Bellatrix's Outfits;
Finding Sarah -
The library & Hubbard's office & Fernando's house -
Bellatrix walked into the living room, following a scent, to find Sarah in front of the fire. "I'd recognize that smell anywhere."
"I knew I should have made two," Sarah said.
"More like three," Diana said walking into the room.
"I can't sleep either," Bellatrix said sitting down on the couch next to Sarah as Diana sat next to her. Bellatrix picked up half of the toastie, placing it in her mouth. "Do you remember when I...used to stay up late studying? And I'd miss dinner?"
"Yup." Sarah nodded.
"And Em would always make us one of these," Diana said.
"She said her best magic was made with bread and cheese," Sarah said.
"If only all magic was so straightforward," Diana said.
Sarah placed the plate on the table before turning to the cousins. "A good spell...needs good instincts. You have to trust your intuition as well as your intellect because we know you've got that in spades."
"I miss her." Diana sighed.
☯︎
"All right, you can just wait for us here," Bellatrix said turning to Gallowglass as she placed her bags in the luggage area.
"I don't think so," Gallowglass said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, do you...do you have a reader's card?" Bellatrix asked laughing.
"Very good."
"We won't be long," Diana said before walking into the library with Bellatrix following.
"Diana Bishop? Bellatrix Volencia?" The librarian called.
"Thank you," Diana said taking the book from his hands before walking towards a table. Diana placed the book on the stand, opening the book and flipping the pages. "What are you hiding?"
Bellatrix waved her hands in a circular motion causing a shield to appear around the two of them, which made it seem like they were just reading the book to the outside, while Diana placed her hands on the book. "Show me the hands through which this book has passed."
The book flickered to the middle of the page, where the text lifted from the page making some letters before the letter H flew onto Bellatrix's and Diana's wrists. "H...Hubbard?" Bellatrix gasped.
☯︎
Bellatrix and Diana walked into Hubbard's office, where he passed them both a cup of tea and coffee, before sitting down in front of them. "So, how can I help you, Bellatrix, Diana?"
"I think that you have something that I need," Diana replied.
"Pages from the Book of Life," Bellatrix added.
"I have one page. Peter Knox was here first." Hubbard said.
"Please don't tell me..." Bellatrix started.
"I didn't," Hubbard said causing Bellatrix to release a breath of relief. "But that doesn't mean I'm going to give it to you."
"Holding on to it could put your whole flock at risk. Do you think that Knox is just going to walk away knowing that you have the page?" Bellatrix asked.
"How can a page be dangerous? Even one ripped from the Book of Life?" Hubbard asked.
"It's not the page that's dangerous, it's who has it," Bellatrix answered. "Knox thinks the Book is the first grimoire. He believes it will restore the witches' waning powers, and tip the balance in their favour. Gerbert believes that the Book holds the origins of the vampires, how they were made and unmade. He thinks if he has the secret to immortality, the vampires will have supremacy. So, Father, who do you trust with the Book? A member of the Congregation or a member of your flock?"
Hubbard stood up from the chair before turning to the witches. "I need to know that my flock will not be collateral damage in this struggle the de Clermont are engaged with. Can you give me that?"
Bellatrix sighed closing her eyes before opening. "No. But I can promise you this...if we lose, any chance we creatures had to live in peace, will be gone and there will be no reason for Knox or Gerbert to keep up the pretence that we are all equal. They're already using the Covenant to divide us."
"I see," Hubbard whispered before walking away causing the women to stand up and follow him into an office, taking off a portrait from the wall and taking off the back. "I'm trusting you...to have the courage to do what needs to be done, Bellatrix, Diana. Whatever you may have to sacrifice."
"Thank you," Bellatrix said taking the page from him. "I won't betray that trust."
☯︎
"I think I've got something," Pheobe said as Bellatrix and Diana followed her down the stairs towards the library. "Before it made its way to the British Library, the Book of Soyga passed through a few hands. We know about Dee. And after his death, it went to a Thomas Allen."
"Thomas Allen... a fellow astronomer and mathematician," Diana said.
"Then from his library, it went to a Kenelm Digby," Pheobe said.
"Natural philosopher who sidelines in alchemy and astrology," Diana said.
Bellatrix lowered herself to the floor, leaning against the couch that Sarah was lying on. "Come to think of it, he was...he was probably a Daemon."
"The other pages ended up with a witch and a vampire. Maybe Daemons were meant to keep the third page safe?" Sarah suggested.
"Hm, that makes sense to me," Pheobe said.
"Yeah, well the witches page was set to a shapeshifter and a witch. Where did it go next?" Bellatrix asked.
"Er, John Maitland, the first Duke of Lauderdale. We know the Book of Soyga eventually finds its way to the British Library and other items from Lauderdale's estate pop up in various auctions over the centuries. Nothing of interest to us until about thirty years ago." Pheobe answered, moving to the couch with the computer. "Someone called T.J. Weston bought an illustrated page from a book. Erm, it's described as 'An allegory of a tree' with a written motto."
"What does it say?" Sarah asked leaning up.
"Omnia nodis arcanis connexa quiescunt." Pheobe answered.
"They all wait silently connected by secret knots." Bellatrix translated.
"So now we need to find T.J. Weston."
☯︎
"Matthew." Bellatrix greeted as she answered the phone walking around the house. "Hey."
"We have their support."
"You did it. I'm so proud of you. How's Jack?" She asked.
"Trying the best he can."
"And you..."
Matthew sighed looking out of the window before turning back to his phone. "So what's happening over there?"
"Well...we have two pages in our possession and another one firmly in our sights," Bellatrix said as picked up the pages smiling.
"Well, that's fantastic news," Matthew said.
"You tell Marcus that I couldn't have done it without Phoebe," Bellatrix said.
"I will. How are the babies?" Matthew asked smiling.
"All is well in their world. Finally stopped giving me weird cravings. When are you coming home?" She asked as she stroked her growing stomach with a smile.
"Soon, I promise. Look, I...I have to go, mon coeur. Know that I love you with all my heart."
"I love you, too," Bellatrix said before pulling her phone away from her ear as Matthew hung up.