without a reason, even when they hated you? Were you abnormally limber? And my last question, who taught you how to swim?"
The girl chuckled. It was a peal of nervous laughter that was quickly replaced by confusion. Colette tried to gain the answer to all those questions and the latter left her even more confused— she couldn't ever remember being taught how to swim. She figured it was a natural talent, something that everyone figured out on their own.
"What are you talking about?"
Isabella wasn't a stranger to the things that were going on: the impending war among the supernatural, the fact that William brought Adira's father back into the picture, the shift in energy, powerful spirits coming out of retirement, the obvious signs that countless people missed about Colette.
At the girl's question, Isabella felt like even she didn't know what she was insinuating but knew it had something to do with the fact that Colette exhibited peculiar abilities even before being bound to the lady of the lake. And the fact that William wouldn't have made such a bold suggestion if there wasn't something about Colette that made her compatible with such a powerful spirit was even harder to ignore.
It was no surprise to both women when they had stopped talking and were ruminating that Adira showed up right there in front of them. They'd heard the heels clicking but didn't look until she stood with a cutthroat glare directed at her mother.
Colette jumped up from her seat with quickness, hooking her arms around the queen's torso until she was squeezing her tightly.
"I see you're doing well," said Isabella, slipping her sunglasses back onto her face. She observed as Adira comforted the young girl.
"Maybe you should take it away from me, it asks too many questions," stated the woman and Adira gently pulled Colette away.
"Those were the longest hours of my life, I missed you so much," Adira said, looking deeply into her girl's eyes.
Isabella frowned at those words, she felt bile as it began to ease up her throat.
"Great, now you've upset my stomach,"
"I should kill you," Adira snapped and her mother gazed at her through her sunglasses.
"Many have tried,"
"I'm taking Colette despite what you or the council says. I'm already being treated as a criminal so I might as well behave like one,"
"You can take the girl, it's not like I need her," said Isabella. "Just hurry up and leave, I'm sure your presence scares my help,"
There were so many vile things Adira wanted to say, she wanted to scream in her mother's face, she wanted to stomp her into the ground until she couldn't anymore but luckily for the woman, Aksel was able to calm her down. There was so much that the man exposed her to, so much she didn't know about her mother and him that she was able to wrap her mind around the woman's behaviour.
Shaking her head at the inebriated woman, Adira gripped Colette's hand.
"Stay away from Colette or I will end you," Adira said icily and Isabella knew it was a threat that would be made a reality if she did try to take the girl again.
"Just leave," was all the woman said, tuning both women out as she continued to sunbathe, pretending as though she didn't just reveal a shit ton of information.