Reunion

One minute I was deeply analyzing the thoughts and actions of a traitor and the next, it was a family reunion. I felt a bit awkward at meeting this brother. I had always wanted to have brothers who would dote on me and protect me but until I died, I was an only child. That was probably why it was so easy for me to be fooled. I put those matters at the back of my head and focused my attention on this brother of mine.

Firtha had mentioned him before but I didn't pay any attention to him. He wasn't mentioned much in the book and he was basically a background character plus she said he claimed he didn't remember anything. I didn't doubt the words of a four year old. And I wasn't one to force family relations so I gradually forgot I even had such a brother. Now meeting him in person, it's hard to describe how I feel. We stood there just staring at each other and no one made the first move. Elyria coughed slightly and cleared her throat.

"Umm, you two catch up. There's probably a lot of things for you siblings to talk about so we'll leave you two alone"

She dragged Elowen and Firtha away and Azarya dragged Azazyl, who had no intention of leaving, to follow.

It was not the time and place for a leisurely stroll but I had the urge to move my legs, and so I did. He followed silently behind me and the silence stretched between us. He sighed in defeat and moved so we were walking side by side.

"Aadvitha"

"Hum?"

"You have a beautiful name"

"Thank you"

Silence enveloped is again and I admired the non-existent  scenery

"I'm sorry."

"What?"

His words caught me off guard.

"We only met and you could be said to have saved my life once. You have nothing to be sorry for"

He was quiet for a while and spoke again

"I really didn't remember"

It took me some to to realize what he meant

"I know"

"Do you really believe me?"

"I do"

...

"I had no memory of my life before I started staying with Aunt Zephyra, and I had never bothered with it. The topic about our parents was a taboo in Emberhaven so I never heard anyone speaking about them. When the fae elder came to me in the name of my parents, I was extremely repulsed. I had never met him before but I didn't think he had any good intentions so I ignored him. And everyone else who came after that. Over time they stopped coming and I put all that behind me. Until not too long ago. I was sleeping when my memory was suddenly opened and I remembered everything. From being chased, to being kidnapped, to moving suddenly, to your birth. You were a little bun. With a cute squished up chubby face. It was all the calm before the storm. My memory was then sealed and I was taken to Emberhaven to stay with Aunt Zephyra. As for you— they left a message for you. The time my memory was unsealed should have been your eighteenth birthday. I was supposed to go and take you from the human orphanage but when I got there, there was no sign of you anywhere and the dean was tight lipped. I did alot of questioning before finding out you were taken as a blood slave for Drayven. I met Firtha and the two little faes on my way there. And we went together. They took care of the guards and we came to get you."

"I don't understand. You were supposed to come get me once I turned eighteen?"

"Yes. Originally children who are not adopted stay in the orphanage until they come of age and then they have to leave. Mother and Father gave everything they had to the dean so she would keep you until I got there in case you left and we would miss each other "

I couldn't help but laugh

"So not only did she not keep her end of deal after taking the money, she tried covering up my whereabouts as well? I didn't think anyone could be so shameless. I wouldn't mind so much if the quality of living in the orphanage was improved but it didn't. She suddenly became a rich woman and they were countless questioning voices but she said a distant cousin had died and left her his fortune. If not for face she probably would have abandoned us. She didn't have any more time for us but once in a while she would come and give me pieces of attention. It would be okay if she didn't do that but when she did, I was pushed into the spotlight. Jealousy and unwillingness spread. Why should I be the one favoured by the dean? Like I wanted to be so 'favoured'. When Drayven sent someone to get me, he could have been rejected on the grounds that I'm a minor but they hurriedly pushed me to him instead. I don't have any enmity towards her. After all, she saw a chance and took it. I can't blame her for not wanting to be a virgin Mary. But I'm not one to wrong myself. I have to visit my former home and see how they're doing. What do you think?"

"Whatever you want"

"Well. Let's go back to camp. We've walked pretty far off"

We went back to the clearing and they were all sitting down talking in low voices. When they heard us coming, they all turned around.

"Aadvitha you guys are back. We were just sharing information. Come on."

"Okay okay. What's happening?"

"We thought Aes sídhe was bad enough but now we're facing extinction!"

"Oh wow. That sounds— serious"

"Yeah it is. Azazyl tell her what you told us"

We all turned out attention to him and he cleared his throat

"Well you see, before I met Draco, I was on my way to Terraverde. It has the oldest library in Aghanon and I wanted to check somethings."

"Such as?"

"Recently, alot of strange creatures started appearing in Tenebrous and I was trying to figure out how to solve them."

A sense of unease creeped into my heart

"What kind of strange creatures are you talking about?"

"I don't know how to describe it. They are these really small ghostly things. They look harmless enough, but they feed on the life force of others. Even immortal vampires can be drained by them"

Oh my god. How could I forget? How could I forget the most important part of the book!?

"What did you do?"

My words were a bit aggressive and everyone looked at me in confusion but I kept staring straight at him

"What did you do? Or what did someone you know do? These things wouldn't appear for no reason Azazyl so what the f**k did you do?"

He looked at me with shock and a flash of guilt passed through his eyes which I didn't miss. I kept backing him up aggressively

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO OKAY! I didn't meant it. It was bet. I didn't think—"

He held his head in his hands and bent down slowly

"I'm sorry"

At this point everyone was confused at the direction things were going and Firtha looked at me

"Aadvitha , do you know something?"

"I sure as h*ll wish I didn't"

I dragged him up and pushed him to the middle of the group

"Talk. Tell us everything."

"I— I made a bet with someone over who could break an object, so I broke it and then those things started appearing"

"What was the appearance of the object?"

"It was a bit round with three colors "

"That just might be the trinity stone. Well Demon lord great job "

He remained quiet and I could only press further

"Who did you make a bet with?"

"What?"

"Who made you the best to destroy the stone?"

"It was Drayven"

"Heh. Why am I not surprised? And with how that guy thinks he probably knows the consequences of destroying the stone. As for you, why would you be so stupid as to let yourself be used like that?"

"I didn't know the stone was important. We demons are ostracized over the fact that we are not original descendants of Aghanon so alot of things were hidden from us. We had no knowledge of the trinity stone or what it meant to Aghanon"

I had to sign. It's not like I can blame him for being in the dark.

"Just— fix it. You made this mess so you fix it. Got that?"

"Yes. Thank you."

I waved my hands at him impatiently

"Let's call it a night shall we? There's a big day ahead tomorrow "

"Goodnight everyone "