The Supreme Alpha

Author's note: This is from Seraphina's point of view

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~ Paris, France ~

Before ringing the doorbell of Vesper's apartment, I glanced at Treva.

"Do you remember the plan?"

Treva nodded in confirmation. "I will let you do the talking."

I gave her an approving smile. Treva is inexperienced and generally gullible. Vesper will eat her alive.

I mentally triple-checked the scenario I prepared before ringing the doorbell. 

All this would be so much easier if my father was here, but I believe I have something Vesper will be interested in and that she won't refuse to help, as long as she can help.

This will work. It has to.

"You are on time.", Vesper said when she opened the door and her eyes landed on Treva.

"Good morning, Vesper.", I greeted her. "This is Treva."

Vesper didn't bother with pleasantries. She looked around. "Aldus is not with you?"

"He is busy. I told you that I will come with a friend. If my father's presence is necessary, we will come some other time."

Vesper gave me a stiff smile and stepped away from the door to make way for us. "Please, come in."

I was not sure if she was disappointed or relieved, but we were in.

Three years passed since I was here the last time, but the place looked exactly the same like it was trapped in a time capsule.

If I didn't know where I was, I would imagine that it's a regular apartment with modern furnishings. But the first giveaway that something was off was the fact that the living room had windows on two adjacent walls, and the apartment was not a corner unit. Just like every time I visited before, the windows showed sunny weather, no matter what's really happening outside. 

One must admire Vesper's magic.

"Coffee or tea?", Vesper offered while gesturing to me and Treva to seat on the sofa.

"Nothing at this point."

I refused, just how my father taught me: don't eat or drink anything when offered by a witch.

Vesper took a seat on the sofa chair and spread her arms, palms up, while asking, "What brings you here?"

"Collaboration."

Vesper waved her hand, silently telling me to keep going.

"Father told me that you are interested in other creatures. To be specific, in the magic of other creatures."

Vesper glanced at Treva. "Are you fine to talk like that in front of outsiders?"

I smiled. Vesper didn't see Treva as more than a human. That was good.

"Treva is a friend, currently staying with me. She knows things."

"Continue.", Vesper said and I took that as her agreement with what I revealed so far.

Aldus told me that Vesper is obsessed with studying different types of magic, and I added the 'creatures' part myself. It seems that I was not off the mark with this one.

"I am here to offer you a glimpse into something that is rarely seen, in exchange for a favor."

Vesper frowned. "That not very specific."

"Due to the nature of this deal, I can't reveal too many things unless you agree.", I explained. "You are welcome to ask questions, and I will answer as long as it's not something that will diminish the value of what I'm offering."

The truth was that I didn't want to recklessly reveal that Treva is a harpy. Even if Vesper doesn't make a move against Treva herself, just selling the information that harpy is accompanying me will get hunters back on Treva's tail, and probably some other creatures as well.

With her magic sealed, Treva was just a pale human and unless we reveal the truth, she will be safe.

The fact that Vesper didn't kick us out meant that she was interested, but I knew that what I gave her was not enough.

Vesper thought for a moment before speaking, "You mentioned creatures, so I can assume that information you are offering is related to non-humans."

"Correct."

"What kind of creatures?"

I knew she will ask that. "I can't disclose that."

"What kind of magic?"

"I can't disclose that either."

"Will they teach me their ways and allow me to ask questions?"

I dragged my fingers over my lips, in a movement like closing a zipper, indicating that I won't answer.

Vesper eyed me mockingly. "So, you are offering me unknown information related to unknown creatures and expecting me to agree blindly to this unknown deal?"

I raised my hand, indicating to Vesper to be patient. "I have something to give you a glimpse of what I'm bringing to the table."

I fished out of my purse a metallic box and Vesper leaned closer to see what's inside.

It was a thumb-sized piece of milky quartz and pouch.

I put the quartz on my palm and sprinkled some sand from the pouch around it.

Vesper looked at me attentively and her eyes widened when the sand started moving and twirling around the quartz.

Within a few breaths, there was a mini-tornado of sand above my open palm, and I smirked when I saw the sparkles in Vesper's eyes.

"The magic I'm talking about is sealed in this rock." Absolute lie. It was me, manipulating air, but Vesper didn't need to know that.

"Wind magic.", Vesper said, and I nodded in confirmation.

I could see her eyes moving as she mentally went through the list of creatures who have the ability to manipulate air.

"What do you say, interested?", I asked.

"You are offering me information on how other creatures are manipulating air?", Vesper asked.

"More than that.", I said confidently. "I am offering you to personally witness at least one ritual. How much you will learn from it, will be up to you."

Greed twirled in Vesper's eyes, and I thought that she will agree, but she ended up asking, "And what do you want in return?"

"A person was cursed."

Vesper paused. "Cursed?"

"I'm not sure.", I responded honestly. "But some of her powers are sealed. I want you to do your best to remove whatever they did to her."

"My best?", Vesper asked like she didn't hear me right.

"Yes."

Vesper's smile was so wide that I could see her molars. "Deal."

"Excellent!", I exclaimed and pulled a parchment out of my purse. This was the tricky part, but I hoped she will be too consumed in potential benefits to back out of it.

"What is that?", Vesper asked suspiciously.

I waved my hand over the empty parchment and runes lit up on my wrist before intricate letters appeared on the ancient-looking paper. It was not really old, but after I tempered it in liquids, it got an aged appearance.

"Read it.", I said. "If you agree, we will sign it before we start."

It was a contract that stated whatever Vesper finds out, she won't use it to harm me or the creature in question. Also, that she will do her best to fulfill her part of the bargain.

…

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...

Vesper's eyebrows were rising with every word she read and at the end, she gaped at me.

"My soul will be extinguished if I violate this? Is this… a soul contract?", Vesper asked in a trembling voice.

"It's only fair that we both act with sincerity. I don't want to drag my father into this to ensure you fulfill your part of the bargain so…", I gestured toward the paper. "I won't force you to go beyond what you can do. I only expect that you will help my friend with lifting the curse, without withholding anything, assuming that you can help. If it's too much, I will go to my next person."

Vesper frowned. "Next person?"

"I came to you first because we know each other. But if this is too much for you, Bolek from the Hunters Association promised to introduce me to a warlock who is focusing on air magic." Another lie. I was getting good at this.

One second, two, three… And then Vesper bit her index finger and left a bloody fingerprint at the bottom of the parchment, making the letters flash in golden as confirmation that they received her input.

I smiled and turned the paper to face me. I took a pocket knife and pricked my finger in order to leave my bloody fingerprint on.

This time, the whole parchment flashed in golden light, signaling that the contract is in effect.

"Alright!", I said in relief while keeping the parchment safely back into my purse that can store more than it looks because it slightly distorts the space.

Father promised me to hire an artifact refiner to make for me one of those handy dimensional pouches that look tiny but can store several cubic meters inside. It was supposed to be my birthday present, but before Aldus could act on it, the fiasco of Duke being shot happened and my father fell into eternal sleep.

"Now, let's do this properly." I gestured toward Vesper while speaking to Treva. "Treva, meet Vesper. She is a witch." I looked at Vesper. "Vesper, meet Treva, a harpy."

Vesper's eyes shook. "A harpy?"

I confirmed. "Treva's powers were sealed by her oracle. We are here to see if you can remove the seal."

Vesper's mouth was slightly open like someone stuck two invisible fingers into her mouth as she gaped at Treva.

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