Regina's POV
The next day came faster than expected. I woke up to see Tyler with a bag beside me.
"Surprise!" He said excitedly gesturing towards the bag.
"What's this?" I asked, rubbing my eyes groggily.
"Well, I want us to wear a disguise to where we are going. For precaution," he said. "We don't want anyone marking our faces so we go under a disguise."
He pulled out a couple of wigs and then a set of contacts. "You're going to need this. People are already suspecting Cecille Banks."
"Alright then," I said. "I'll have to take a bath first."
"Not now. Much later, let's do what we have to do first. We have to work with time," he said to me. "Pick anything you want, I'll excuse you while I work on my own disguise."
"Okay, thank you."
Once he had picked out his own disguise, I worked on mine as well. I picked a brunette wig and then styled it, then wore brown contacts. I wanted to be as plain as possible.
I wore a simple dress that was brown in colour as well and paired it with sandals, then did my makeup to be very plain. A knock came a few minutes later. "Are you done?" Came Tyler's voice.
"Sure!" I said. "Come in please."
I raised my eyebrows at him when he stepped through the door. He had longer hair now with streaks of grey and then a long beard that was greying as well.
"You look very different," I said.
"Good or bad?"
"I reserve my comment," I chuckled, linking my arms with him.
Tyler and I went to visit the Department of Sorcery to search for the records. My heart raced, out of fear of what our investigations would lead to. Were the twins here or was it a wild goose chase?
Although it was still very early in the morning, the streets were full of people hustling and bustling like it was already midday. It was also relatively dry and much cooler than I thought it would be after coming from the sea since the heat had been oppressive during the journey.
I turned to Tyler after a while, “Is it always this cool here?”
"I can't exactly say so," he shrugged.
"Why?" I asked, attempting to hide how a chill ran down my spine. I looked at Tyler, and the gleam in his eyes from under the hood of his cloak was directed right at me. "
"Well, the weather here is variable, it can be moderate, too hot or too cold. It's meant to test endurance."
I just simply nodded and brought the cloak closer to my body to warm me up. I was always shivering and the cold had begun to bite into my skin.
When we were finally at the Department of Sorcery, I could not believe that the place had quite an ordinary entrance. It was just like any other building in the Underworld, the outside was deceiving of what was happening inside. Just inside the walls was the smell of paper and dust, and a dim buzz of mechanical equipment that could not be found in other parts of the world. Tyler appeared rather comfortable, acknowledging some people with a nod and a short conversation with others as we moved in the complicated corridors.
"Don't look so surprised," he said quietly, catching my puzzled expression. "To be considered a man in every sense of the word, one must venture into the Underworld and return alive."
I didn't respond, my mind whirling with questions. Finally, I said. "You mean they are familiar with your disguise?"
"Yes, they are," he grinned. "They are also familiar with my real self."
Tyler’s familiarity with this place only added to the mystery surrounding him. Why had he ventured into the underworld before? What did he have to seek?
He approached a counter where a stern-looking clerk sat, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"We need to access the records on recent applications for twin sacrifices," Tyler said, his tone respectful but firm.
The clerk raised an eyebrow and handed him a form. "Fill this out. You'll need to wait seven days before the documents are ready."
Tyler filled in the form quickly, his pen moving with practiced ease. When he turned back to me, his expression was apologetic. "We'll have to wait a week for the information."
"A week?" I couldn't hide the panic in my voice as I whisper shouted. "My twins might be dead by then! They might even be dead now!" I could already feel tears welling in the corners of my eyes.
Tyler placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "The sacrifices will likely take place during the full blood moon. We still have time."
His words did little to ease my anxiety, but I nodded, trying to keep my emotions in check. "What do we do in the meantime?"
Tyler's eyes softened with sympathy. "There's someone we can see. Follow me."
We left the Department of Sorcery and made our way through a maze of alleyways until we reached a small, dilapidated shrine. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and incense. Inside, an old witch sat by a fire, her eyes gleaming with a wisdom that sent chills down my spine.
Tyler spoke to her in a language that sounded like gibberish to me. I wondered if the underworld had its own special language. The old woman nodded and motioned for me to approach. She handed me a small mirror, its surface shimmering with a faint, eerie light.
"Place your hand on it," she instructed, her voice a soft rasp.
Hesitant, I did as she asked. The moment my skin touched the mirror, I was transported to another place. I found myself in a dimly lit room, my children tied together, their faces streaked with tears as they cried softly for me.
"Mommy," they whimpered, their voices breaking my heart. "Mom please." Tears were flowing down their eyes in torrents. They looked pale and sickly compared to the last time I had seen them.
Before I could reach out to them, I was yanked back to the shrine, the vision dissipating like smoke. I staggered, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps.