The Great Divide
Chapter Ten
Ring of Protection

The warmth that had not been felt quite like this came from Lucy's wand.

It was the first time in months that both she and Hayden were finally back in town with the ability to freely use their wands without fear of being caught.

Despite Delun Eltanin telling them both directly that they had nothing to be afraid of anymore, only Lucy took it to heart as she used her magic even for the smallest of things – like turning the pages of her magazines to doing her hair.

Hayden however, still felt weary.

This wasn't helped by the people who would often enter the house they were staying at before leaving just as fast as they had come.

Leaving the room he and Lucy were told to share, he wandered into the hallway on the second floor of the building. Photographs that told the story of a picture-perfect family covered the wall from the door of the guest room down to the top of the staircase.

A man, his wife, and a small baby.

Hayden walked a few steps towards the staircase, taking in all the photographs before he felt eyes on his back. Turning, he met her eyes.

He gave a faint smile, nodding towards her, "Good morning, Persephone."

She smiled just as timidly as she had in the photos that lined the walls.

"Good morning Mr. Hayden. How are you?"

"Feeling much warmer, that's for sure. And you? How's your cold?" Hayden inquired.

"I'm feeling much better. Father's not taking me to school until tomorrow, however. He wishes to see me rest one last day to assure the cold is completely gone." She said, giving a sniff.

"Your father cares about you." He replied, watching as she shrugged in response.

"How long are you two going to stay here? Are you going to go back to school?" She wondered.

"I doubt it. I dunno how much more that place can teach me after all this experience the real world has given me." He responded, a bit too honestly.

"Still... It's a shame about the rumors everyone says. You and Lucy aren't mean at all." She replied.

Hayden opted not to speak this time. Rather, he let out a deep breath as he looked down at the girl. Her dark eyes reminded him of _______ when she had returned to the school again. The sudden thought made his stomach turn. There was no escaping what all he had done to her – to everyone.

"At least I can see Mr. Shen from now on. Father likes his company." She sighed, "But he's mean. He pinches my ears."

"It's to make sure there's no pixies in your ears." He teased.

"I'm not stupid. I know pixies don't hide in ears." She said, rolling her eyes.

"They don't – if you pinch the ears." He replied, letting a small smile escape.

She squinted in response before frowning and rubbing her ears, suddenly unsure of herself.

"Is your father still busy?" Hayden asked, changing the topic.

She gave a nod, "He'll be free for a while after lunch if you need to speak with him."

"I see – well, thank you. That's a few hours from now so I'm going to close my eyes for a little. You should rest as well. Tomorrow is a big day for you." He said, giving her a soft smile.

She returned it before turning and heading back into her room.

Alone in the hall, Hayden slowly made his way back to his own room. Giving the photographs on the wall another glance as he made his way inside, he rolled his eyes.

Delun Eltanin's house décor was just as boring and unsuspecting as he had imagined it to be.

No wonder no one had ever suspected him of actually being a bloodthirsty maniac.

-

Lunch had come and gone.

Persephone had retreated back to her bedroom and both Lucy and Hayden remained sat at the dinner table with Delun Eltanin. His face was stoic and cold as one of the maids entered, handing him a folder and pen.

He didn't say a word as he opened the folder and flipped through it, writing things down here and there. Hayden and Lucy both just exchanged glances from across the table every now and again as they sat in silence, having not yet been dismissed.

Left with nothing to do, Hayden counted the minutes in his head to pass the time.

It was seven minutes and forty-three seconds before the maid from before entered the dining room again. This time however, she was being followed by a very thin woman.

"Ah, Liliana, you look as beautiful as ever!" Delun greeted, getting to his feet, and walking towards her to shake her hand.

The air in the room suddenly felt thicker. Colder.

Hayden tensed up as the woman walked over and sat down beside him.

"It's always quite the pleasure to be invited to the home of the future minister." She said flirtatiously as she motioned the maid for a drink.

"You're too kind." Delun said, a smile spreading across his face as he sat back down at his seat. "Your visits are rare as they are, so I hate to skip the pleasantries, but I have been reviewing our contract and I have made some changes, however, I think it shall suit you just fine regardless. Please, take a look." He said, closing the folder and using his want to push the folder across the table towards her.

She raised her eyebrows, a look of interest sparking as she grabbed the folder.

Flipping through the pages, her eyes would scan each page thoroughly, searching only for the specifics which had been marked with ink.

The maid arrived just in time, setting a glass of a suspicious thick red liquid on the table besides Liliana just as she reached for it. She took a long sip before flipping through the pages some more.

Hayden's eyes wandered over towards her as she moved so quickly yet fluidly. He could just barely make out some words on the pages, but just as he had managed to read a word or two, she would have flipped the page again, causing him to roll his eyes out of annoyance before searching the room for something else to focus on.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Liliana exhaled. She had stopped flipping and landed on a page with more ink changes than the previous pages. "What is this?"

"Hm?" Delun asked, his eyes closed as he laid his head on the back of his chair.

"You changed these lines. It used to say that my children were allowed in any area of the other world, but in ink, you added the words, 'with exceptions that will be determined upon successful attaining of both Ministry title and other world ownership.'"

"You must not worry about too many specifics my dear, it is just simple... 'political linguistics.' It doesn't mean I won't be allowing you and your children plenty of hunting grounds." Delun said, speaking with such grace that it would have been believable... Had she been stupid.

She narrowed her eyes but bit her tongue as she watched him carefully.

His eyes were still closed. She could sense the aura of arrogance – of pride – which surrounded him.

If he thought he could pull a fast one on her, he was severely mistaken.

With the pen in hand, she crossed out every word he had written before shutting the folder and throwing it back at him.

Papers flew everywhere, the sound of the throw got everyone except her to their feet.

Hayden with his wand in hand had stopped all the pages mid air before any had the chance to hit Delun.

Both Lucy and the maid meanwhile, had their wands pointed directly at the vampire.

Any sudden movements and she would surely die.

She knew that sure, but she kept her cool.

She smiled as her eyes met Delun's own, across the table.

"I made a change of my own. Agree to it and I shall sign it happily, my dearest, Eltanin."

He did.

"I quite enjoyed our dinner and talk." Liliana said as she rose to her feet.

"As did I, you were as wonderful a guest as the rumors state." Delun responded.

"Oh, perfect. Then I do hope you shall invite me back again some time soon. Perhaps the next time, I can also bring some of my children with me. I'd love to shrink the bias between our kind and yours."

Delun let out a laugh.

Her smile did not faulter. Rather, she then turned her attention towards Hayden, "Now then, be a gentleman and walk me to the door, it's customary that the most handsome man always lead me out."

"Hayden Gold has beaten me, why, I'm quite hurt, Liliana – " Delun said, his charmless smile returning as he looked at her as though she were in jest.

Ignoring his words, she returned a bitter, "Till next time, Delun. Expect my letter. Now then, walk me out."

Hayden let out a sigh as he got to his feet and felt her arm wrap around his.

She was much taller than him and walked with her chin pointed up, even as she spoke to him.

"They say our actions speak much louder than our words, and thus far I quite like what I have seen from you." She spoke.

"What?" He asked, furrowing his brows.

"Simply put... You do not fight for any cause, but rather you fight for your own morals... And this display just now, you fought to protect your leader rather than jump on the offensive and try to attack me. I quite liked that, dear." She answered.

"I had a clearer shot at stopping the papers since they were straight ahead. Meanwhile you were right beside me, it would have been harder to aim at you without you knocking the wand from my hand before I had the chance to cast a spell towards you." He explained.

Her eyes sparked with curiosity, "and did you consider this all in that instant?"

"I suppose? Though, why does any of this matter?"

Rather than responding immediately, she let go of his arm and pulled a ring off of her finger.

"You wizards, I know, have the ability to alter the sizes of things, so make this fit your finger and never take it off." She said, handing it to him.

He examined the crimson red jewel on the silver ring for a moment before she explained, "This ring is one of a kind. Whoever wears it is protected against all vampires. It was once a mass produced in the medieval days, but those were much less effective. It was thanks to yours truly that there is now the one ring which is the only true vampire repellent."

"Why would you wear this then?" Hayden asked, the two having had reached the door finally.

"Because I am a mother. Even mothers get bitten by their naughty children now and again. I wore it for a safety precautions against my newborns... Of course, I will survive without it, but you... I quite like you. So wear it and stay safe. We will be meeting again. Understood?"

Slowly placing the ring on his finger, he turned back up at the woman before giving a slow nod, "Understood..."