"Well," Tessa said, a resolute look on her face. "Shall we get started?"
"Absolutely! Just follow my lead and, Tessa darling, you should try to trust me when I tell you to do something; after all, if you don't you're dead, because the minute I think you're starting to doubt my actions I will drop you." Victor was deadly serious. This was serious; he couldn't believe he was actually doing this now, but the opportunity had arisen and Victor was always one for taking chances.
Walking quickly, Victor motioned for Tessa to follow him. "Now, Tesser, may I call you Tesser?" Without waiting for a response he continued, "we've got to be out of his room before the clock strikes."
"Clock strikes? Clock strikes what?" Tessa asked.
"You'll know when you hear it. Now I'm going to go in first and check if the coast is clear, when I pop my head out, you come in, too; if you hear talking, run. I am not kidding, you get the hell out of there, no matter what you hear."
"But what about you?" She started to say, but Victor cut her off.
"Sweetheart, I'll be fine. I can talk my way out of anything, plus, I'd be in more danger if you were there."
They walked quickly for a long while but just before they got to Leon's fortress, Victor slowed down. Tessa looked like she wanted to object, but Victor just shook his head.
The two ambled down long pillared halls, turning left here; right there.
"So, Tesser, what's up with everyone and their mothers having wings around here?" Victor asked in a conversational tone.
"That's another stupid question, and it's not like YOU can say anything either, you've got wings too, don't you?"
"Not really, you see I don't actually HAVE wings, see?" He pointed to his wingless back, "no wings."
"But, I've seen you with them!" Tessa insisted.
"That's because I can craft a pair of wings at will." Was the answer.
"Craft? Out of what?"
Victor gave Tessa a sidelong glance, realizing that she hadn't seen him in action; that had been Maria, and, wondering if his answer would color her opinion of him in anyway. "With a special liquid." He finally answered her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I use a specialized liquid to create things at will. It's one of my powers." Victor knew that Tessa could tell he was leaving important information; but Victor knew that his power combined with who and what he was made people nervous. "That's all I can say for now, Tesser, you really just have to see it."