16 Telltale Heart

The night was approaching. Ray was standing in the Bay sighing and watching the sunset in his original form, that of a tall, sturdy, well-built boy, seven to ten years old with white hair blowing in the wind. His golden eyes were tinged with sunset red as he held his rosary in his hand. The last prayer of the afternoon was reassuring him.

They were very hectic days. He was trained his fencing and the aim of his weapons at the same time that he had to teach Meraki. With shot after shot he could drain his anger and with each cut he made gave him the feeling that he was approaching his long-awaited revenge.

It was better to stay still and away from him when he practiced. Raging like a tsunami, reason and sanity were lost the moment it struck.

-I won't go I'll stay here with you-

Meraki's voice is so slow and imperceptible that it does not reach him, it is lost in the air.

Today they would be returning to the castle. For Meraki it would be his first time around other people and places. Until now, apart from the cave and the mirror world, he had only left the cave to go to the forest to hunt for food with Ray. His father was very ruthless and uncompromising in teaching him but at times he could see respectable benevolence and nostalgia in his eyes. He learned a lot since his curiosity had no limits and he began to present the ability to cross the darkness that was hidden deep in the minds and hearts of the creatures that he was hunting as well as manipulate their thoughts, but he did not tell Ray.

Using that to his advantage, he tried to discover what Ray was hiding in the gloom of his being. He wasn't looking to hurt just to get to know his father a little more. He waited until his father was asleep and what he did not foresee was that he would find revenge personified, his opponent was really evil and he would not hesitate to use all his resources to punish. Visualizing the life of who was taking care of him from start to finish. After a few hours he came to the conclusion that so far all of Ray's actions were justified. Although almost at the end of a specific memory of his father, it made him cry non-stop. His heart was heartbroken. The loud crying caused Ray to wake up in shock and fall off the bed to hit the floor hard.

As he finished reassuring and comforting the little boy, he demanded an explanation for his sobs. Meraki had no choice but to tell him the truth. Ray looking at him sidelong made it clear that he would never use that power on him again and that what he had seen he would keep to himself and take it to the grave.

Meraki swore that he would. Ray by his side rather than looking angry was already moving this new piece in his mind. A new tool was introduced without his asking and he knew who to use it on.

After that incident Meraki began to have nightmares and in one of those he scratched Ray in the face leaving a vertical scar on his eyebrow where he had torn off some of his skin. Incredibly, that wound was the only one that failed to heal without a trace. It was also the place where in his previous life there was a fatal wound for him and the reason for Meraki's tears, which every time he saw him became sad.

**

-Manta rays! Kelpies! Fishes! Turtles! Sharks! Don! Don! Don! Come! -

-The abyssal fauna attracts you a lot eh? -

-If they are cute, I want to take them inside! -

Ray finished his prayers and went to find Meraki who was playing in the water with a group of stingrays, a school of goldfish, baby sharks, kelpies and turtles that came from who knows where. The child attracted every being with a light aura around him. It was curious to think that the boy was so affable with such weak beings and destructively terrifying with the beings that they represented to be his enemies.

-You can't, they be free beings of the ocean or would you like someone to take you and place you in a cage for their entertainment? -

-They said it was fine ... if dad doesn't want to, I won't take them -

-Goodbye, we're leaving, we'll come back another day for you to play -

Ray's wound started to itch, and scratched a bit

- Dad, does it hurt a lot?! - Meraki was worried when he said it

-What things are you saying? I'm just scratching myself, hurry up before those witches arrive-

**

They came by the fireplace to the room designated for Prince Kenton. The place was a mess. The change of environment shocked Meraki who was used to luxurious rooms since he was born in the cavern he called home. It showed a dark and cold room that scared anyone.

-Dad! I don't like this place, let's go home! -

-Getting beauty out of chaos is a virtue, look at this place like a cage without bars or locks where you can move at will and to which you can put whatever you want. We won't be here for long just at certain times to pretend-

-I don't like it, it also smells bad, our house smells good and you can see the sea. My new friends are there too -

Ray approached him, hugged him to curb his anger and patted his head.

-If the smell is what pisses you off, we will put incense or scented candles and open the damn windows so you can see the sea and your ...-

Suddenly they were both silent. They felt the presence of people approaching, they looked at each other and nodded to begin to change shape.

Meraki had taken the form of a black Selkirk Rex cat puppy, with short fluffy wavy fur, almond-shaped eyes and luminous blue color, he was docile and affectionate in the arms of a weaker-looking Ray and of short stature than caressed it delicately.

-Looks like they'll be here soon, let's start the show one more time -