Chapter 3

We sat in the dining room with everyone in the family, save for Aunt Ared and Uncle Logan. They had traveled yesterday for an important meeting on behalf of my mother. Though they were absent, Aunt Melody and Uncle Carter were present, but I could sense they wished they weren’t here because of Blade’s accusing stare.

“Here’s the thing, son.” Father began, pouring himself a glass of juice. “We wanted to see you, but your teachers insisted we stayed back. They said it’d make you want to learn quickly so that you’d come home. We had no choice. We wanted the best for you, so we hearkened to their advice.”

“And you want me to go back after Caidyn’s birthday?”

Mother responded. “Yes.”

Blade dropped his spoon. “No.”

Father’s left eyebrow rose. “No?”

“I believe I said that. I won’t go back there. Not now, not ever.”

“You have to stay there until you can completely control your abilities. It’s for your own good.”

“I am twenty years old, dad. I know what is good for me and going back there isn’t.”

Father gripped his spoon tightly, his lips set in a thin line. He was upset. “Blade, I am your father and I know what is good for my son. Whether or not you like it, you’ll go to the sky kingdom after your sister’s birthday.”

Mother placed her hand on father’s thigh. “Mavros, please. Let’s not fight with him. He just came home after six long years.”

Aunt Melody nodded in approval. “Valeria is right. We can talk about this after breakfast.”

Blade got up from his seat, his eyes never leaving father’s. “I just lost my appetite.”

We watched him leave the dining room. When I made to go after him, mother stopped me.

“He needs some time alone.” She said, “Let him be for now.”

I slowly sat back down, still unsure. It wasn’t too good a thing to leave Blade on his own if he was angered. He could make irrational decisions. So, I hurriedly ate breakfast, said thank you to everyone, and did the dishes before heading out to look for my brother.

The first place I thought of checking was the garden. Before he left home, he would go there if he was upset about something. Old habits don’t easily die. Like I expected, Blade stood underneath the biggest tree in the garden with his hands tucked in his pockets. The only thing was, he wasn’t alone. He was with a woman.

Blade with a woman in his state of mind?

I guess the lessons in the sky kingdom were paying off.

Not that I wasn’t happy to see him talking to someone or anything. It’s just that I had never seen this female before. I wondered if she worked here.

“Blade?”

He turned to me. “Did Dad send you to me?”

“No.” I gave a slight nod when the female bowed. “You never told me you’d already made a friend.”

“I met her some minutes ago. She was working. Her name is Leah.”

“Leah, huh?”

I took in her appearance. Quite tall, with auburn hair and green eyes. I admired her long legs in her yellow sundress. She was a beautiful woman.

“Greetings, princess.”

I had a feeling she’d bow again, so I held out my hand instead. She carefully shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Leah.”

“Likewise.” She flicked a glance at Blade. “I can see you want to speak with him. I’ll just let you be.”

I grasped her hand when she made to leave. “Do you work here?”

She nodded. “I started today. I was told to come get my uniform tomorrow.”

I let go of her hand. “Very well. You may leave.”

Once she was out of sight, I faced Blade with the strictest face I could muster. “Steer clear off that maiden’s path. I don’t like her.”

He relaxed against the tree. “You’re really going to be like this?”

“Like what?”

“Like dad.”

“I am his daughter, aren’t I?”

“Technically…”

“Shut it. About that girl, I mean it. Stay away from her. She looks nice and all, but the nice ones are the cruelest. She’ll break your heart.”

He grinned, “You think I’m going to fall for her?”

“I know you, Blade. She’s got everything you like. Her hair is curly and she is curvy. She’s totally your type.”

“Dearest sister, I’ve changed.”

“Whatever. Just stay away from her. If you get her pregnant, father will skin you. She is not your mate. Remember that.”

“Yes, mom.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You did not just call me mom.”

He smirked, eyes challenging. “Did I?”

“You asked for it.”

I took a step backward like father had taught me. FIGHT MOVE DESCRIBE.

He stumbled. “You really are something.”

“I know.”

I was going to sit on the grass when I remembered what happened last night. I had yet to show it to him.

“Guess what.”

“I hate guessing.”

I rolled my eyes. “Just try.”

He let out a sigh as if to say he hated the idea, but he still had to do it. “You got kissed?”

“No.”

With uncertainty, he asked. “You had sex?”

“How will I have sex if I have kissed no one?”

He shrugged. “You found the one?”

“Nope.”

He threw his hands in the air. “I give up.”

“Okay. Brace yourself.”

He joined in my excitement. “Come on, already. Tell me what it is.”

Instead of telling him, I showed him. Unlike the first time, transforming into an angel wasn’t painful. The crescent moon on my forehead appeared and, as expected, my wings lit with fire. I held out both hands to the side as though I wanted to hug him. “I am an angel!”

“Oh,” was all he said.

My excitement died off as quickly as it was birthed. “You’re not happy?”

He sat down on the grass, and I returned to my usual self before joining him. He lowered his eyes, refusing to look at me.

“I’m happy.”

“Then why did you react like you did? I thought you’d be more excited.”

“I am excited. It’s just that while you were busy working on becoming part angel, I was busy trying to reign in a beast. While you had a pain-free life, mine was filled with pain. Unlike you, I have scars in place of wings. Scars that remind me of why my parents sent me away.”

“I don’t understand. What scar?”

He wordlessly took off his shirt and turned his back to me. Scars of various sizes made themselves home on his back alongside fresh wounds that were still being treated. I didn’t get it. Why didn’t they heal off? He was a demigod. They ought to have healed. What was the matter?

“Whenever the beast in me wanted to be let out, my teachers would beat me with a cane that has been soaked in a liquid that forced it in. The name, I was never told. My wound would bleed for days, and the only one I had to help me was Eretria. She would sneak into my room at night when everyone was asleep and treat them.”

“Is this why you don’t want to go back there?”

He put his shirt back on. “Yes. But if I ever do, I’ll go back for Eretria.”

“Just show this to mother and father. I’m sure they wouldn’t want to send you there after hearing everything.”

He shook his head. “Mom won’t send me there, but dad will.”

“He is not that cruel,” I defended. “He doesn’t want to see you in pain.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know that much, Blade. He loves you.”

In his smile, I saw sadness. “He would if I was half as good as you.”

“You’re his son. His biological child. He loves you, I’m sure of it. Father can be tough on us, but it’s just him being caring.”

“You won’t understand.” He stood up from the ground, dusted himself before turning to me. “Don’t mention any of these to mum and dad. They don’t have to know.”

“I understand.”

He gave me a nod and walked off. I relaxed against the tree and breathed out a sigh. Why won’t he tell them, and who exactly was this Eretria? Was he in love with her? Goodness, this whole thing was confusing. Either way, I needed to find a way to convince my brother to fully explain his reasons for not wanting to return to the sky kingdom.

But how?

<<<<>>> 

            Something about the young woman Blade was speaking to made me restless and distracted me from my work. I was helping mother with pack work, yet I found myself thinking about her. There was something about her I didn’t understand. She said she had started working in the palace today, which meant I would see more of her.

“What are you thinking about?”

I lifted my eyes from the piece of paper before me to meet the worried ones of my mother from across the large mahogany table separating us in her study. “What?”

She placed her pen on the table. “You’ve been absent minded. What is it?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing you should worry about.”

She reached for my hand. “I am your mother, Caidyn. You can always talk to me about anything.”

“I know, mother.” A sigh. “It’s just that there’s this woman I have been thinking of since I saw her today?”

She arched an eyebrow. “A woman?”

“Yes, mother. I saw her speaking to Blade after the argument with father. Something about her makes me uneasy.”

“Do you know her name?”

“Yes. She said she’s Leah, and she started working here today.”

Mother’s worry turned into a smile. “Oh, her?”

“Why? Have you met her?”

“Of course I have. We hired a few people to help with work, since some of our workers quit after finding their mates. Leah told me she really needed to work here, as she has a little sister to take care of. She seems nice to me.”

“Is that so? I guess I was wrong about her.”

“Give her a chance. I’m sure you’ll love her.”

“I’ll give it a shot.”

“That’s wonderful.” She thumbed the papers. “Never judge people quickly, alright? You could be wrong about them.”

“What about my instincts? I’m supposed to trust them, aren’t I?”

“Sometimes you have to study someone a little more. Just watch her and see how she behaves. If you still don’t accept her, I’ll know what to do.”

“You won’t fire her, right?”

“Of course not. Someone is relying on her. It’d be wicked of me to do that.”

“Thank you.” I arranged the papers I was done working on. When mother saw what I was doing, she reclined in her seat with a knowing smile as she stared at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked, sliding the papers to her. “It’s not as if I can’t do this thing with my powers.”

“I know you can. I just feel it’d be a much better experience if you do it without your powers.”      

“Pack work is boring.”

“Yet I do it.” She countered.

“Because you don’t have the abilities I have. If you did, trust me when I say you would hate to touch a pen.”

“Whatever you say. You can leave now. You’ve done a lot already.”

“Won’t you come with me? It’s time for dinner.”

“I’ll eat later.”

“You’re not supposed to miss dinner. You have to come.”

“I have a lot to work on with your birthday and coronation coming up. It’s to make things easy for you when you become queen. Go on with me. I’ll eat later.”

I did not press further because I know it would make her happy to get whatever she was working on done.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

<<<>>> 

            During dinner, father was absent. He was with mother in her study to keep her company. I loved how much he cared for her. He would not eat if she didn’t, and he made her happiness his priority. It sometimes made me want to find the one for me, but what use was a man who only loves me because of a bond made by the goddess?

My parents fell in love although they were not mates. There wasn’t supposed to be a union between a mortal and a god, yet they pushed through and were allowed to be together. That’s love.

I sometimes wished my birthday could be postponed because I did not want to find my mate. Not yet. I wasn’t ready to fall for someone because of a bond. Without the mate bond, I wanted to love someone. I hated it. It was as if aunt Fitia was forcing us to love them.

I was pulled from my train of thoughts when Blade gasped. Leah had spilled wine on him while serving our meals.

“I’m so, so sorry.” She rushed out, stepping back in fear. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

Blade got up from his seat. “It’s fine. I’ll just clean myself up.”

Her hands were interlocked. “I’m so clumsy. Please forgive my mistake.”

Blade gave her a reassuring smile. “People make mistakes, Leah. It’s okay.” He patted her back before leaving the dining room.

Leah hurriedly cleaned her mess, all the while apologizing. I don’t know why, but I felt she did it on purpose. Perhaps to get my brother’s attention. Could it be what I was thinking? Did she like Blade? If she did like him, I would keep her away from him. The only woman who should have an interest in him is his mate, and I know it’s not her.  

“Try to be more careful next time.” I said, my voice coming off as neither friendly nor hostile.

“Hey, no need to be mean.” Jean offered Leah an apologetic smile.

“No, she’s right.” Leah lowered her head. “I’ll be more careful next time, princess. My sincerest apologies.”

I would have to let her know her place or she’d make things hard for my brother.