*Unedited*
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"GUYS!" Camilla bashed onto the bookcase trying to get Fabian and Nina's attention, along with comforting Amber who was hysterical, "GUYS!!!!"
Thankfully a muffled sound of "Amber! Camilla!" was heard, causing Camilla to mumble a soft thanks to Isis as she heard footsteps rush towards the other side of the bookcase.
"Don't worry Ambs," Camilla whispered to her friend, pulling her to her feet and letting her use Camilla as a lean, clutching to the female twin, like she was her lifeline, "we're going to get out of here. We're going to figure out what happened."
"Camilla," Amber's voice was so quiet that Camilla almost missed what she said, it was a whisper a wisp of a sound, "I'm so scared,"
"I know you are, but I promise we'll figure this out. You've got to be brave. We'll get through this together. Girl's United," Camilla reassured her, causing Amber to nod slightly against her neck as the bookcase swivelled around and brought them back to the study.
Nina grabbed Amber from Camilla and guided her to the couch as Fabian grabbed Camilla's arm and looked his sister over, making sure she was okay. Camilla smiled at him reassuringly, enough to tell him she was okay before the two rushed over to Nina and Amber.
As the pair reached the two an old recording started to play, "To those who trespassed where they do not belong. The beacon of light is your warning song. Your eyes shall not see, all shall be dark until Ra completes his blazing arc."
Nina watched as the twin's eyes widened and they looked to one another, "Ra?" She asked them as they clearly understood the warning better than she did.
"The Sun God, the ex-king of the gods," Fabian explained quietly. "he represents the sun's arc from dawn till dusk."
"So the blazing arc... lasts one day." Nina finally understood the looks that were shared between the twins. Amber was blinded for an entire day.
"Whoa back up!" Amber instantly pipped up, "I won't be able to see for a whole day?! As in 24 hours! I have a beauty routine; this doesn't just happen! Why couldn't this have happened to Camilla!"
Fabian looked to Camilla curiously clearly having had the same thought as Amber, why didn't Camilla get effected in the same way. Fabian rushed to the bookcase and looked over it. "Are you two sure it was the book with Thoth on the spine?"
Camilla gave Fabian a sassy look but Amber did the sassing for her as she snapped, "Yes Fabian, I'm sure on account of the fact I could see back then!"
"The bookcase turned, and then there was this light," Camilla explained getting to her feet and pacing back and forth her arms waving around as she nervously spoke, "the light probably representing Ra, anyway it scanned us. It stopped for me but it didn't stop for Amber!"
Nina gasped as she glanced at Camilla's necklace, normally she tucked it in under her shirt but today it was slightly hanging out and it was glowing ever so slightly, she then turned to look at the portrait of Robert, "I think I know why you weren't hurt Camilla..." The twins turned to the American who was looking at them smiling, "look!" she pointed to the portrait where Robert was wearing one of the amulets, before she turned to the desk and pointed to the amulets there, "Look!" she excitedly squealed.
"Eh, hello, rude!" Amber added.
"Amber," Nina turned to the girl next to her, "you said the Amulets were for protection, right?" Amber nodded her head at the girl's question. "like maybe protection against booby traps?" Nina offered the twins causing the two to smile as they understood what she was hinting at.
"But why wasn't Camilla blinded? She went around with Amber..." Fabian asked as Nina raced over to the desk to pick up two amulets.
"She has one already, or so Jasper said," Amber simply explained, "her bird necklace..."
Camilla smiled as she looked down at her necklace where the goddess Isis was, it was glowing faintly. Maybe the Deity was looking out for her. She looked up to see the same smile on Fabian's face, "Isis the Goddess of life and magic, protector of woman and children," Fabian mumbled softly causing Camilla to roll her eyes at him. The twins had done more research into Camilla's deity over the summer hols, Fabian would never say it but he found it very fitting that Isis was the Deity that chose Camilla, she embodied her traits very well he thought.
Nina handed Fabian an amulet before putting one on herself, taking a deep breath as she looked at the bookcase.
They were going to test out their theory.
That was how she found herself in a Rutter twin sandwich, the bookcase turning, causing Nina to grab both their hands as they faced the tunnels before them. They all knew what to expect and they all saw the glow of the light at the end of the tunnel, with a flash a beam started to creep its way towards them, slowly making its way up their bodies until it reached their amulets, Camilla's coming a little later than the other two as her necklace was higher, but with a flash once touching the amulets the light went out. The three all let out relieved gasps as they realised the amulets worked.
"The Amulets worked!" Fabian excitedly said causing Nina and him to smile victoriously at them as Camilla took a few tentative steps ahead. She turned back to face them both as they realised, they were still holding hands and they quickly separated muttering apologises to one another. The awkward moment was broken as a loud clattering was heard from the other side of the bookcase and a scream of pain from Amber, causing Camilla to rush back to them.
"Maybe we should get Amber out of here?" Camilla told the two, Fabian nodded and pulled back on the book of Thoth so the bookcase swung back around to face the study.
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The next morning Camilla was patting herself on her back as she Nina and Fabian wandered into the dining room for breakfast, she had followed Ambers exact instructions on how to do the girls makeup and she felt she had done an amazing job – even if the girl was wearing large sunglasses as a way to prevent anyone realising she couldn't see. Camilla had told Nina to put Amber in her seat today at breakfast she'd stand behind the girl and eat leaning on the kitchen open, that way she and Fabian could keep an eye on her.
"And the sun is where?" Jerome asked as the trio guided Amber into the room and for some odd reason around to Camilla's seat.
"Eh," Nina paused to think of a reason why Amber was wearing sunglasses.
"Allergies," Camilla told them all easily as she leaned over Jerome to take a muffin from his plate causing him to huff up at her, though a smile crept onto his face as all she did was stick her tongue back at him. The two not being the only ones to look across the table as Mara slammed her juice down a little too hard but Fabian was talking keeping the lie up his sister had started as he guided Amber too Camilla's seat.
"she had a reaction to her facemask..."
"they must contain, eh..." Nina paused as she tried to remember was it was Amber was allergic too.
"Raspberries!" Alfie pipped up instantly sounding concerned.
"right! Raspberries!" Nina agreed, "they're like her Kryptonite."
Alfie jumped to his feet, "Ambs just hold on I'll go get..." Camilla couldn't help but smile at how concerned Alfie was.
"No!" Amber stopped him with a wave of her hand, "no fuss... all I have left is my dignity." With that, she sat down, however in Fabian guiding her to Camilla's seat he had moved the seat out a little which resulted in Amber sitting on Jerome's knee instead of the chair causing the boy to awkwardly grumble a little as he glanced up at Camilla who was currently using the muffin she had stolen from him as a way to hide her smile, though her shoulders gave away how funny she found the situation he was now in. It took Amber a second to realise she wasn't on a chair and she used her hand to figure out who she was sitting on – one feel of Jerome's hair told her it was him.
"What so a girl can't sit on her friend's knee?" She said as everyone laughed around the table, holding a hand out behind her Camilla taking it and guiding her to the actual chair.
"Milly," Jerome whispered as Camilla leant over to help Amber, "what is going on?"
"Amber's eyes have puffed up so she can't see," Camilla smoothly lied, "and you are clearly out of your Santa gig with the lower school if even Amber can't stand being on your lap." She added with a wink before she straightened and wandered into the kitchen to make tea, causing him to shake his head with a smile as he watched her leave.
Which was when Camilla-Anne Rutter met Vera Devenish. The girl didn't know what it was about the woman but the moment she met her something felt off about her. Camilla couldn't help she was trying too hard to be nice and caring, but Camilla couldn't help feel there was something the woman was hiding but she shook it off for her being paranoid. They were starting a new Sibuna adventure, they were all cursed and Amber was blind, she could understand why she was a little paranoid.
"Ah," the woman said with a smile as Camilla entered the room, "we haven't met yet, I'm Vera Devenish, your new housemother," she held out her hand and Camilla politely shook it.
"I'm Camilla, Camilla Rutter," she told her before turning to put the kettle on and start brewing tea.
"Camilla-Anne Rutter?" Vera asked, almost too innocently causing Camilla to stall for a moment before playing off calmly as she made her tea.
"Yep that's right," She told the woman, who didn't say anything else, instead she sent Camilla a bright unnerving smile before picking up a plate of what looked like blueberry pancakes and walked through to the dining room.
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Camilla was glad that she had a magic class then a free period left of the day as she shut Amber's locker, passing the book bag over to Fabian who then seemed to fall backwards with the weight of it, looking between Camilla and Amber with awe. How the two girls could carry it was amazing as it weighed a ton to him.
"Have fun in history," Camilla waved at him, causing Fabian to give her an exasperated look before he staggered after Nina and Amber.
The girl turned to leave when she heard a soft, "there she is!" before a chorus of "Camilla!" was heard and she turned to see Evan and Poppy running down to corridor towards her, a mischievous smile on Poppy's face. From the look of worry and the glances Evan kept giving down the corridor it was clean Poppy had pranked someone.
"Munchkins!" Camilla happily greeted them, putting arms around their shoulders and walking them down the corridor with her – back they way they had come causing Evan to tense up though Poppy seemed relaxed. Camilla knew she was giving the pair an alibi for whatever Poppy had dragged Evan into doing, she also knew the teachers never suspected those who stuck around the crime scene they always assumed the culprit would run, that's why the pranking trio at Anubis got away with more than they actually got caught for. "what can I do for you today?" she asked them both.
"Do you know if Jerome's booked a P.I. yet?" Poppy asked.
"Is this to find your dad?" Camilla asked, causing the girl to nod, "He hasn't said anything to me, but I can ask him for you later tonight if you want?" Poppy relaxed a little and nodded her head. She liked Mara and was glad of her help but Camilla had a way with Jerome she hadn't seen with anyone else, even if her brother and the girl were clearly blind to their feelings to one another – but she was working with Amber and Evan to rectify that. "I do have some news for you... or should I say, me and Evan do, don't we Ev?"
Evan looked up at Camilla in surprise as she hugged him to her side, "we are going to tell her now?" Camilla nodded, "okay, well you know how Camilla and Fabian came to our presentations the other week,"
"Yeah, it was the open night for Families, Jerome came to see mine too..." Poppy added.
"Well... I did mine on the Rutter family as a surprise to the two for coming to be there for me." Evan quietly spoke getting embarrassed a little remembering how the twins were the loudest people in the room and even stood to give him a standing ovation as he finished his presentation, causing the boy next to Camilla (who he then was introduced to and knew now to be Poppy's brother Jerome) to burst out laughing. He didn't know what he had done to be adopted by the pair but he was grateful he had been, "and in my research, I found that Camilla's mum went to school with your dad."
"Same year as Sweetie and she was an Anubis resident too." Camilla explained to the girl who looked amazed by the news, "now don't get your hopes up, because my mum... let's just say I hear more from her assistant than do her, but I have reached out, she might know something about your dad."
Poppy hugged the girl tightly, hiding her face in the girl's jumper, "thank you," Camilla heard her whisper and Camilla wrapped her arms around her, hugging her back just as tightly. There was the smallest of small chances her mother would even reply let alone bother to find information, but Poppy didn't care about that. This girl cared about her and her brother that much she had gone out of her way to try, which was more than Poppy had ever expected.
As Poppy pulled away, the PE teacher, Mrs Robinson came storming through the corridor's covered head to toe in blue paint causing laughter all around. Camilla saw her eyes pause on herself, Poppy and Evan, but then from her POV, it looked a lot like the two where comforting Poppy so how could she be the culprit. The moment Mrs Robinson was out of view Camilla burst out laughing and High-fived the pair. Excellent work. Before she checked her watch and had to mutter goodbyes to them, guess who was late once again to her magic-class...
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Surprisingly Victor didn't seem upset as Camilla came bursting through the lab door, out of breath muttering apologise to him. In fact, he waited quietly stirring his tea on one of the comfy chairs in the corner of the room. as Camilla threw her bag down and her blazer was hung up on the coat stand along with Victor's jacket, grabbing her Grimoire and the book she had been studying from, before she rushed over to where Victor was sat surprised to see they were using the couches but not complaining as she saw a steaming cup of tea waiting for her. Unceremoniously Camilla fell back into the sofa with a sigh, pulling her legs up and getting herself comfy as she grabbed the cup of tea.
"How are you finding creating your Grimoire?" Victor asked watching Camilla with an amused smile.
Camilla took a very unladylike gulp of her tea before answering, "I have so many questions!
"you wouldn't be you if you didn't have any," Victor replied putting his teacup onto its saucer and looking at her to start asking away.
"I don't get why I am studying spells if you're not even letting me practice them." Camilla started, knowing it was more a statement than a question, "Everything I read talks about how we have a limited reservoir of magic we tap into when we perform spells, but some of these bigger spells... there must be a way to tap into more because reading these... I just don't get it."
Victor knew Camilla was getting annoyed they hadn't performed any magic or at least he wasn't helping her control her powers that way, but as he had explained the biggest hurdle was to control her emotions or at least control her magic enough it didn't tap into her emotions and that didn't come with practice that came from knowledge of the art form and her own self-control. It was a hard thing to learn and it would take time. Victor also knew as much as the two didn't practice magic in the lab Camilla did use small spells, her particular favourite being 'Motus' though she had only perfected the art of using that to push and pull things towards her. "It is true when casting a spell, you draw from magic stored within you. If you overdraw from this when casting a spell, the lack of energy will then be taken from your life force, which can in some cases kill."
Camilla had read of this of course, but hearing Victor say the words and so calmly caused the hairs on her neck to stand on end. This magic thing just got scary, especially if over usage could result in her own death.
Victor seemed to see the look of fear cross Camilla's face, "you can grow that storage of magic within you, through the practice of spells and through control of your emotions. Wild magic saps you the most, that's why I am trying to help discipline you on the connection between magic and emotions." Camilla nodded her head, understanding what the man was saying, "there is always the option to siphon magic from a being, but if it's nonmagical then your draining their life force from it so normally that's advised against, but you can also get objects that amplify magic to help with greater larger spells, Scrolls, amulets, staffs... don't go worrying too much about all this, that's why you have me to help you. What you must remember is you aren't what's happening to you, you are how you manage to overcome it all." Victor reassured the girl causing a smile to flit onto her face. He was right, as scary as it all was, she could handle it because she was Camilla-Anne Rutter, she believed she could and she was going to prove herself right.
Victor and Camilla were walking back from the Lab the girl teasing Victor for his crush on Vera which he was denying when they saw Jerome and Mara talking to a man before he disappeared. Camilla frowned, coming to a stop causing the man to look over at what she was looking at before a small smile crept onto his own face despite himself. The girl had a lot to learn, especially when it came to their deity and her meddling hand when it came to love. The way of love was always a hard one for those under her guidance but from the stories he had read from those that had survived they were always worth it in the end.
"Come, Camilla," Victor softly spoke to his protégée, seeing the jealousy in her eyes even if she was probably in denial herself, "I'm sure you are expected back at the house, as am I."
Camilla allowed Victor to pull her away from the sight, her mind racing at the sight. Why would Jerome invite Mara of all people to see a P.I with him, maybe the crush she kept teasing him about wasn't as small and weak as she had assumed it was. Why did that bother her so much? She knew she should be happy for her friend, but why wasn't she happy? She didn't want to think about that too much and tuned back into whatever Victor was saying about Vera's stuffed dog.
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As Camilla burst into the bedroom she shared with Amber and Nina, she wasn't surprised to see the two standing in there, Nina clearly helping Amber get dressed for dinner, "Are you sure there are no creases?" Amber demanded of Nina, holding out the bottom of her shirt. "I swear I feel a crease!" Though as Camilla wandered past them and dumped her back Amber turned slightly, in the wrong direction to 'look' at Camilla, "what's gotten you upset Cam?"
Nina looked to Camilla who shook her head at her, the girl had no clue why she felt off, "I'm just worried about you Amber,"
"Awww," Amber smiled, "I don't believe you but I'll take it. Now what do you think of this outfit?"
Before Camilla could reply there was a woosh and behind her stood the Egyptian spirit that had cursed them all, Camilla immediately ran over to Nina and Amber, standing in front of them, "the darkness of her eyes must not delay you..." the spirit warned the Protector and The Chosen One.
"Please don't!" Nina muttered as the spirit raised a hand toward' s Amber.
"Please don't what?!" Amber exclaimed confused.
"Please don't.... change that top!" Nina told the girl glancing to the Spirit as she came closer.
Thankfully the spirit got the hind and lowered her hand, "find the mask or pay the consequences!" she threatened to Nina, who grabbed Camilla's hand for comfort, which Camilla was happy to give. The spirit turned to Amber again, and Camilla was done. With that she turned on her heel and grabbed Amber's hand dragging the two girls from the room, Nina muttering an excuse for fresh air. They needed to get Amber to safety fast.
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