Awakened

Chapter 5

"Your highness," Antonia walked into my study.

"Yes Antonia, I am so glad you could make it," I said and she curtseyed graciously lowering her head.

"It is my pleasure to do your bidding your highness,"

"Good, Antonia please take a seat," she walked forward and sat in front of me with her hands in her laps and her eyes locked on mine, such confidence, I LOVE IT. "Do you know why I called you today?"

"I do not want to make any assumptions your highness,"

"Well please do make assumptions,"

"Well I feel it is about you wanting to appoint me as your personal helper, and maybe some other things your grace, I don't know," Call me a fool but I couldn't help but feel she was hinting at me wanting to marry her.

"No, no Antonia only that I want you to be my personal assistance, that is you do know what that consists of don't you,"

"Yes, I could," she got up help you a lot, do anything you want," she got a bit closer so I had to get up and step away from her.

"Hmm yes, but everybody does what I want, what I mean is that you will help me with very important things," her gaze traveled down.

"Yes very important things your highness," she advanced towards me faster than I anticipated then had her hands on my chest in a second. Was she going to try and rip my non-existent heart? Her face came impossibly close to mine she had a breath of mint.

"Antonia what are you doing,"

"Just watch king," that was a poke at my authority, seriously! Her hands started trailing Southward and if I didn't know before what she was heading for I knew now. I caught her hand.

"I am sorry Antonia if I have led you to believe that we can be lovers, we, unfortunately, cannot have such a relationship, I am married,"

"Your wife is dead, Winter died four years ago,"

"You do not refer to her by her first name... ever! Do you understand this Antonia,"

"Yes your majesty," she bowed her head.

"You can leave now before I lose my patience," Antonia briskly walked out of the study and closed the door. I went to settle in my seat and rested my head on my armrest. I never knew I could ever get this tired. I was so tired of people reminding me that Winter was undoubtedly dead. Look at me giving in to the lies. I would bring that girl back even if it would cost me my own life.

"You!" my sister rushed into my office.

"Oh hell,"

"You Xavier need to hear what I just found," she exclaimed and closed the doors. She bounced into the seat in front of me holding a huge ass book of potions.

"I am not in the mood Camari,"

"What crawled up your butt?" she asked pouting.

"Antonia tried to seduce me, or get me to marry her I'm not sure,"

"Ew, why would she?"

"Yes, that is the right way to console your brother, sister," I rolled my eyes at her "go ahead what is it you want to tell me?"

"It is a way to talk to Winter," my ears perked up

"I am not sure if it is going to work Xavier but it is kind of a way to help our human loved ones even if we are not supposed to be biased towards humans. It is a guaranteed method to talk to a dead person,"

"So how do we know if she can hear us or not?"

"I am not sure Xavier," she frowned "do you still want to try it?" she asked in a sympathetic tone.

"Of course- Camari do you know- goodness this is stupid, is there a way I can go to imperial hell and find Winter's soul then bring it here,"

"You are joking," she exclaimed.

"No- what! no, I am not,"

"Xavier you can't go to imperial hell and look for someone you'll run mad, die of heat. Imperial hell cannot be navigated by anything or anyone, your job here is to change the punishments for certain sins and they cannot be changed again for a period of time,"

"But I am the devil himself why can't I?"

"I don't know,"

"I should try,"

"I forbid it! I will tell on you,"

"To who?"

"Fath-" I raised my eyebrow.

"I will never forgive you if you do it, I swear on my mother's blossom,"

"Camari I think you are being too exclusive, I won't try it not because I care about you or anything. I'll find another way and thinking of it, that is the stupidest thing I ever said,"

"Thank goodness you know," she gave me a wary glance then started opening the potion book "here it is, To brew a dream penetrator, gather the following ingredients and follow the steps below 4 pinches of Pygmy Leaf, 2 dashes of Arctic Fenugreek, 2 dashes of Black Galangal, 5 teaspoons of Autumn Dill Seed, 6 bits of Ice Grass,"

"What! these look like they don't even exist,"

"Yes they do, in heaven," the word echoed in my ears "I can go get them for you,"

"What I am not going to let you go to heaven alone,"

"Come on, I am a big girl, trust me, it's either that or I go to the black expanse," she winked and I raised my eyebrow at her. The black expanse is space.

"I don't know Camari,"

"Hear how it's made Crush the Pygmy Leaf with a pestle and mortar. Add some purified water to turn it into a thick paste, then add the Arctic Fenugreek, one half at a time until you've added three parts.

Fill a pan with purified water, add the mixture and turn up the heat, then turn on the stove and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it cool down to the body temperature of a reptile before adding the Black Galangal and Autumn Dill Seed, a quarter at a time, alternating between the two. Reheat what's now already a quite appealing mixture, mix in the Ice Grass, and let everything cool down until the mixture is thick and gloopy. Whisk the mixture heavily to aerate it. Stop when it's frothy. Your potion is ready to be used. Only a small sip will be needed for the potion to take effect, store leftovers in a cold place,"

"Oh,"

"So I will be on my way, be back by nightfall," she walked out of the study grinning like she knew something I didn't. I narrowed my eyes, should I send someone to follow her. Camari is a big girl as she said she can take care of herself I concluded I just hope she stays out of trouble and actually asks permission before taking anything.

Camari came back by nightfall as she promised. She was disheveled. Her hair was messy, she was sweaty, and she had a horrible stink of an earthly sewer. There was nothing bad in heaven so I doubt she actually got this dirty there.

"What happened to you? did you purposefully drag yourself in the sewer?"

"Well, no one told me how to plan passageways from Earth, did they?"

"That's why we make them from Earth so we know where it is going to be, did you really crawl to a sewer just to get here, you could have used mine,"

"And get lost? Thank you,"

"Stop messing with me you know my passageways as you know me, now tell me the truth,"

"My passageway is in the sewer Xavier believe what you want to believe," she said

"Why didn't you just pass through heaven?"

"Can the questioning stop? I got the stuff," She dumped a bag on my desk. Her aversion made me very suspicious then again it is Camari she is always sneaking around. Always ending up in my house on Earth, always talking to herself in her room, it's been that way since she was in charm and potions school.

"Thank you Camari, you can go freshen up, get dinner and join me in the garden to prepare this,"

"What a perfect analysis of my night," she closed her eyes then teleported to what I am guessing is her bedroom.