20

Chapter 20

Central Plaza, Cornell Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2050, Planet: Grimoire

Even as he contemplated telling his story, Grifton hesitated. "Actually, this might not be the right place and time to tell it." He looked around the small room. "It doesn't feel right without the others here." Why did he feel uncomfortable about not including them? That was so odd, especially now that he knew they were related to him through a common sire. That last was more fantastic than anything else he'd faced until now.

Much to his surprise, Harper and Daryl expressed silent agreement. Harper exhaled. "Yes, I suppose you are right. On the other hand, if they hear it. They might want to go charging into another fight." He shrugged with a rueful smile.

Eh, Harper wasn't that different from his siblings, Grifton eyed him and Daryl skeptically. "You wouldn't do that yourself?" He shrugged when they blinked at him. "Do remember that you've consumed quite a bit of alcohol." He folded his arms. "I'll be surprised if any of you remember what I've told you all."

The two brothers looked at their hands and then back at him. "While that might be true," Harper conceded. "At least you'll have a willing audience."

That was true.

"Fine, let's order portions for the others." Grifton didn't doubt they'd been released from the probation office by now. "If we're going to do this, I want to be comfortable."

To him, comfort meant being in his quarters in the dormitory. Not in a restaurant where stray ears could eavesdrop on the conversation.

Much to Grifton's bemusement, Harper and Daryl took care of arranging for the delivery of food and paying for the meals consumed. All three of them took their time walking back to the dormitory that housed Grifton.

"I can't get over how weird this place is," Daryl mumbled. "It feels haunted."

Well, that is why Grifton was comfortable inside of it. "It is, but I'm not bothered by the spirits." He explained what he meant by his statement. "If anything, they're friendly and alert me when trouble attempts to find me." From their appreciative reactions, they'd had similar circumstances happen to them.

"So, you're used to elementals and spirits tagging along on your travels?" Even as he asked, Grifton watched as several fire, wind, and earth elementals danced around the two boys.

"Yes," Harper confirmed. "Mainly earth, fire, and wind for me."

Daryl was silent. "Metal, Spirit, and lightning," He twirled two gleaming daggers in his hands as he spoke, before making them vanish from sight.

Just in time because they approached the doorways where guards stood at attention.

They relaxed upon recognizing the trio of males.

Grifton waved a hand in friendly acknowledgement and then they passed through the main doorway.

Once inside, Grifton signed the log book as a resident. Once he finished, Daryl and Harper recorded their names as guests. While Grifton glanced over earlier entries he chuckled. "As I thought, the others are probably waiting impatiently for us to get up there."

Harper shook his head with amusement. "It seems to me that you knew this was going to happen eventually and prepared thoroughly for it." His rueful assessment made Grifton sigh.

"If that is so, then he's better at predicting events than even Anara and Sapphire which might make them somewhat jealous," Daryl commented.

"Nothing of the sort." Grifton denied wryly. "I don't have that type of talent. Instead, I just base my gut instinct on what events have already taken place." Maybe that was another kind of predictive ability, he knew nothing of that sort of thing. Magic and other stuff weren't his forte and these boys knew it.

Harper covered the awkward moment with a wry crack that made Grifton smile. "Well anyway, we're glad that you want to tell us more of your story before you depart."

Grifton led the way to his dorm room. He'd managed to amass enough credits to get a sizable apartment that fit his needs. It would hold eight people comfortably but no more than that.

Daryl peppered him with another question. "How far back are you willing to take us on the journey through the mists of time?"

That wasn't something that Grifton foresaw coming. He hesitated. "I don't know yet." He admitted. "I guess it depends on what you all want to know the most."

Sometimes they asked the weirdest stuff. Tonight was their only opportunity to ask him questions and get his story. Afterward, he would be making his way onto a solo route to figure out his limits and talents where he flourished that he hadn't quite made clear in all his years at the academy quite yet. It was a setback that dissatisfied Grifton quite a bit.

Well, it wasn't as if he didn't have time to rectify what was wrong. Maybe in telling his tale to the newfound relatives, Grifton could heal his heart wounds.

"I'll be able to tell you more once I'm somewhere I feel safe." He finally acknowledged that the dormitory room was definitely a place where he felt safe.

Grifton noticed that Harper and Daryl acknowledged that he wasn't going to answer anything else until they reached the room. Satisfied with their unspoken agreement not to ask any more questions, he reached the floor where he resided.

As expected, Grifton wasn't surprised to see the other six siblings sitting decorously on the chairs outside the door. They knew better than to attempt to go inside his room without his permission.

He unlocked the door after checking that no one messed with it. All of his little tricks for ensuring that no one got inside without his knowledge were observed by the siblings.

Much to his gratification, they were very appreciative of his safety measures. Once inside, Harper murmured. "You've given me new ways to improve security in my room as well."

There were other quiet agreements made by the kids. They really did like how he was handling all the newest surprises dumped into his lap.