~
Voleth Meir got all the books she needed and gave them to Riya. Riya looked at the books in her hands, all five in total, and scanned through them. They weren't books with names in front, they were just plain like journals or diaries containing spells.
"Read them and practice them, they aren't ordinary spells, they're forbidden spells infact." Voleth Meir said.
"Interesting." Riya said as she went through one of the books.
They left the library with Riya stopping at her room and Voleth Meir going downstairs. She walked to the bed and sat down before taking off her sneakers and taking off her jacket. She looked round the room and noticed for the first time that there wasn't a TV set in the room.
"That's strange." She muttered and wondered how something that cheap wasn't in the room.
She got up and decided to take a shower, she had missed the luxury of the bathroom. She took off her clothes and ran a cold bath, she put in some scented oils before stepping into the bathtub. She moaned softly as the water hit her skin.
"How refreshing." She whispered and closed her eyes.
She sat there for a while, soaking her skin in the luxury before deciding to step out. She stepped out of the bath and did a quick rinse before wrapping her hair and body with towels. She walked into the closet humming lightly as she picked out a small pink short and a black sleeveless crop top. She changed into them and dried her hair before holding it in a bun.
After she was done, she walked out of the closet and went to lay down on the bed to watch YouTube videos until she slept off and wandered into Dreamland.
Riya woke up panting and drenched in her sweat, she looked around quickly and saw that she was still in the room. She had been having reoccurring dreams about that day at the palace thousands of years ago. Since she regained her memories, she had been having that same dream.
She sighed and went downstairs to drink water in the kitchen. While she was returning the glass and about to leave the kitchen, one of the maids walked into the kitchen and bowed slightly to her.
"What's your name?" Riya asked smiling.
"I'm Alicia my lady." The young woman responded blushing.
"A beautiful name for a pretty lady." Riya said and patted her shoulder.
The maid smiled and bowed slightly before going about her duties in the kitchen as Riya went back to her room. Sitting on the bed, she called Rick and asked him what they were up to, he told her that they were already on their way and would soon be at the house. She ended the call and waited patiently for his return.
After an hour or more, a knock came at the door and Riya stood up to get the door. She opened the door and jumped on Rick when she saw him. He put down all the bags he was carrying and carried her. They stayed like that for a while till she got down and kissed him.
"Missed me?" He asked smiling.
"Yes." She replied.
She helped him carry the bags inside and locked the door. Rick showed her some of the suits and shoes he got and even filled her in on how Elijah had good taste with clothes.
"Elijah?" She asked surprised.
"Exactly." Rick responded.
Riya joined him, and they arranged the clothes together in the closet before going to rest. Rick went downstairs to eat while Riya continued to lie down.
She picked up one of the books and started to study it, it really was dark magic. The book spoke on raising the dead and even soul switching. Riya read the book, paying close attention to important points and details. Rick came back upstairs and just went on to sleep while Riya still continued to read in concentration. She had questions to ask Voleth Meir later concerning some things.
She read for awhile before falling asleep with the book falling off her hands.
**********************************************
Voleth Meir sat in her room with the curtains closed and the room dark. She closed her eyes and sighed as she heard footsteps behind her.
"Send an invitation before showing up at my house Nephele, your presence messes with the boundaries." She said
"Hello Voleth Meir." Nephele said, coming to stand in front of her.
Voleth Meir smiled with her eyes still closed and ignored him. She still hadn't forgiven him for rebuking Elijah from getting involved with her.
"Still holding on to malice from your teenage love and tantrums?" He asked, sitting opposite her.
"Why are you here?" She asked bluntly.
"Ohhhh don't be rude, I came to see Meridith, so I thought I should see you too." He said.
"Not interested, poof off." She said, sounding uninterested.
Nephele smiled and vanished, with the sudden chill that once filled the room, leaving with him. Voleth Meir opened her eyes and smiled.
"Still too emotional big brother." She whispered, still smiling.
"It's not my style." She muttered.
*******************************************
By the time Riya woke up, it was already late at night. She looked and saw that Rick was nowhere to be found. She washed her face and went downstairs where she met everyone sitting in the living room discussing and laughing except for Elijah who stood by the window.
Riya walked up to him and tapped him lightly on the shoulder before he turned to her.
"Would you like to take a walk with me?" She asked him.
He didn't answer but just walked ahead of her and opened the main door. Riya followed him and paused to breathe in the fresh night air that hit her when she walked into the open. She closed the door and took a stroll with Elijah on the grass.
"Why do you always isolate yourself from the others?" She asked him.
"I just feel more comfortable that way." He answered.
Riya stopped walking and turned to face him .
"Do you by chance blame yourself for something?" She asked him
"No, I just feel more comfortable in my own space." He replied again casually.
"I've seen you smile and laugh and even smirk, you look better happy uncle Elijah." She said softly.
Elijah turned sharply hearing her call him uncle, he smiled and patted the top of her head lightly. She stepped forward and hugged him, Elijah hugged her back and sighed.
"You're so awkward and cute." She said and laughed softly.
Elijah chuckled lightly and stepped out of the hug carefully.
Riya's hands suddenly started to glow, she raised her palm to her eyes to examine them carefully and smiled when two lilies appeared in them. She turned around and ran to the man standing not too far behind them. She ran into Nephele's arms and laughed softly.
"My girl." Nephele said softly as he held her.
"Father." Riya whispered.
They walked back to Elijah holding hands while Nephele just patted Elijah on the shoulder.
"Hell too hot to sit in these days?" Elijah asked raising a brow as Nephele burst out laughing.
"Good to see you old friend." he said and smiled.
Riya walked for a while with Nephele as she filled him in on what had been happening recently and how she lost her mom again in this time. They walked around for some time with Elijah following them with reasonable distance.
" You should start sending more demons back there, your old man is bored, it's been ages." He said and chuckled as Riya smiled.
"How do I control my demon side?" She asked him.
"Voleth Meir is an expert in that area, she'll walk you through." He said patting her shoulder lightly.
"Voleth Meir really is a Demon too." She said thoughtfully.
Nephele stopped suddenly and looked up to the sky.
" I have to go." He whispered.
"Why?" Riya asked
"My stay affects Voleth Meir's boundaries." He said pointing up to the sky.
Riya finally saw it, something was twitching in the sky. It then dawned on her that Voleth Meir had sealed the entire premises, that's why she was able to even go to the hills far from the house without second thoughts.
"Others can't come in, but I can." He said smiling.
Riya chuckled and hugged him before stepping back. He turned and vanished instantly.
"Let's go back inside." Riya said, turning to Elijah.
They walked back silently to the house and got inside. Rick was already waiting for her in the living room and immediately came to her when she walked in. They went upstairs together after saying goodnight to Jimmie and Voleth Meir with Riya hugging Elijah.
Riya was about to close the door behind her when she noticed Elijah pass her door, she poked out her head and saw him entering the next room.
"How long have you been staying next door?" She asked him.
"You both have no shame at all." He said and went into his room.
"Ohhhhhh boy, busted." She thought out loud and laughed.