30
JARIS
I didn’t like the sound of that.
“I don’t need to beg you for information, Nerion. What did you find?” There was slight irritation in my voice.
“Actually” he took the seat across from me. “she has previously been mated to Alpha Roderick.”
What?
“They got mated when she was eighteen, but as soon as Roderick got what he wanted–which was going up the ranks–he dumped her
Woah. That didn’t sound good. I bet Mother mustn’t have been aware of this. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so quick to push her to me.
But if things were over between them, why was Roderick all over her at the party?
“When did they break up?” I asked.
“Five years ago.”
I shot a surprised stare at Nerion. That long? Goes a long way to explain why the news wasn’t common.
“Are there any photos from when she and Roderick were together?”
“Sadly, no. It was quite surprising when I couldn’t even find any old pictures of her. Turned out Lyric wasn’t fully involved with her family before now. I don’t know why, but she didn’t take pictures of herself.”
Well, that’s strange. Who wouldn’t have pictures of themselves?
“And what about the death of a loved one?” I asked.
Nerion shook her head. “The last time she lost someone important was when she was six years old when her mother died. And I confirmed that the woman was buried and never incinerated. Since then, she hasn’t lost anyone important to her.”
Not what I’d been expecting. That locket contained the ashes of a loved one. If she hadn’t lost anyone from her family, whose ashes were she wearing around, then?
“After she broke up with Roderick, what has she been doing?” I asked a moment later.
“Nobody knows. They say she had suddenly vanished for five years and just returned not long ago.”
Suddenly vanished? That didn’t make any sense.
“I need to know where she’s been, Nerion. Find out everything you can on her from the last five years.”
I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing from her.
LYRIC
I kept Xyla company until her brother came awake. I’d also intentionally stayed behind because I wanted to make sure the boy was fine enough for me to leave.
“How’re you feeling, Xylon?” Xyla asked, holding his hand.
His eyes went round until they fell on me. He looked weak, but I caught a glimpse of happiness in them.
“You… saved me. A…Again.” the words were muttered.
He didn’t strike me like someone that stammered. I think he was just scared of speaking. Why was he so scared?
“I did. And now, I need a gift from you.” I beamed at him, lightly massaging his scalp.
He looked intrigued. “Help?”
“Yes. And that will be you telling me what you want to eat.”
His nanny said he hardly ate, especially after an epistle. Something about him being too sad to eat.
He lowered his eyes from mine, not saying a word.
“Xylon?”
He looked at me again, then ordered for his writing tab. It was quickly given to him by his nanny, and I watched with interest as he wrote on it:
“Will you eat with me?”
Successfully unlocked!
His question stunned me. What in the name of the moon? And why did it make me want to cry?
“Of course,” I chuckled, my hands going softer in his hair. I was trying so hard to fight back the tears. “Just tell me what you want to eat, and we can get on with it.”
1/2
*******
Xylon ended up ordering mini corn dogs, Caprese salad, and macaroni and cheese. And the three of us all ate together. I ensured he finished his meal. Even his nannies were surprised.
Xylon grabbed his tablet again, writing something down on it. I realized he made use of it when he wanted to have a long conversation, which would be difficult for him to communicate through speech.
“Have you considered working in a hospital?” He showed it to me when he was done writing.
Woah. Another unexpected question.
“Um… I used to want to work there when I was a kid. But not anymore.”
“Why?” This time, it was Xyla who asked.
I’d have actually loved to work in a hospital, but after what happened three years ago, I wasn’t sure I wanted to get into more trouble.
Xylon scribbled down on his tablet. “A lot of people are suffering, Aunty. I go to the hospital most of the time, and I see people worse than me. If you can help them, it’d be really nice.”
His words left my heart in fragments. How touching that he was more concerned about others in his condition. With the pain he was going through, he must feel really bad that they went through worse.
“Will you do it, Aunty? You’d be helping a lot of people,” Xyla winked at me.
I chuckled.
Ugh. Why were these kids having so much influence on me? Now, I couldn’t get the image of people suffering out of my head.
“I’ll think about this. How about that?” I said with a smile.
Much to my astonishment, Xylon hugged me.
Woah!
“Thank you, Aunty. I had a good feeling about you the first day I saw you.”
A
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