Pearl made sure she was right next to Anastesia wherever she went they alighted from the air transport. They had taken a private cab down to covenant's registry to get her name signed In but her blood wasn't accepted due to her half witch bad blood. Anastesia then suggested she'd have to meet with Graciana so that she'd have pearl's ties with the witches cut. She was just about taking the elevator when she was called back by a familiar voice "mercies! It's really you" she was locked in a surprise embrace, Anastesia smiled "I had to come back Poppy, they are a lot of things happening" she said, poppy the bob hair blonde nodded " oh yes. Graciana told me of your letter and I suppose this is the girl" her mismatched looked at pearl who geld on to her long sleeves nervously " uh..yes"
She used the talent if her mismatched eyes to see through the girl then looked up surprisingly at Anastesia " but she's a witch! A Cephine witch! Graciana would not let her stay" poppy objected without hiding her mistrust for the girl, Pearl glanced at Anastesia worriedly " I am aware of that but she can understand. I will talk with her either way" "I am not_ not what you think I am" Pearl said and immediately regretted it when the older woman looked at her with visible dislike " not what I think you are?_why_ a Cephine witch who is capable of causing disaster in the whole Cotredam_"she paused looking quickly at Anastesia and went on "_ I know,you know of the happenings of the Cephine witches and the kids at cotredam. I quitted the reform post because of that!"
Pearl was stunned by her harsh remarks, Anastesia was impatient now and feared hurting pearl's feelings "I know poppy but pearl's different. I will see you later" she said quickly, she held the young girl's hand and they both got I to the elevator
**It pinged and opened giving way for Anastesia and Pearl. The floor was rolled up with Firm red Persian carpet and both sides of the wall had floating frames of the important people of covenant. Pearl was already intimidated by the classic pattern of Halloween wallpapers and the tall glass wall ahead of them revealing the entire covenant city below where jack o' lantern shaped buses drove on mordenised bridges. The pedestrians flew with brooms and the rich drove in posh state Halloween cars.
The long red carpeted hallway ended at the large glass wall with two other corriders linked and Anastesia opted for the left in which one of the offices waited Graciana, head of the central covenant. The twin glass doors were opened and they stepped into the wide modernized reception. The receptionist counter was polished and smelt like flowers, on top were two cases of small cactus plants. The receptionist was a male with large owl eyes_ he didn't look human like the rest.
" I'll put a call down to her office" he said already taking up the telephone while Anastesia and Pearl took a seat. Pearl was quiet and Anastesia knew why " don't let poppy's talk bother you Pearl. Ms Graciana is rather a nicer lady. Though a lot of things have been happening_" " I know_ the witches stuff..I just want you to promise me that I will be alright"she cut in,there was hurt In her eyes but Anastesia tried to be more encouraging " you will pearl,when they get to know what kind and sweet girl you are"
Pearl smiled and Anastesia was relieved. " we'll talk to Ms. Graciana _" " Ms. Anastesia you're called into the office. If you're with her, she said you should come alone"the receptionist interrupted. Anastesia parted her hand softly before leaving for Graciana's office. Pearl had to sit there alone watching the receptionist type away on his owl shaped typewriter.
" I got a quick call from poppy a few minutes ago and she told me_" "that a girl is a Cephine blood, yes_she is,but Graciana there was no way I was going to let her die." Anastesia cut in sitting opposite her. Graciana was quiet at first cutting ties Anastesia,is a long process and you're aware of that" " yes I am. Pearl's a strong girl,you must believe me. She's changed" " we've rejected a lot of Cephine witches"Graciana informed quietly "who have probably been called up by the central coven to face the twelves wrath. Pearl has my word and I can't let her down"
Graciana was forced to give it a rethink " well_ since you mailed har audio confessions and written profile I haven't gone through it but I will today. For now I'll have her taken to good man's rest"
Relief flooded through her body Alas! She thought.
Meanwhile
***
The hot air balloon sailed according to the howling of the wind instead of the pilot's swerve.Klaus was highly displeased,they flown hours until the break of day much to the demon's displeasure until he was called back to reality by the clang of the balloon's bells and they landed at Hemphrey's hanger; a landing place for private air transports like theirs. Klaus was glad to alight and Ellie threw herself out in a drowsy manner puking her stomach content. Jury held on to her gently " come now_ are you alright?"he queried worriedly " I was only nauseous" she said. Celestian took his eyes to the giant building that bore a round clock " wide eyed twelve noon. Well well we can have a meal at Grave's appetite before meeting at the main highrise"
Jury gave him a grateful glance " oysters and crab stew won't come amiss then " he smiled
****
Pearl was driven to Good man's rest; a large hostel with thousands of windows. She liked the serenity of the entire place. Tall swishing trees for shade, Good man's rest was built in the ancient gothic style with grosteque gargoyles of different kinds ranging from heads of screaming gnomes to the ancient statues made from a lot of stories she was told of when she was much younger. Inside was grande with rows and rows of doors but no student was in yet so she was showed into a small cosy room with a small yet high bed covered in blue bedsheets with lantern patterns. The wall paper was blue striped with a small clock and a set of drawers so she could put her belongings. She turned to the woman who had taken her there "when will the students be back?" She asked shyly,the old stout lady lowered her eyes at her "around low lid four. That's after lunch precisely" she responded after a brief survey. Pearl gave a mental calculation, it was half lid three just an hour and some minutes she thought as the door was shut leaving her to the warmth of her room.
Graciana threw down the stapled papers alongside the other report files,she frowned glancing at Anastesia "bad. It is indeed a very bad report Ana!"she exclaimed "but you can reconsider"
" She soul travels_a Cephine witch?!and confessions are_vulger!are you not aware if the impending danger?" " Graciana we can make use of her" she pressed on hopelessly as Graciana made her way out of the office. She followed anxiously having it cold in mind that it would be dangerous returning pearl to crest hole where the rate of security was half her finger. They used the stairs instead"it is hard to use a Cephine witch against othe witches especially their same kind" Graciana spoke. Anastesia alighted at the edge of hopelessness " at least if you do not want her here cut her ties with the witches"she said, Graciana stopped walking finally "that will be a lot of conjuring and_" she paused,her face showing a new mix of expression "_and what in the world,the covenant brothers" she said instead, Anastesia looked up just in time to see the covenant brothers come in through the main twin doors. Her eyes were on Celestian and somehow she was glad his eyes were firm on her too. There was a look of surprise in his green eyes but she could understand. As the approached, the doors opened again and this time Jury came in alongside a girl non of the women knew and__kkaus the demon from hell. Graciana frowned but Celestian spoke " we arrived since yesterday but we had to look fresh refreshed before meeting you" he said to Graciana whose eyes were on Klaus who finally came to meet up with the conversation
" Well well__that is no problem as well and Klaus_"
Klaus slipped his hands into his pockets " I hat to apologize but I'm deeply sorry for everything"
She was surprisingly angered by his remorsefulness "sorry?_you think a sorry can mend up all you've done? You to hell in the name of Geny and left those poor children to die in central coven" "I was between the stone and a hard place and I knew what it meant to lose someone like Geny"
There was still acidity in her expression as she spoke next "but we lost her anyways and the children too" " they were kidnapped while I went to find Geny" " after your acid argument with her_after hurting her"she stated. There was tension and the rest didn't enjoy it but they kept mute to avoid involving themselves too
" Those are false accusations Graciana" she lowered her lids at him "none that I am aware of"
Sebastian chipped in immediately "if I let you two go on then we may probably not get to the root of all this. We're all here for one reason so let's put aside the Geny stuff."
Graciana seemed to reconsider because she looked at Ellie who had remained silent all through as if she was trying to decipher something. To Graciana, Ellie looked nineteen " who's this?"she asked to no one precisely but jury took the liberty to respond " a girl we took effort to look for after defining Klaus' spirit writing and you know that's nothing to joke with"
" How old are you?"she asked Ellie who looked quite confused herself "I _i am not so sure. I don't seem to remember any thing about me" "it took time to figure out her name as Ellie"Celestian explained giving the women a little of the kind of girl Ellie was. "I am not so sure but I think I've met you somewhere" Ellie vsaid looking bat Anastesia who in turn looked surprised "surely you're mistaken"
" No. It's clear now__you, I and Klaus were at old croak when an argument ensued. You were angry with Klaus but I tried to plead with you to stay__you_still walked away" she explained quickly. Anastesia and Klaus were taken aback " I remember that situation very well but it was with Geny not you." Anastesia said. Now there was confusion but Graciana made a decision "the, we have a lot to discuss but for now let's have lunch at my place before the Hackle lantern students return too for theirs"
"I like the idea"Sebastian said looking at his friends....