CHAPTER FORTY
— let the buyer beware
TOM WAS ANXIOUS TO RETRIEVE THE HORCRUX SPELL FROM BORGIN AND BURKE'S, meaning they set out for Knockturn Alley at the start of Easter break, before Rhea had a chance to take her things back to Hel House. Each of them rented rooms at The Leaky Cauldron before setting out for Borgin and Burke's to find the spell that would set Tom on his path to 'world domination'. Rhea couldn't help but wonder if she was helping or hurting Tom as they drew closer to the store, but the his eyes were filled with a hunger Rhea had seen in people like her mother and Grindelwald. Tom was willing to do anything for power and Rhea wouldn't be able to stop that.
When they arrived at shop 13B, Avida stepped to the front, smoothing out each strand of hair so that she looked presentable for her family's friend. Rhea never cared for Avida Carrow much, despite the fact that the girl had been dating her brother for years, but Rhea wasn't the least bit surprised to find that Avida was one of Tom's original Knights. The Carrows had been avid supporters of Grindelwald when his reign first began, it made perfect sense that their daughter would follow in their footsteps.
Borgin and Burke's was quite large with a large stone fireplace in the corner. The cloudy sky outside coupled with the dim lighting made it nearly impossible to see anything, but Rhea could make out the proprietor standing behind the counter.
"Avida Carrow, is that you?" Mr. Borgin questioned, squinting at the girl as she stepped inside the shop with Rhea and Tom. Rhea and Tom lingered behind, allowing Avida to chat with the owner while they glanced around for the Horcrux spell. Both of them tried to appear as though they were glancing around aimlessly as they searched the room for any sign of the Horcrux spell while Avida distracted the shopkeeper.
The shop was filled with dark artifacts, ranging from spiked instruments to masks made of human bones that leered down from the wall. Rhea could tell that Tom was taking an interest in all of the items that surrounded them, his eyes alight with curiosity as he examined the items in the shop.
Rhea took her eyes off Tom and turned to Mr. Borgin and Avida. Although the owner chatted with Avida, he made sure to keep a watchful eye on the two other guests in his shop. When he noticed Rhea's gaze on him, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as though he were trying to place her. Suddenly, he spoke,
"Caliope," Mr. Borgin said. Rhea resisted the urge to let her distaste at being recognized for her resemblance to her mother show on her face. Avida and Tom turned their gazes to the pair.
"Her daughter, Rhea." Avida introduced. Mr. Borgin tilted his head to the side.
"What is the daughter of Caliope Hel doing in my shop?" Mr. Borgin asked. Rhea couldn't deduce from the man's tone whether or not he was a friend or a foe of her mother's. She wondered if she could sneak a look into his mind to find out his true intentions, but decided to take a chance.
"We're looking for a spell." Rhea said, making her way to the counter. Mr. Borgin glanced at Tom.
"Who's he?" He asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the boy.
"He's a friend; he's related to the Gaunts." Rhea said dismissively, but that seemed to catch Borgin's attention. He stared at Tom.
"You're Merope's child then?" Borgin asked. Rhea and Avida exchanged a silent look with one another when Tom became suddenly attentive at the mention of Merope Gaunt.
"You knew my mother?" Tom asked, striding forward so that he stood beside Rhea.
"No. Saw her before she died — pity what happened." Borgin shrugged before turning his attention back to Rhea once more. She looked at Tom from the corner of her eye and could see that he had a hundred questions on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to ask. She nudged him discreetly, a reminder to stay focused on the task at hand. Borgin said to her, "It'll cost you."
"How much?" Rhea asked as Avida took out her coinpurse, ready to pay the price.
"Not Galleons." Mr Borgin said when he noticed Avida's movements. Rhea narrowed her eyes at the man, wondering what it was that the man wanted. "I'll sell you the spell you're looking for — the darkest spell I own — if you retrieve something for me. It's a necklace and Caractacus has been trying to get the family to sell it to us for ages, but they refuse."
"What family?" Rhea asked, dreading the answer before Borgin even said it.
"The Krane's."
Of course.
Tom tensed beside Rhea at the mention of the Krane's while the girl heaved a sigh. She never replied to Atlas's letter, so she could only imagine his reaction when she showed up at his front door asking for the necklace.
"What's the necklace?" Rhea asked.
"It's cursed, made of opals, and pretty infamous. Perhaps you've heard of it — it's known for having killed at least nineteen Muggles. The Krane's used to use it on them until the Ministry banned them from doing so. They claimed the necklace was destroyed, but I know Gaia keeps it and I want it on display here." Borgin said. Tom turned to Rhea, a determined look in his eye.
"I didn't come this far for nothing, Rhea." He said, sending her a pointed look to let her know he would be very displeased if she didn't follow through. Rhea stepped away from Tom and felt a tugging sensation at her navel before she was sucked into darkness as she disapparated from Borgin and Burke's.
Rhea's feet landed on the grass of the ground in front of Krane Manor and she made sure to straighten out her blouse as she walked up the path leading to the house. The doors were open before she arrived to them, with one of their house-elves at the door waiting to greet her.
"Miss Hel," The house-elf bowed to her when she stepped through the threshold and into the foyer, "I will alert Master Krane of your presence at once."
Rhea turned her attention to the pictures on the wall as the elf scurried off to find Atlas. She thought of what she was going to say when there was a creak on the staircase. Rhea glanced up, not at all surprised to see Atlas's mother, Gaia, standing at the top, a surprised look on her face.
"Rhea? What are you doing here?" Gaia asked, her brows raised.
"I came to visit your brother. Your elf said he'd go get him." Rhea said, waving her hand in the direction he ran off to.
"Atlas will certainly be surprised to see you. I take it the two of you haven't spoken since your engagement party." Gaia said. Rhea resisted the urge to roll her eyes. How did she know that?
"Unfortunately, I just haven't had much time to write these days." Rhea said, half-heartedly.
"What a shame." Gaia said, as she began to descend the staircase. "Perhaps that's because you've been spending too much of your time with that half-blood boy."
Rhea's eye twitched and her hand drifted to her wand as Gaia faced her.
"What's his name again? Tom Riddle?" Gaia asked, a small smirk playing on her lips as she stared at Rhea. Rhea tried to hide her surprise but it was no use. For a moment, she wondered if Atlas knew about Tom, but she had a feeling he didn't. This was all his mother. "Remember that we have eyes everywhere, Rhea. I'll allow you to entertain this little relationship with the half-blood so long as you don't do anything to bring shame upon my family. I heard about your little relationship with the human boy too — a pity what happened to him. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to Tom."
Red crept into Rhea's vision and she was about to launch a dozen curses at Gaia Krane if her son hadn't come strolling into the room. His mother turned to him, smiling in greeting as she stepped towards him while Rhea had to turn her face away. She was seething with rage at Gaia's words and needed a few seconds to relish in her anger before dealing with Atlas. Her cheeks were bright red and she could feel her hands trembling violently as she struggled to keep herself from doing something she would regret.
"Atlas, I'm glad you're here. Since Rhea's here too, it's a good time for you both to know that Elvira and I have decided on a date for the wedding — the thirtieth of June. That way, Rhea will have a few days after she graduates from Hogwarts to get her affairs in order before she becomes a married woman." Rhea took in a deep breath and turned to Atlas and his mother with a polite smile on her face. Atlas looked to her.
"We can push it back if that's too soon for you." Atlas told her. Gaia turned to her son, ready to protest but he gave her a sharp look that made her think otherwise. Meanwhile, Rhea was too busy thinking about so about several different things that she could barely focus on what Atlas was saying to her. "Rhea?"
"No, that's . . . that's fine." Rhea said, sounding rather tense. She glanced between Atlas amd his mother before turning to the boy. "Atlas, I really can't stay long, I was just wondering if I could talk to you for a second."
"Of course. Mother, if you'd excuse us." Atlas said. Gaia made herself scarce and Atlas turned to Rhea. "I'll admit that I'm a bit surprised to see you. You never responded to my letter."
"I know. Sorry about that, I've had a lot going on and . . ." Rhea huffed, rolling her eyes as Atlas stared at her with an amused look on his face. "Really, I forgot, but I did intend to respond."
"I suppose it's the thought that counts." Atlas shrugged with a laugh. Rhea smiled slightly, feeling some of the tension from her encounter with Gaia roll off her shoulders. "What are you doing here?"
"I need something — a favor. I can find some sort of way to pay you back — whatever you want — but it's urgent and I can't tell you what it's about, so I need you to trust me." Rhea said quickly. Atlas remained silent but nodded, urging her to continue. "I need to give a necklace that your family has to Borgin from Borgin and Burke's. The cursed one."
"Ah," Atlas said slowly, mulling over Rhea's words. "You're trying to buy something from him and he wants to use you to get the necklace from us since we're engaged."
Atlas chuckled.
"I've got to hand it to him, he's good for trying to use you. But," Atlas's face darkened ever so slightly. "There's only one spell in that shop Borgin doesn't take Galleons for."
Rhea's stomach fell.
"It's not for me —"
"I know. You don't strike me as someone who would take much of an interest in Horcruxes or living forever and I won't ask you to tell me who it's for, but I do want to show you something." Atlas said. Rhea frowned, but didn't say anything as she followed Atlas to his family's library. He led them through rows and rows of books filled with all sorts of information until he stopped in front of a random shelf and plucked a thick, dusty book from within. Rhea watched as Atlas flipped the pages until he landed on one titled 'Horcrux'. Rhea's eyes widened in shock. "My family collects all sorts of things, dark spells included. Now, we don't have to hand the necklace over to Borgin."
Atlas gave the book to Rhea and she marveled at it in wonder, wondering why he would give this to her so willingly.
"Borgin said your family no longer uses the necklace. Why won't you give it to him?" Rhea asked. Atlas smiled secretively.
"The Ministry only banned us from using the necklace on muggles. It still has its uses." He said cryptically, although Rhea could deduce exactly what he meant by that.
"Thank you. For the spell." Rhea said. Atlas nodded.
"I can tell that you're apprehensive about the marriage — I won't lie, I am too — but I don't want us to be strangers to one another. I want to know you and I hope you'll let me."
Rhea's mouth parted in surprise at Atlas's words.
"Okay." Rhea said. "We can
**************
JUNIPER PREWETT WASN'T SURE WHAT CAME OVER HER WHEN SHE SAID 'YES' TO JOINING TOM RIDDLE'S KNIGHTS OF WALPURGIS. The name was funny enough that she laughed in his face when he and Rhea Hel approached her, thinking it was some sort of joke, but when he looked at her like he wanted to hex her, Juniper realized that it wasn't one and the Slytherins were being serious. She didn't understand why they sought her out of all people, but she assumed the Knights of Walpurgis was some secret society within Hogwarts that spent their hours studying and doing homework. And since Juniper was dangerously close to failing N.E.W.T. Charms, she figured she might as well get help from two of the brightest students in their year.
Juniper's twin brother, Florian, found the whole situation to be far more amusing than she did.
"I just don't understand why they would approach you to join their secret society. Have you even spoken to them before?" Florian asked.
"Only Rhea a few times when we were younger and before she started surrounding herself with the likes of Davina Selwyn." Juniper rolled her eyes at the mention of Davina, who she and the rest of the general population, loathed.
"Rhea Hel's always surrounded herself with people like Davina Selwyn." Florian chuckled. "When's the first meeting?"
Juniper glanced at the clock and scrambled to her feet, exclaiming, "I'm late!" which only made Florian laugh harder than he had been before.
Juniper dashed through the halls of Hogwarts until she arrived at the sixth floor. She waited for the Room of Requirement to reveal itself to her before she stepped inside the room to find children from pure blood families gathered around a long table with Tom Riddle at the head and Rhea at his side. Juniper looked from Avida Carrow to Cassius Avery to Orpheus Mulciber and realized that this was not a secret society dedicated to improving their marks at all.
Rhea eyed the girl as she hesitantly made her way to the empty seat next to Davina Selwyn, who was looking healthier and perkier than ever now that she was seated at the round table. Rhea sent Abraxas a dirty look from across the table but he lounged in his chair with a smile on his smug little face that Rhea wanted to slap off.
"You're late," Tom spoke coolly to the Gryffindor girl who waltzed in. Rhea watched as the Knights stared at her robes with distaste. Lupe even took to scrunching his nose up when he caught sight of the Gryffindor sigil.
"Yeah." Juniper said sheepishly with a shrug. Rhea swore she saw Tom's eye twitch when Juniper didn't offer an explanation or apology, but the boy gave her a tight-lipped smile instead. An awkward silence filled the room, mostly because the Knights were too busy inspecting the two newcomers to say anything. Juniper looked at everyone with a frown. "So . . . are you a Secret Society?"
"What?" Druella asked. There was a hint of disgust on her face as she eyed the Prewett girl and Juniper either didn't mind or didn't care, either way Rhea was beginning to like this girl.
"I only ask because I'm — well — I wasn't really paying that much attention when it was being explained so I'm not really sure what this is." Tom's eyes lifted to the ceiling before they met Rhea's and he looked as though he wanted to curse her for suggesting that they bring Juniper into their group in the first place.
"We're the Knights of Walpurgis." Lupe said, lazily twirling his wand between his fingers as Juniper turned to him. "We seek to protect magic from those who stole it."
A realization seemed to dawn upon Juniper.
"You mean muggleborns?" Juniper asked slowly.
"Mudbloods usurp our magic and expect us to be all right with it. Tom has helped us realize that there's another way." Abraxas interposed. Juniper glanced at each of them before her eyes landed on Rhea.
"And what about you? Do you believe that muggleborns steal our magic?" Juniper asked. The corner of Rhea's mouth turned up and she briefly looked at each of the other Knights.
"It's not about what I believe, or what Abraxas believes, or even what Tom believes. What do you believe, Juniper? Are you okay with living in a world where we are constantly forced to adhere and accomodate to the same people who persecuted our kind for centuries or do you want to help us bring about the dawn of a new era where we don't have to hide who we are because they can't accept it? The choice is yours, Prewett. Make it wisely."
Juniper eyed Rhea before she glanced at Tom.
"And what of him? Do you believe that he can truly give you this new world you seek?" Juniper asked. Rhea turned to Tom and she could tell that he wanted to know the answer just as badly as everyone else did. Rhea had to admit that there was a time she would have said yes to Juniper's question even if she didn't believe it to be true. The Tom she met at the beginning was arrogant and cruel who cared for nothing except power and the Tom she knew now was all of those things, but there was more to him than she had ever imagined. She could see it clearly, that he would do whatever it took to accomplish his goals and he wouldn't stop until he held the world in his hands. His ambition reminded Rhea of the person who currently had the Wizarding World at its knees: Grindelwald.
"Tom can give us what we want and so much more." Rhea said finally, turning back to Juniper and missing Tom's reaction to her words. Juniper nodded slowly.
"Then, I'm in."
Rhea knew Juniper wouldn't be like the rest of Tom's Knights. She wouldn't blindly follow his orders or do whatever he said because she served him, and Rhea knew how much of a challenge that would prove to be for him.
Tom didn't talk about the Horcruxes or even mention them in front of Juniper and Davina. Rhea knew he wanted to see if he could truly trusting them before letting them in on the fact that he was going to create Horcruxes, so the meeting was rather short and Rhea was glad for that.
When he dismissed the Knights, she stayed behind by pretending to take an extra long time to gather her things, but she wasn't the only one with that idea. Davina lingered behind all the rest and waltzed up to Tom with a charming smile on her face that caused Rhea to glower at the back of her head.
"I wanted to personally thank you for letting me join, Tom. And I wanted to let you know that if you ever need anything, I'm glad to help."
Rhea gagged inwardly when Tom smiled back at her.
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." He said slyly before he left Davina to go to Rhea. She could've kissed him and she enjoyed watching the angry look on Davina's face while the girl stormed out of the Room of Requirement. "You did good convincing Juniper to join."
"I know." Rhea grinned. "I was good, wasn't I?"
Tom rolled his eyes, but Rhea knew that deep down, he was smiling. His face turned suddenly serious and Rhea could tell that something was on his mind.
"Did you mean what you said or were you just telling Juniper what she needed to hear?" Tom asked curiously. Rhea was surprised that he was asking, but there was uncertainty in his voice she had never heard before.
"I meant it." Rhea said sincerely. "I meant all of it."
Tom brushed his hand against Rhea's and she glanced down as their fingers tangled into one another. A small part of her told her to take her hand away from his — it was too intimate and made whatever was happening between them far more real than she expected it to be — but she didn't pull away as she looked back to Tom, shock and uncertainty on both of their faces. Tom's gaze dropped to her lips and they began to move towards one another like magnets until the door swung open and Orpheus came storming in.
Tom and Rhea flung apart from one another like shrapnel, her heart pounding out of fear that someone caught them, but the boy didn't even seemed to notice the precarious situation he caught their leader in.
"We've got a problem, Tom!" Orpheus exclaimed when he burst inside. Rhea could tell that boy was riled up about something, although Rhea didn't know what it was. Orpheus Mulciber angry wasn't a pretty sight to witness. The boy could be downright sinister if someone got on the wrong side of him. Rhea saw the wand at his side and couldn't help but let out a sigh. "It's Avery! He got into a fight with Macmillan and Crouch. He needs our help."
"How did he get into a fight? You just left." Rhea asked. The boy seemed to notice her presence for the first time.
"They ambushed him! Bastards were waiting for us around the corner. Lupe and Abraxas are still there, but we need you, Tom!" Cassius said before running out of the room to join the fight. Tom sighed and slid his wand from his pocket before going to follow the boy while leaving Rhea alone in the room.
She cursed Orpheus for his timing and turned to leave the room to find Tom rushing back to her.
"Wha —"
He took her face in his hands and gave her a quick kiss. It barely lasted for a second before he turned on his heel and ran out the door again, leaving Rhea to stand dumbfoundedly in the middle of the room.
Rhea composed herself and left the Room of Requirement, only to come back when the room had changed and she could see Phytios again. The dragon ran the length of her forearm and with Easter break coming up, Rhea would finally be able to show her dragon the world outside of Hogwarts, at least while she kept it in Wiltshire.
"I've already written to Pavlina and she said she could take excellent care of you while I'm away." Phytios let out a disgruntled shriek, unsatisfied with her words as he bounced around on the ground in front of the fireplace while Rhea sat beside him. The dragon flapped it's wings and Rhea watched as Phytios' feet barely lifted from the ground before the dragon dropped down once more. She frowned, thinking about Phytios flying while they were apart. "If I could keep you with me, believe me I would but it isn't safe, you must understand."
Phytios bounced over to Rhea and nudged her hand. She smiled, knowing how much the dragon loved it when she would affectionately pet it's head. Phytios wouldn't be upset with the situation forever and although it killed Rhea to know that she would have to be apart from him, she knew it was something she needed to do.
Easter holiday came around quicker than Rhea anticipated and it seemed as though Tom had set Rhea on the back burner now that he was getting closer to finding his Horcruxes — not that she particularly minded since she spent the last few weeks with her dragon.
The only words Tom spoke to her after she boarded King's Cross was to remind her that she would be traveling with him and Avida to find the spell at Borgin and Burke's. Davina, who happened to be standing nearby, had taken to pestering Rhea most of train ride about where she and Tom were running off to. Rhea had half a mind to tell the girl it was none of her business but ultimately decided against it.
Pluto mirrored his twin's annoyance when she stepped off the train with Persephone trailing behind her. Rhea caught Avida disappearing into the crowd of students greeting their families as Pluto turned his head to her. Rhea could remember a time when the two of them were inseparable, but now everytime she looked at him she was reminded of how he betrayed her and lied about it for years. But Rhea could put her differences with her brother aside for the next two weeks if it meant keeping her family happy.
Uncle Cato arrived at the station to escort them back to Wiltshire and Rhea quickly made her way to her room and let Phytios out of her trunk so that he could explore his new home.
As Rhea began to unpack her things, her grandmother walked in. The expression on her face was rather stern and Rhea could tell she was about to be berated for something or another. Rhea braced herself for Elvira's wrath as the woman fixed her with a hard gaze.
"You hatched a dragon inside Hogwarts?" Elvira asked, her tone low. Rhea smiled sheepishly at her grandmother and opened her mouth to offer an explanation but the woman raised her hand. "Don't. It was dangerous. I can't believe my son was foolish enough to give you one to keep in the first place. I know you think you're invincible, Rhea, but you aren't. It'd do you well to remember that."
Rhea did her best to hide her displeasure at her grandmother's words. Her father seemed to be the only person who could see that she could handle raising Phytios. Rhea offered her grandmother a small smile and searched for a way to change the subject instead,
"And what of Dumbledore? If we have any hope of defeating Grindelwald before the start of summer —"
"Who said anything about defeating Grindelwald before summer?"
Rhea frowned.
"I don't understand." Rhea said slowly, watching as her grandmother continued to stare at her blankly. "I thought we were going to defeat Grindelwald before I had to go to him. Wasn't that the whole point? To keep me from having to join him?"
"Defeating the darkest wizard of our age will take time, Rhea. It certainly won't happen before the end of summer." Rhea's face fell at her grandmother's words. No one told her that.
"I don't want to go to him." Rhea said firmly. She watched as her grandmother tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow at Rhea. "I've never wanted to serve Grindelwald, or anyone. I won't."
"You will." Elvira said, stepping dangerously close to Rhea. Elvira gripped Rhea's wrist, squeezing it to keep her in place. Rhea's gaze dropped to the ground. "When Grindelwald comes for you, you will go with him and you will do whatever he asks you to. Learn whatever you can and when you come back, we will destroy him."
Elvira stepped away from Rhea and left the girl standing at the foot of her bed looking troubled. Rhea would be glad to see her father, but obeying and following Grindelwald wasn't something she wanted to get wrapped up in, especially when she was about to start her final year at Hogwarts.
Rhea sighed, knowing she would have no choice but to go when Grindelwald came for her.
Avida arrived at Hel House a few days before Tom did. During meals, Rhea watched as her brother's face would lit up upon the sight of her. Rhea couldn't remember a time when Pluto wasn't with Avida — the pair met first year and had practically been together ever since. Rhea couldn't imagine it, being able to be with someone in that way. Nothing could ever come of her and Tom, even if he made her feel more than anyone had in a long time.
When Tom finally did arrive to Hel House, Pluto couldn't hide his confusion as to why his sister, girlfriend, and Tom Riddle were going out for the day without him.
"I hate lying to him," Avida said as she walked into the sitting room where Rhea and Tom waited for her. The pair exchanged a look with one another as Avida pouted while standing in front of the fireplace. She glanced over her shoulder. "Knockturn Alley, right?"
"Yes." Tom said, tapping his foot impatiently. The corner of Rhea's mouth turned up at the annoyed expression on his face as Avida grabbed a handful of Floo Powder and repeated their destination.
Tom stepped forward before Rhea had a chance to, to her annoyance. He went into the fireplace once Avida had disappeared and Rhea grabbed a handful of the powder next, saying,
"Knockturn Alley."
Rhea jumped into the fireplace, feeling uncomfortable as her body felt like it was being stretched until she landed on her feet, stumbling out of the fireplace and running into Tom's back. He turned around, looking down at her with a rather unimpressed expression as she straightened out.
"Borgin and Burkes is this way." Avida said, already halfway out of the door of the unfamiliar house they stood inside. The three of them set onwards into the streets of Knockturn Alley and Rhea scrunched her nose up at the wizards wandering the streets.
As they made their way through the dimly lit streets, Rhea kept her eye on the wizards around them in case any of them recognized her as a Hel. As Rhea's gaze swept over the unfamiliar faces of the different wizards, her eyes landed on a tall figure who stuck close to the walls and tried not to be seen as they crept around the corner. Without thinking about the consequences, Rhea broke away from Tom and Avida to follow the guy. If someone was sneaking around Knockturn Alley, she knew she needed to see what they were up to.
The hooded figure made a sharp turn down one of the alleys and Rhea made sure to stay far enough way that she wouldn't be spotted. She crept quietly, making sure she wasn't heard as the figure stopped behind an old abandoned shop. Rhea ducked behind a bin and looked over the side, frowning as she made out four figures with their backs turned to her while the sixth joined. In front of them were three other wizards except they were tied up with hoods over their heads and on their knees. Rhea raised a brow, intrigued.
"Did you get it?" A tall girl asked, her dark hair tumbling past her shoulders as she called to their new member. Rhea frowned deeply. There was something familiar about her voice.
"It wasn't there. They lied." The man Rhea followed said. Her jaw dropped when she heard him speak, recognizing it instantly and she felt her entire body freeze in its spot.
Atlas.
Rhea's husband-to-be pulled his hood down and stared at who Rhea assumed were his cousins, Vano and Silvanus, and the twins, Alina and Andrei Dragavei. Rhea could hardly believe what she was seeing.
"Want me to teach 'em a lesson, Atlas?" Silvanus asked, stepping forward with his wand at his side while his brother cracked his knuckles. Atlas crept forward, staring down at their captives as the others turned to him for orders. Rhea watched as Atlas stopped, his ears seemed to perk up at somethnig.
"Are you going to join us or hide there the whole time?" Atlas asked over his shoulder. Rhea's stomach tightened as his voice carried throughout the empty alley. Alina glanced over Atlas's shoulder and spotted Rhea before the girl had a chance to process the fact that he was talking to her. Slowly, she rose and alerted the boys of her presence, watching as Atlas smirked when he saw her stepping out of the darkness and into the light. "Nice to see you, Rhea."
"Atlas," Rhea greeted, suddenly remembering that she never wrote him back after he told her he wanted to get to know her better. She bit back a wince even though he didn't look too troubled over it. In fact, there was a grin playing on the corner of Atlas' mouth as he watched the curiosity form on her face. "What is this?"
"Something that doesn't concern you." Andrei said coldly. Rhea ignored the boy and waited for Atlas to respond, but he shrugged lazily, glancing at the three silent wizards on their knees by his feet.
"One of them took something that belonged to me. I'm going to get it back." Atlas said simply. Rhea took one glance at the look on his face and didn't doubt his words for a second. "You should go. We have business to take care of."