*Unedited*
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"Protector?" Eddie whispered look at Camilla in awe.
"It's nice to finally meet you Osirian," she told him with a nod of her head.
As Camilla and Eddie share a smile, Nina crossed over to the boy to see the gem in his hand. "You're my Osirian, my protector..."
Eddie wordlessly nodded to her.
"then Cam's what now?"
"I got the world to protect sadly, but in theory, these two are to help me." Camilla turned to Amber and pulled a face, of course, she'd have the world when Eddie only had Nina.
Nina went to take the gem from Eddie's hand. His fingers closed over it instantly as he realised her intentions. "think about what you're doing," he said gravely glancing away from Camilla to focus on his Chosen One.
Nine gripped onto Eddie's wrist and forced his hand open. She took the gem from him with tears forming in her eyes, but she blinked them back.
"NO!" Fabian rushed over to the pair and snatched the mask out of Nina's hands, "Please, don't do this!" he pleaded.
"I have to Fabian. It's the only way."
Taking a deep breath, Nina carefully placed the Frobisher Gem into the hole in the centre of the mask.
The Mask started to glow.
Everyone watched, amazed, as the mask turned from a dull bronze one to a mask made of pure gold.
Nina gently took the mask from Fabian causing Senkhara to appear on the library's mezzanine. Unknowingly sealing her own fate, the only way out thanks to Camilla's boundary spell would be her own banishment.
Fabian looked to his sister tears streaming from his eyes begging her silently to do something, anything, to stop Nina, but the girl had made her mind up and Camilla couldn't take her choice from her she could only step in after the fact. That was why Eddie too remained rooted to the spot unable to do much bar guard over Patricia.
Nina raised the mask to her face.
Fabian turned back to look at the girl he loved who was giving up her life for them all, a stupid jackal mask not being worth it in his mind.
"Look..." Joy gasped, as she moved closer to Fabian allowing Camilla to move back to protect Amber and Jerome, "look at the mask."
They noticed it straight away, the mask had begun to weep golden tears.
From the Mezzanine the spirit let out a cruel laugh of delight as she lifted her arms to the havens. Black smoke started to swirl around Nina. "The Chosen One!" howled Senkhara in triumph as she poured herself into Nina.
Everyone in the room let out a gasp as the voice of the spirit then came from Nina. "The field of Reeds awaits The Chosen One."
It was official. Senkhara had taken over Nina's body.
Upon the mezzanine, a portal opened. It was bright, but not unbearably so, full of white light. Everyone felt drawn to it, with its heavenly glow and its warmth. They all could understand why Senkhara would want to go to a place like that.
Nina possessed by Senkhara turned and started to slowly walk up the metal spiral stairs towards the portal.
"Somebody do something please!" Amber cried out.
"NO, Nina!" Fabian screamed as he dashed towards the bottom of the stairs.
Senkhara/Nina turned in anger and lifted her hand firing a bolt of black energy at him.
"Fabian!" Camilla and Joy screamed racing towards him but Joy reached the boy first, throwing herself at it. The girl taking the full brunt of the bolt and dropping to the floor like a rag doll her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Patricia screamed before rushing to her friend, "Joy! Joy!" Patricia tried to shake her friend but nothing happened.
Camilla glared up at the spirit before dashing towards a crate there needed to be some old magic packed away, she could use.
Amber seemed to be having a similar idea to Camilla but she rushed to Eddie who was looking at Nina as if he was in some sort of trance. "Don't just stand there!" she screamed at the boy hitting his shoulder, "You're the Osirian, whatever the hell that means. Do something!"
Amber's scream seemed to snap Eddie out of whatever trance he was in.
The moment he blinked away Camilla's head snapped up, a male voice floating through her mind and from the looks of it Eddie could hear it too. "Osirian... Protector..."
"You need to tell us where?!" He cried out to the empty toom.
"Senkhara's crown...."
Camilla heard the answer and sprinted full force across the room to a container. "Motus!" she screamed waving her hand up so the lid came flying off.
"What are you doing?!" Jerome shouted at the girl who had run across the room. s
Eddie joined her and looked down into the crate.
Nestled in snuggly inside was Senkhara's crown, glowing in its protective wrapping.
Above them, Senkhara in Nina's body had reached the mezzanine.
"How do we do this?" Eddie whispered as Camilla took the crown out of its wrapping.
"You use my magic and we both channel the energy." Camilla didn't know how she knew it was what to do but it felt right.
Senkhara was seconds away from entering the portal, however, the spirit had one flaw, one flaw the pair could use against her. She wanted to gloat to The Protector that she had won.
Camilla and Eddie turned to the Spirit each of them holding on end of her crown as they pointed it up at her.
Senkhara raised her hand to send lightning bolts at them too but they both ducked it with ease and her magic only added fuel to the fiery rage burning within them.
"In the name of Anubis, we banish you!" Eddie shouted at the woman.
"Neta ankh betta Sekhmet. Khala Met!" Camilla chanted loudly the magic from the pair swelling around them in a pink glistening light, Camilla grabbing Eddie's free hand in her own completing the circuit.
At that moment Alfie came rushing into the library, in his hand the fake golden mask from the library, "We're in big trouble." He told them all, "Rufus and Victor are right behind me!"
"THE OSIRAN AND PROTECTOR!" Senkhara screamed in pain as a spark of true magic hit the mask from the pair. "NO!"
The spirit was separated from Nina who fell to the ground, as her ghostly figure appeared once again. In their hands, her crown faded into dust as the pair watched the dark smoke that was Senkhara rise above them and try to leave the library but due to the boundary spell she was stuck causing a scream of horror from the woman as she realised, she had been cornered.
Camilla's head whipped around as Rufus came tearing into the library, the man spotted Alfie holding the tunnel mask and tried to charge at him but was stopped as Camilla stepped in front of his path.
"so, we meet again Protector."
"Miss me?" Camilla glared at him, getting a similar glower back from the man, "No? oh well, I can't say the same about you either."
"Give me that Mask!" he shouted trying to move around the girl towards Alfie.
"Over my dead body!" Camilla hissed stepping forward, ignoring the blood rushing from her nose from the spell she and Eddie had performed.
"that can be arranged," Rufus growled back as he stepped forward so they where so close they could almost touch.
There was a noise from the mezzanine which caused Camilla's eyes to dart up to Nina, Rufus followed her gaze causing the man to let out a gasp.
Nina got up groaning slightly. Still wearing the golden mask.
"That's it, that's the true mask!" the man exclaimed, he turned on his heel and bounded up the steps.
"NO, no, no! Rufus stop!" Fabian yelled rushing over to his sister and taking her arm. The man was not getting to sap anything from Camilla, not on his watch.
At this point Victor rushed into the library, seeing his protector looking up and following her gaze too. Feeling her take the sleeve of his jacket as they watched Rufus grab the real Mask of Anubis off Nina's face causing the American girl to scream.
The tears of gold evaporated, but Nina clung to the Mask. Camilla had saved her life too many times to count. She had to save her this time. She couldn't let Rufus get the mask.
"Rufus, you mustn't wear it!" Nina shouted at him tearfully.
Victor called up to Nina. "Let him take it and go!"
Nina glanced down at the man then to Camilla next to him.
"Listen to the old man, child." Rufus sneered.
Victor glanced to Camilla next to him, before looking up straight to Nina, "yes, you listen to this old man."
Something about the man's tone got through to Nina, but it was the trust she knew Camilla had in the man. The trust that he was really the good guy, really on their said. The thing Camilla had spent all year telling them. For once, she listened to The Protector and took a leap of faith.
Nina let go of the mask.
"No!" Fabian cried out until he saw his sister smile slightly as she looked to Victor and the man gave her a wink. They knew something, or Victor did anyway, something the rest of them hadn't figured out yet.
Rufus let out a cry of triumph and pushed Nina to one side, the girl sinking to her knees weakly clutching the bannister.
"Prepare to bow down before me, mortals!" he cried out.
With that Rufus put on the mask. Howling with delight as Senkhara merged with his body, preparing to step into the glorious afterlife.
However, with a powerful rush of air, the same rush they all had come to recognise when Camilla used large amounts of magic, the portal on the mezzanine closed and another portal opened on the library floor by the feet of Victor and Camilla. The pair's hair and clothes flapping wildly around them as the pair looked down at it. From where the Sibuna's were all scattered they could feel the furnace-like heat coming from the dark foreboding portal made of black magic.
Senkhara in Rufus's body writhed in horror as they looked down at the new portal. "Noooo! NO, YOU ARE NOT THE PARAGON!"
Rufus struggled to take off the mask as he screamed a blood-curdling scream of pain, but Senkhara's spirit found him from inside.
"Child..." Victor said in a soft sad voice.
Camilla raised her hand, pointing two fingers at the man who was battling to regain his body, and gestured to fingers towards her.
As if a small, but powerful, gust of wind had pushed him, Rufus stumbled over the edge of the mezzanine and tumbled, screaming into the fiery furnace.
The portal immediately closing by the Protector and her Guardian's feet, leaving nothing but a golden mask on the floor.
There was a moment of breathless silence.
Then Camilla's knees gave out as her magic usage finally hit her. "Camilla!" Jerome was with her in seconds putting an arm around her and letting her use him as a lean.
"I'm fine," she told him softly, putting a hand on his face seeing the concerned expression, "just pushed it too far..."
Fabian rushed over to the motionless Joy on the ground. "Joy! Joy!" he lifted her wrist. "I can't find a pulse. Camilla! Cam, please help, you've got to help!"
Camilla turned to look at her brother's cries and glanced to Victor who nodded his head before hurrying over to the girl, motioning Jerome to help Camilla over. "Let me see. Stand back!" he pushed the Sibuna's to the side as he too checked her pulse, his face drawn with worry. "it's there. But it's very faint." He then turned to the pupils around them. "what exactly happened? What happened boy!?"
Fabian gulped. "she saved me from the energy bolt that Senkhara threw at me."
Meanwhile, Nina struggled down from the mezzanine, determined to see if Joy was okay. Amber got to her feet and rushed over to the girl to help her down the last few steps. As she reached the ground floor, The Mask of Anubis caught Nina's eye. At the bottom of the mask, in a shallow groove, was a single droplet. A tear of gold.
"Look!" Nina weakly called out, picking up the mask and bringing it to the group huddled around Joy.
Victor turned to see what Nina was holding, "Tears of gold..." his voice was thick as he viewed the ingredient he'd been hunting for, for so long.
"it's an ingredient for the elixir, isn't it?" Nina asked.
Victor nodded his head, "yes, it is." He took the mask from the girl and paused for an agonising moment before he turned to his protogine, his mind looking determined. "Camilla get by her head. You'll know what to say."
Camilla hissed in pain as she settled herself cross-legged, putting Joy's head into her lap. "Victor..." she looked at the man, "I'm too weak to do this... I could..." she shook her head her lip quivering at the thought. She didn't want to die.
"The triad..." Victor whispered before looking to Camilla. "Three people, that boost you. You'll know who."
Camilla closed her eyes, "Fabian, Jerome, Amber." She whispered not opening her eyes.
Victor turned to the three and Jerome and Amber instantly ran to Camilla's side knowing they didn't have time for questions. Amber sitting by her right and putting a hand on the girls' shoulder. Jerome standing behind her and putting a hand on both.
Fabian, however, paused, "W-what? What's the triad?" he asked Victor.
"Fabian!" Patricia hissed at the boy, "you can ask questions after Joy is alive!"
"I'm afraid I must agree with Miss Williamson," Victor looked to the boy, "now is not the time."
Fabian glanced to his sister who had placed her fingers on Joy's temples before taking his place to her right and putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Aqua Vitae, Aurea Sanitas... Aqua Vitae, Aurea Sanitas..." Camilla's chant was quiet this time, almost a mumble. The three around her saw their hands glow faintly as the girl did, a warm silvery glow that travelled from where they touched the girl down her arms and to the temples of Joy where her fingers pressed.
Victor gently placed the mask by Joy's lips and poured the last tear of gold into her mouth.
Joy let out a gasp as she opened her eyes, Camilla's eyes fluttering opened a few moments later a small smile on her face knowing Joy was alive as she heard the celebrations of her friends around them.
"What? What happened?" Joy asked as the three broke away from Camilla, Jerome slumping down to his knees so Camilla could lean against his chest as the pair watched Fabian and Patricia grab Joy into a bone-breaking hug before they both wiped tears from their eyes.
"Stupid heroics, that's what happened!" Patricia informed her friend causing Joy to let out a watery laugh before pulling her friend into another hug.
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Fabian groaned getting to his feet after re-putting away an exhibition Alfie had not so helpfully put away incorrectly, before wandering over to Nina who had sat herself on the bottom of the stairs whilst the Sibuna's helped tidy up the exhibition. Camilla, however, hadn't moved still using Jerome as a lean completely drained after the night's events, the two sat in silence enjoying their moment together whilst the other's bustled around them, Jerome having taken her hand at one point and was rubbing circles into the back of it as Camilla leant on his chest listening to his steady breathing.
Nina was watching the pair with a small smile. They didn't realise how happy they made each other, one of them just needed to tell the other. Which kind of made sense when it came to her and Fabian too. One of them just needed to make the move and she had decided to do so, at the party for the exhibition. She deserved a little happiness she felt.
"Hey," Fabian's whisper caused the girl to look away from his sister and to the boy himself as he settled himself down next to her.
"is she really gone?" Nina asked quietly knowing Fabian wouldn't laugh at her question.
Fabian nodded his head smiling slightly, "yeah..." he breathed the answer as if it was something almost impossible to believe, the two looking to one another before pulling up the sleeves of their shirts to reveal their bare arms. No Mark of Anubis any more.
"My mark! It's disappeared!" Nina smiled looking to Fabian to see he was already looking her way.
"Mine too, I think this is the gods telling us we are in the clear."
Nina let out a laugh at Fabian's wording before she stepped forward into a hug with him. the boy happy wrapping his arms around her. The hug was long and lingering, promising more which brought smiles to both their faces.
Eddie, Joy and Patricia were all leaning against a wall, by Jerome and Camilla, Alfie and Amber moving over to join the pair. "So that was..." Eddie paused lost for words. "unbelievable."
"But how did you know what to do?" Patricia asked her boyfriend.
Eddie shrugged, "I don't know. I followed Camilla's led like the voice in my head told me to do." He grinned cockily at her, "Rocked it, though, right?"
This caused a laugh from Joy and an eye roll from Patricia before Amber 'sshed' them nodding her head towards Camilla and Jerome.
The girl had fallen asleep in his arms and Jerome was looking down at her adoringly.
Joy let out a small Aww, before letting Eddie and Patricia help her get to her own feet, the pair putting the girl's arms around their shoulders and supporting her out the building.
Amber then wandered over to Alfie, as she watched Fabian and Nina, follow behind them. Fabian holding his arm out for the American girl who took it with a smile.
Alfie stood by the table Victor had placed the on the table after Joy took her first breath. The man now was sat on a chair, his gaze on Camilla watching as she slept peacefully.
Alfie carefully removed the Frobisher Gem, watching as the mask immediately reverted back to an ordinary bronze mask.
"what are you going to do with that Gem?" Amber asked him quietly approaching him.
"I was thinking I'd pocket it for a few years and then give it to him," Alfie nodded his head to Jerome, "when he finally gets his act together and realises he wants to make our Cam a Clarke. Only seems right someone so powerful could have a ring like this."
Amber let out a laugh but couldn't help but agree with his plan not stopping him as he pocketed the gem. "so, you were pretty brave today, Alfie," she said coyly.
Alfie blushed slightly, "I know," he then glanced to his friends before looking to Amber clearing his throat slightly, "so I've been thinking, maybe 'Amfie' does have a certain ring to it."
"I think you mean Alber," Amber corrected instantly before she could stop herself.
"Although I may have certain conditions," Alfie continued with a smile on his face, now knowing the ride he was going on with Amber as his girlfriend and was ready for it all.
"You have certain conditions?!" Amber paused, taking a deep breath, "Annnd, I'm calm," she teased before taking Alfie's hand the boy entwining their fingers, "let's hear them."
"Well, for starters, I'm thinking maybe matching monster masks," Alfie started as together they too left the library.
"What?!"
Victor smiled at the pair in the corner not wanting to disturb them but knowing the pair couldn't sleep in the library all night. With a groan, he got to his feet and wandered over to them.
Jerome moved a strand of hair from the girl's face, "is she okay?" he whispered to the man.
"she will be fine; she is a Rutter after all," Victor told him, before leaning down and taking her in his arms to allow her to keep sleeping. "I've got her." He informed the boy who scrambled to his feet, "let's take her home."
Jerome nodded and rushed to the door to open it for Victor as he carried a sleeping Camilla from the library. She had done well, better than well. The girl deserved a rest.
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A few hours later Anubis House was in the swing of a full-blown party. After the events of the library, even Victor couldn't grumble about letting the students celebrate. Amid the decorations, a buffet table laden with food and lively music, students and teachers alike all gathered happily eating and dancing.
Camilla glanced at Nina and Amber, the blonde girl was determined Nina had to look her best especially since the American girl had told them about her plan to ask Fabian out.
"Where are you going, Cam?" Amber asked the girl who was paused by the doorway dressed up like the rest of them, she had a white corseted top with ruffle sleeves on it, pale blue jeans which she had put thigh-high black heeled boots over, with simple makeup, her Sibuna bracelet, her friendship necklace with amber along with her Isis pendant along with her ring behind the only accessories she had on. Leaving her hair to fall naturally down her back.
Camilla glanced at the ring clutched in her hand Victor Senior had left her. "I have something to do..." she told them both with a small smile looking up at them, "I'll see you two down there."
Neither girl bothered to question this time and she slipped from them quietly.
The music was blaring but Camilla didn't head down the stairs immediately instead she walked to the office of Victor, knocking on the door before letting herself in.
Victor was stood by the open window of his office watching the hallway below, he looked for the first time old in Camilla's eyes, but that still didn't stop her as she wandered over to him and hit his arm sharply. "Why would you even do that?!" Camilla started trying not to get emotional as the man turned around to look at her as if she was crazy, "Why would you even do that to yourself? Give up your life's work?"
Victor's gaze softens as he realised what Camilla was talking about. He gave up the tears of gold he so coveted to save Joy, "Because I had a duty of care." He told her simply causing Camilla to smile at him softly.
"You knew what would happen to Rufus when he put on the mask, didn't you?" she asked him softly.
Victor nodded his head. "Only the pure of heart may enter the afterlife and become gods. Rufus was..." the man paused and sighed, "he was never pure of heart."
"you know..." Camilla wasn't sure how to broach the subject so just decided to do it in her normal Camilla way. open her mouth and see what words came out. "Immortality isn't living forever. Immortality is everyone around who you love dying. A longer life isnt a better one..."
Victor glanced at the girl knowing she was coming to a point. Camilla looked down at the ring she was holding, before handing it out to him.
"though if I can make one request giving you this. Figure the recipe out and stay around for a little longer. I want my kids to know their Grandpa Vicky, not just have a brief encounter with him like I did with my Granddad Rodenmaar."
Victor looked at her in astonishment, before taking the ring off her with a shaking hand, "How on earth..."
"He said he is sorry," she told him gently.
Victor let out a weak chuckle, "once upon a time I wouldn't have believed you, but now... now I understand it's not easy being a father," he looked away as he spoke and Camilla smiled slightly looking over at Corbierre on his desk.
"Yeah," she said a little cockily, "but you are doing a good job,"
The girl was rewarded with the smile that crept onto Victor's face but he didn't say anything.
"Don't sulk up here forever, old man, come join us even for one dance." She told him before she let herself out the office knowing Victor needed time to process what she had given him.
Camilla couldn't help but laugh slightly as Eddie came racing up to her the moment she stepped foot in the living room, she knew he'd have hundreds of Questions about everything that just happened.
"Eddie!" Camilla raised her hand to stop him from talking, "we've got a lot of time to explain to you all this." She looked over his shoulder at Patricia and Joy, Joy was clearly trying to talk Patricia into asking Eddie to dance with her. She focused back on Eddie, taking the plate from his hands and turning him around before whispering, "Enjoy your night and enjoy the last of your madness free life."
Eddie got her hint and smiled at Patricia who beamed back at him, holding his hand out the girl raced over and he led her to the makeshift dance floor.
"I don't know what you said, but thank you," Joy muttered as Camilla joined her putting Eddie's plate down on the table.
"I just told him to enjoy himself." Camilla shrugged before she turned to see Jerome entering the room with Poppy and his dad on his heels. A wide smile appearing on her face, as she saw the three. They had won the case, John Clarke was a free man.
"Camilla!" Poppy raced over to the girl before and grabbing her hand before pulling her over to where John was, Camilla frowning slightly as she heard Jerome make an excuse to leave them.
"Here she is..." John Clarke grinned at her before pulling her into a hug. "thank you, I know how much work you put into my case."
"Your welcome." Camilla laughed slightly, before her head whipped around as she heard Mara shout.
"Where have you been?!"
Jerome looked at the girl who was stood in the doorway of the kitchen and shook his head. "not right now Mara..." with that he left the room, running a hand through his hair.
"You have a good influence over him," Camilla glanced to the older man as he spoke, "I'm sure you will soon see that you're more alike than you think,"
Camilla sighed and bit her lip.
"I think this when you go talk to him, Cam." Joy added as the Clarkes moved further into the party, "You've been staring at where he left for a few minutes and it's starting to get weird,"
Camilla laughed slightly and nodded her head, "if Fabian comes looking – "
"I'll make up some grand excuse." Joy teased before pushing her friend. "now go..."
Camilla nodded her head and wandered from the party into the empty hallway, seeing the light in Jerome and Alfie's bedroom was on and knew that's where he had wandered off too.
Her heels were a dead give away she was there, but Jerome didn't look up as the girl stepped into the room.
"Hey... are you okay?" she asked, but the boy ignored her causing her to look to the ceiling to pray for whatever strength she could muster.
"Okay..." Camilla started, looking down at her feet instead of the boy who she knew was flitting around the room "Thank you, for everything... Fabian said you helped them a lot while I was trapped and..." She looked up just in time to see him nod his head in her direction before going back to whatever it was, he was doing before she had entered the room. Frowning she moved away from the doorway, "Hey... talk to me." She told him, trying to figure out what she had done.
Jerome turned and took in the girl, the girl who had him so confused about everything. Ever since her confession via Alfie everything was wrong and made sense at the same time. Alfie was right about Jerome liking Mara but falling in love with Camilla, but it was simple for him to state it, Jerome was the one who was struggling to process this revelation. "What do you want me to say, Milly?" He sighed, watching as her eyebrows scrunched together,
"Did I do something wrong?" she questioned and he almost laughed at how simple and innocent the question was.
How could she think she had done something wrong?
Shaking his head, he placed his laptop onto his desk. "You didn't do anything." Was all he could say to reassure the girl, but he knew it wouldn't be enough for his Camilla.
True to her nature, Camilla couldn't help but step a little closer to the boy.
She had thought everything was okay with them. Or as okay as it could be.
"Then what's with the silent treatment?" she couldn't help but ask.
"Because..." Jerome paused and looked over at her, "in that moment all I could think was that I was going to lose you forever and it scared me, more than I care to admit."
Camilla's lips opened in surprised. She hadn't expected that from Jerome.
She looked at him and decided to push her luck, maybe just maybe she was reading the situation correctly. Maybe Jerome had some feelings for her too.
"Why? What is there to admit, J?" she couldn't help but whisper, causing the boy to frown.
She watched him mentally debate with something and before she could say anything else Jerome had crossed the room to where she stood, a hand going to her cheek.
Pausing for a moment, drinking her in, before crushing his lips to hers. Instantly Camilla kissed him back, her arms going around his neck, as his arms went around her waist pulling her closer to him.
Both of them clinging to the other as if they were a lifeline.
In that moment, she was his and he was hers.
The pair broke apart as a loud smash was heard follow by the scream of "ALFIE!" From at least 2 of the Anubis girls causing the two to laugh slightly as the looked at one another.
"I guess we better go back," Jerome whispered as if scared to break the bubble of peace they had created.
"Someone is probably looking for us," Camilla agreed with a nod of her head.
Jerome leaned forward and stole one more kiss from the girl before taking her hand and lacing their fingers together. The pair only having eyes for one another as they wandered back into the hallway in time to see Fabian looking up the staircase adoringly at someone, probably Nina.
"Nina," Fabian spoke softly.
"Okay wait." Amber's voice came, and suddenly the girl came racing from the stairs, causing Camilla to share and amused look with Jerome as he pulled her to him knowing they were going to watch the scene progress. "I'm free!" Amber called as she ran into the living room.
Nina descended the stairs eyes only for Fabian, as Fabian looked up at her adoringly, Fabian holding a hand out to her as a slow song started playing in the living room. Jerome wrapping his arms around Camilla, the girl putting her hands on his arms as the two swayed slightly to the music too.
They weren't sure what was said between the nerdy couple but the moment was concluded with a kiss that ended when the front door opened.
The twins turned around and let out gasps as the last woman either of them expected to grace the threshold of Anubis House walked in. her Louboutin heels kicking slightly as she looked around.
"Mum..." Fabian whispered.
"Mother?!" Camilla looked at the woman in shock taking a few steps from Jerome's arms so she could see the woman better, her shout causing the music to stop in the living room and people started to head to the living room to see what was going on.
"Fabian, Camilla-Anne." The woman's voice was strained as she saw her children, and Camilla wasn't the only one who frowned at the use of her full name.
"What are you doing here?" Camilla knew the question was blunt but she needed to know.
Annabeth Rutter took in her daughter, glancing to the boy who had moved forward with her into the light. This must have been John's son Jerome; she could see the family rebalance easily and she could also see the way he was looking at her daughter in concern. Her gaze then flickered to Fabian, who's arms were still around a girl with light brown hair who was looking at her curiously.
Ramesses 11 had struck again apparently.
"I was invited." She answered Camilla's question simply.
"By who?" her daughter pushed.
"I invited her." The three Rutter's turned as John Clarke pushed out from the crowd and smiled at his old schoolmate. "Annabeth came to my hearing today; in fact, it could be argued I am free because she came."
Camilla looked at her mother in awe. The woman she knew would never do something like that.
"John told me about the exhibition party," Annabeth explained, "and I thought I'd come along for... old times and to see my children." With that, she turned around and looked at the crowd gathered and smiled the same forced fake smile all the residents of Anubis knew to look for on the twins as she saw Gustav. "Gustav, how are you?" with that the woman moved off into the party.
"Awkward...." Amber called as the music went back on and everyone bar the Anubis residents went back to partying.
"I say we all deal with that tomorrow," Eddie spoke up causing laughs from them all as they glanced to the twins, "we deserved a party."
Fabian sighed but put a smile on his face as he allowed himself and Nina to be pulled into the party that was starting up again.
"Switch your brain off Milly," Jerome whispered in the small girl's ear as he pulled her too him giving her a twirl so she was facing him. "your mum can be tomorrow's worry; you deserve a night off."
Camilla rolled her eyes at him but the smile that crept onto her face told Jerome he was right.
With that she allowed herself to be pulled into the party.
A night off seemed perfect.
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AGHHHHHH! WE ARE DONE!
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!
thank you all for the constant love and support of this book!
I'll be back with book 3 in 2 weeks time but until then keep an eye out because you have the Q and A and bloopers still to come.
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Love ya
Sarah xxx