Chapter 189 The historian and the witch
Alessia's POV
After eating , we clear up the table .Luca sighs patting his non existent belly “That” he says waving his hands dramatically “Was the best breakfast I have had in years.”
Lucy sticks her tongue out at him “Luca you are such a foodie, every meal you enjoy is the best for you.”
I watch Hugh as he slips out of his chair quietly returning to his post by the window . Alex is standing by the head of the table hands on the table as he leans in studying the scripts spread before him . My father leans back in his chair sipping some tea before gently placing the cup of the table. “Are you all set? he asks calmly “Can we begin ?”
Angelica perks up immediately like a kid that has been offered candy , her chair scraping the floor softly as she shifts it closer to My father.
“Oh yes please let's.”
Lucy also leans on her hunches “I cannot wait to see what will unearth form the pages.”
Luca looks at Angelica and then Lucy then sighs “The only two women I know that get excited by history.”
They ignore him and I chuckle under my breath,Before they get a chance to respond there is a knock on the front door.
Three firm knocks
Alex's gaze shifts towards the living room . He checks the time as a small smile tugs on his lips.
“That must be Padre.”
Hugh moves forom the window towards the door without a single pause. I hear the door open and Hugh exchanging pleasantries with...
One does sound like Padre and a second voice more feminine.I get up wanting to have a look when they all walk into the dining together. Padre looks good in his usual brown tweed suit, suspenders and glasses on his nose. His balding head sporting more grey hairs since the last time I saw him. He has his briefcase slung over his shoulders and his hat is in his hand.
He bows “Good Morning to you all”
Alex walks towards him extending a hand. “Padre, thank you for coming over on such short notice”
Padre smiles and nods tipping his head towards the scripts “Anything for history ,Are those from la Casa?”
Alex nods as Padre's attention turns to me “Princess , how was your journey home ?”
I smile “It's nice to see you again Mr Padre, the journey was enlightening”
He inclines his head I see “I hope we are able to find time to catch up I would love to hear the whole story .”
I nod beside him stands a woman .“Good morning to you all” She says brightly.
She has brown hair and the most striking dark green eyes I have ever seen ,Even darker than mine.!Her magic hums it's surrounds her like a cloak. She is a very strong witch she must be his wife ,Before I can confirm who she is Luca answers.
"Mrs Selina it's good to see you again, awake this time eh ?"
Padre scowls "Luca you scoundrel”;at Luca while Selina lets out a tinkling laugh “It's nice to see you too Luca, now behave before I turn you into a toad oad”
Luca gulps hard paling instantly as everyone laughs!
Angelica walks over to her boss giving him a bow “It's nice to see you again Sir.”
He pats her on the back gently “Angelica I hope you were able to find your family ?.”
She nods eyes filling with unshed tears as she pulls Lucy to her side. Lucy joins them giving him a handshake “Good morning Sir my name is Lucy I am her cousin”
She extends another hand to his wife too “Good morning Mrs Selina, my name is Lucy.”
Selina smiles courteously “It's lovely to meet you dear and.” she turns to Angelica her with a gentle smile "I haven't seen you in a while I hope you will visit soon?”
“Yes Ma'am once we are done with this.” Angelica responds and we lead them back to the dining where my father Is still seated going through the scripts.
Once we reach the dining I face Selina once more taken back by her striking eyes.
"I just wanted to thank you for the map and locator spell you did to help us locate La Geneva "
Her eyes study me carefully “Please don't mention it,It was my pleasure.”
I bow my head slightly in respect “All the same thank you , you made our work so much easier.”
A smile plays on her lips . “You are welcome princess.”
Padre sets his briefacse on the table and picks up a script to have a better look as he adjust his glasses
“So Signore Alex, these are all the scripts you will like translated?”
My father shifts them to him giving him a firm hand shake.
“My name is Gabreal Sirrano , these are all the scripts from La Casa’s vault.”
Padre looks at him in shocked silence “It's nice to meet you, weren't you lost at-" he recovers fast and returns his attention back to the scripts.
Padre seems to know everything and everyone...
Padre drops the scripts carefully and opens his briefcase ,I watch as he brings out some gloves and magnifying glasses . He then lifts up the first page slowly .I exhale deeply as I watch Angelica moving closer to him and Lucy leaning over her shoulders.Luca doesn't move he remains on his seat watching everyone with amusement .He really does not want to be turned into a toad today from the looks of it I think to myself chuckling quietly.
For some minutes all we can hear in the room is the shuffling of papers as Padre picks up one at a time and examines them.Finally he drops the scripts and lets out a sigh .
“The language is very old, back from Natura’s time.”
My Ancestor, but of course that is why they hid it.
My father nods “that's what I thought as well, in some places the language is almost non existent now.”
Selina moves closer to the table but she does not touch it,nstead she leans over it giving it a once over.I watch her intently wondering what she is doing , there is no way she can read the intricate scripts without bringing it to her face. Before I can ask I see somethin-
The air around her finger seems to ripple ,and a faint silver lights shimmer around her.
Angelica shifts on her feet “So there is magic on it?”
Selina gives her a nod “Yes it has protective magic seal,in the olden days they spelled their work so it cannot be changed or duplicated.”
Lucy straightens tucking a strand of hair that escaped ales back beging her ears “Really ?But I didn't sense anything.”
Selina does not budge her eyes remain fixed on the scripts “The symbols are one of the earliest magical language used in this region.”
Angelica eyes twinkle with excitement she is barely able to stay still
“Yes I recognised of the symbols , they are similar to the ones at La Casa.”
Padre nods “Yes Angelica that is very good.”
She beames and Luca sighs softly shifting in his seat “Alex am I going to be attending compulsory history class today?”
Alex doesn't answer him rather he faces Padre “How long will we need to translate everything?”
Padre takes another look at another page mummbling under his breath
“With all hands on deck?”He returns the book to the table “Some days”
Lucy lets out a breath “Well at least we don't have any pending things to do and we are more than comfortable here.”
Selina fixes her gaze on me “Even though it's not the original the magic is till active.”
We all look at her puzzled “But How is that possible?” Angelica asks
Selina looks back at the scripts “They writer was extremely powerful, the spell is not dead it lives on”
My father lifts an eyebrow at her “What do you mean by it lives on?"
Selina nods “Just that Sir , it lives on .The words can never be altered.”
Padre fixes his glasses as he brings one scripts close to his face “This one has an engraved crest, that is familiar”
Angelica leans toward him eagerly “What crest is it? I can't see it.?
Padre huffs "Remember what I taught you , look through the magnifying glass it's there "
He pauses as she looks until she gasps “I found it , what type of Bird is it?”
Padre traces the place with his gloves hands “It ia an Albatross.”
The room falls quiet but I notice Alex stiffness ,Lucy looks from me to him .
Padre narrows his eyes “The symbol belongs to -.” he exchanges a look with Alex and Alex gives him a sharp nod and he continues.
“The symbol belongs to the Ferrini family.”
Luca sits upright eyes bulging out with shock “Well that's a surprise.”
He turns to Alex ,exchanging a look with him. "The late Signore Ferrini was right.”
So Alex was right all along the Ferrinis are the original owners?
A shiver of unease races down my spine ,that does not even bother me as much as the spell issue. It is one thing for the scripts to have protective magic it's also another thing entirely for it to still be active after so many years .What if there is also a curse lurking for those that copy it or something hidden underneath the Spell? And it knows we have tampered with it?