𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐒
Chapter Two | The Tides of Change

PRESENT TIME

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THE DISTRUBTION OF NOISE SOUNDED THROUGHOUT the room as Alaric and Jenna rifled through the attic of the Lockwood's estate. There were crates and crates of old magical trinkets hiding away in here. Some from centuries ago, procured from trade and rare findings.

They were specifically looking for some thing useful while the founders party went on downstairs. It was the perfect time. When everyone was distracted with drinks and mingling to notice two normal people seeking up stairs for some supernatural snooping.

Dust fluttered around their searching hands, lifting from the boxes and clouding their sight. Alaric moved another useless box away, glancing to his girlfriend to see how she was doing.

"Anything yet?" He called with little hope.

Her ginger curls shook as she furrowed her brows in concentration. "Nothing interesting. What are we supposed to be looking for again?"

Alaric frowned, running a ring clad hand through his hair. "A magical relic of some kind. Anything that looks mystical. We need all the help we can get, especially with John milling about like a damn parasite from hell."

Jenna snorted at his joke, agreeing with him for many reasons she didn't want to bring back up. She stumbled upon a leather bound chest, which was caked in layers of grey clouds. She cringed as she dared to swipe at it. It seemed the metal latch had recently been opened, making it easy to lift the top.

It creaked loudly with her jerky movements, causing her to abruptly cough and hack at the debris.

She waved her hand about, shaking her head. "This room is ridiculous. I'm going to need a hot shower and an entire bottle of the strong stuff when this is all said and done."

"I'll personally buy you the bottle myself as long as you split it."

They shared a knowing glance over their shoulders before turning to get badly to work. All this, in the effort to save her niece. In actuality, she would do it ten times over if it meant Elena could live to see another day.

When Jenna was suddenly involved in the supernatural schemes of her town. She thought everyone was insane. However, the longer she spent searching, plotting, and fighting, she quickly came to realize this would be her life now. An incredibly defenseless human, taking on the great big world one day at a time.

The striving never ceased. At least, she didn't plan on it any time soon.

Narrowing her hazel eyes, she held up her torch to get a better look. The circle of light illuminated only so much; however, Jenna was able to decipher a few little trinkets and keepsakes. Old dresses looking like something out of a Jane Austin movie. Old hair combs, frilly hats and a classic soft bristle brush with the delicate initials: KFD, all in a beautiful cursive.

Growing distracted by her fascination of the old-timey belongings had her sifting through them curiously. Jenna had always been intrigued with historical fiction and this moment was one for the books.

Her hands lifted and turned extravagant gowns. Some for sleeping with ribbons and buttons, made of fine silks. And others were obviously evening wear colored in deeper tones. She knew her historical outfitting facts no doubt.

"Nothing?" Alaric called once more, moving on to another crate in the cluttered room. He adjusted his suit, hoping the dust wouldn't linger too long on the fabric.

Just as Jenna parted her lips to tell him no, she happened upon an ancient books of sorts. The same initials were scrawled overtop and somehow, despite everything else being weathered from age and debris, this book appeared brand new.

The thick band of pages called to her, pressed Jenna to pick it up, open it. And as she picked the book up between her capable hands, her body zapped to life.

"Uh... I think I've got something." She breathed in astonishment, daring to flip open the first page. Despite the new and improved binding, the picture within was certainly old. A detailed hand drawing of a beautiful woman. With round, kind eyes and a saddened tilt of her plump lips.

It was like the woman was stowed away in the book, she surely owned it. The lady belonged on this front page. Standing in a carved oval, hands tucked in front just so. Stoic eyes seeing beyond. Jenna thought her mesmerizing. "Would this count as a magical relic?"

Ric soundlessly clapped his hands together to get rid of the dust as he made his way over. His eager brown eyes took in Jenna's enraptured state with a certain book. Crouching down, he glanced over it with confusion.

"It looks brand new," He gathered.

"But its obviously not. How can it be? This portrait is too carefully sketched, like it was drawn in place of a camera... and see, the line marks and precision - I doubt anyone could draw this now with the pencils we have it would look different. The grade at least, but..."

The hunter was impressed with her knowledge and honestly found himself more attracted to her than ever. Now, he understood her interest in it. Why she thought it special above the other things in this room.

"Plus, the pages are thick like card stock. Not as refined and thin like our paper nowadays. This, this is probably fifty years old, if not a hundred."

"Okay, so it's either enchanted or someone switched out the binding recently." Jenna didn't look convinced of his second theory but she went along with it.

She turned the next page and instantly found words in another language she could not decipher. Greek probably? Latin? Whatever it was, this further impressed in her that it was magical.

"I can't read this. It's in Latin or something," She shook her head, going to close it, but before her very eyes - as if the book understood her - it translated itself. The letters evolved into different ones in a new order.

Jenna gasped aloud, turning to her boyfriend in bewilderment. "I'm starting to believe you now," He muttered with wide eyes.

"Now?" She bristled, watching as the words blurred to the English language. "Beware those who seek her name, for what you desire most will be your undoing... What is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know, but we can find some answers. Come on." Ric helped her up from the ground, taking the initiative to brush down her clothes and clean her up. Jenna sent him an appreciative smile, glancing over the pages once more.

The next page was another age drawing. One of a circular chalice with intricate carvings widdled into it. An eye sat in the center and the knowing, omnious look it was giving her sent chills down her spine. "Desiderio incantatrix... What is that? Sounds like desire... desire what?"

Alaric looked down the hallways to see if the coast was clear before bringing Jenna along with him. "Well, Latin can be interpreted a many of different ways. Desire could mean want, wish, call upon. Could it be a summons?"

Jenna bit her bottom lip, thinking. "It could be."

The couple seemed to be in the clear, unnoticed by the party goers. Until suddenly, the infamous Johnathon Gilbert appeared with a mirthful smirk. He glared to Ric, practically burning a hole into the ring on his finger. It was his and by the end of the night he swore to get it back.

However, he had something else of theirs. Holding up a hand, he straightened up his posture. "Looking for something? I wonder what it could be?"

The same chalice that was drawn in the book was held within John's grasp. Somehow, he bad gotten to it first. Jenna recalled the latch already being unlocked. She took a threatening step forward, although he seemed nonplussed by her.

"Listen, you waste of space. Give it to me and I won't hold it against you."

John chuckled, wrapping the chalice chain around his hands over and over. "Oh no, you're not getting this. You think I'd let you have it with all your vermon hanging around? Be wise, Jenna, I know you can do it."

The ginger practically growled, gritting her teeth as she went to give him a good slap. However, Alaric held her back by the hand, slicing John with his steely glare. "Just leave it, Jenna. We'll get it from him some way. C'mon"

"Oh I doubt it," John sung, stuffing the chalice into his pant pocket. He watched as the couple darted away down the stairs, wistfully wondering how this game was going to pan out. He wouldn't stop until he was the victor.

It wasn't till later that night when Damon met up with his drinking buddy and his girlfriend. They were conversing on their way out of the Lockwood estate, allowing the night to coat them in its velvety darkness. "I still can't believe John has the ring. You think if I cut off his hand and kill him, he'll spring up from the dead?"

Alaric scoffed, pulling Jenna closer to his side. "Now that's a theory I'd like to test."

"He's like a cockroach squirming around," Jenna shivered in disgust. "I don't know what I saw in him."

"Enough mind-numbing persistence to beat Forest Gump," Damon quipped with a scowl. He suddenly lifted a chalice from his pocket, eyeing it with diadain. "We need a new plan. Luckily, I got this hideous neckless from him. So whatever it does, we'll be the first to know."

The Sommers girl paused, hazel eyes widening as she abruptly approached Damon. "Wait, you got it! I need that, let me see."

"Why?" He furrowed his brows, holding the trinket closer to himself.

She rolled her eyes, showing him the book they procured. "Because, I have the manual to work it. I don't even know what it is but I should have dibbs because I found it."

"But I snatched it off John's cold dead body, hello?" He waved it around, looking to Alaric to help him.

However, the man was useless, shaking his head with an amused expression. Jenna carried on, reaching for it eagerly. "Please, come on. Just let me keep it safe for now."

It probably took a good five minutes of Damon mulling it over, his crystal blue eyes squinted and untrusting. Yet, somehow, he managed to give way to his relentless, curious mind and hand it to the human girl. If anything, her child like persistence reminded him of someone near and dear to his cold heart. He couldn't resist her imploring, rounded eye, pout.

"Fine, here, but if it winds up in John's hands again, I'll have Ric dig up the grave for your body."

The couple ignores his weightless threat, used to it by now. They walked on into the night, Jenna promising herself she'd figure out how to work the relic for the sake of curiousity.

But we all know how that curious little saying goes...

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U

nedited. 01/23/2021

Jenna definitely knows ahead of time in this book, so fun tingz.