Chapter 24

                                    

                                          
The heavy footsteps approaching her made Ansela lift her head. Aiden walked to her, smiling slightly.
"Aiden, I was thinking about you. Do you have telepathy?"
Aiden shrugged. "I don't know. But you guys got no need of telepathy anyway, do you?"
"You guys?" Ansela repeated, lifting an eyebrow.
"I meant... wizards and witches."
"Eh?" Ansela stared at him for a while. At the next moment, a laugh busted out from her.
"A- Ansela?"
"Nothing," Ansela spoke between laughs, shaking her head. "Oh wow, I forgot that these ordinary people still divide and label others based on gender."
"Huh?"
"They are sorcerers. Sorcerers are not divided by gender... Anyone with a power core is called a sorcerer. For years... centuries ago, they were also divided into witches and wizards. But now it is outdated."
"Oh."
"Yes." Ansela nodded. " By the way, Aiden, I want to check CCTV footage of this room and the corridor."
"For what?"
"For identifying someone."
"Someone? What happened, Ansela? What are you up to? Wha-"
"Hey... Stop, Aiden, stop... You are a whole test paper."
"Seriously, Ansela, I believe you, but I want to know what you are exactly up to."
"What do you think of this?" Ansela waved the feather in front of Aiden's eyes.
"A feather of a white eagle? How did you get this?" Aiden checked it thoroughly. "It's a real one."
"I know, right?"
"Okay, how did you get this?"
"A visitor left it with me..." Ansela shot a mischievous look. "...maybe as a clue to find her?"
"Tell me exactly what happened."
"Today evening, when I was sleeping... Suddenly, I felt someone was near me, speaking to me... And I heard half of what she said. When I was about to open my eyes and talk to her, she kissed my forehead and rushed out. And she left this on the bed."
"And now you want to find that woman?"
"I feel she can help us." Ansela stared at the feather.
Aiden sighed, nodding. "Alright, I'll be back soon."
About half an hour later, Aiden entered the room, and his face was lit with a wide smile. 
Ansela shot a sharp look at him. "You met detective Walker, right?"
"Detective Walker?"
"L... Lena Walker. As I remember."
"Ah..." Aiden's smile widened from ear to ear.
"Aww... someone is blushing."
"Stop teasing, Ansela."
"Oh.... Okay, okay. But wipe those lipstick marks."
"Lena doesn't use lipstick." Hearing his reply, Ansela smirked like a teen who just did something mischievous. Aiden understood what he just said and headpalmed, blushing. "Oh, damn."
"Okay, let's drop it. Could you get CCTV footage?"
"Here you go." Aiden handed her a tab phone.
A CCTV camera in the corridor recorded Ansela's entry into the hospital room with a white cap and jeans covering her entire body. She got closer to Ansela, covered her feet to neck with a blanket, and tucked a hair curl behind her ear. 
"She behaves like a mother caring about her children," Aiden stated, making Ansela roll her eyes.
The woman dressed in white stood close to Ansela for a few minutes and suddenly jumped back in panic. She bent towards Ansela's forehead for a while and rushed out of the room. Every time her face was tilted down.
But when she left the room, her face was caught on CCTV.
"Oh, this is she."
"This person?"
"Exactly. Why?"
"Mhm... Nothing."
"Hmm... fine." Ansela turned her eyes to the tab phone again and zoomed in until the entire screen was owned by the stranger's face.
The stranger's face was covered from the nose to the chin with a white face mask. Her eyes... they were apparently dark like night and were very familiar to Ansela.
"I guess I know her somehow. Her eyes... I have seen them before... A long time ago."
"Ah..." Aiden groaned. "I'm feeling like lost in a dark forest. You better try to remember who she was."
"I'm trying. But don't think I can remember everyone I have met." Ansela smiled innocently, and Aiden let a groan out.
Aiden's mobile rang, breaking the newborn silence in the room.
"Oh, Jasper." Aiden pulled out her mobile. "Ansela, I'll be back soon. Jasper, is everything okay?" He was about to step out but stopped. "What? It is not a prank, is it?"
The room sunk in silence for a while. But Aiden broke it up. " Okay, I'll come right now."
Ansela shot a curious look.
"Ansela, I have to go."
"Where?"
"I don't know yet. Jasper said he will send the location."
"Oh, okay then. Be careful, brother."
"Fine, sister."
"It's very awkward when you call me sis." Ansela sniffed, looking out of the window.
Aiden sighed. "Hmh... I know. By the way, Shane will come to pick you up tonight. He'll take you to Felicity's house."
Ansela nodded. "Okay."
Aiden smiled and left.
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