we don't talk about us// Camilo Madrigal x oc

I15I

(This chapter is really important to the storyline so pay close attention to Dolores's story)

Camilo helplessly watched as Avon disappeared out of Casa Madrigal. He glared defiantly at Alma, a furious expression on his face. 

"What the fuck?" he shouted. "She didn't do anything wrong and you're treating her like some kind of criminal!" 

"You don't know her, Camilo," Alma's voice was annoyingly calm as she stared at her grandson. "You don't know the Temprestrians like I do! They're responsible for your Abuelo's death! People like that are not worth associating with." 

"But she didn't do any of that," Camilo protested. "Avon didn't do anything that you're accusing her of." 

Alma narrowed her eyes. "They are all the same." 

"I love her," Camilo said, playing his last card. His eyes widened as if he couldn't believe he'd just admitted that. It was true. He stared down at the faded markings on his arms. They were very faint, almost invisible. 

Bruno and Mirabel let out identical gasps. Several more shocked gasps came from the doorway as Pepa, Felix, Dolores, and Isabela suddenly appeared. 

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Alma finally lost her temper, her face turning red. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT LOVE IS! AND YOU CERTAINLY DON'T LOVE HER!" 

Camilo's POV 

But I did. 

My voice shook slightly. "It's one thing to send Avon away with no real evidence, but it's another to try and tell me what I feel." I blinked, avoiding the eyes of my family as I walked out of the room. I wondered if there was any hope of finding Avon again. Maybe she'd disappeared for good. 

She left willingly this time. Well, sort of. Pain filled my chest, nearly making me trip on the stairs. The markings on my arms glowed brightly before going out and becoming faint again. I had no idea what that meant but I was sure it wasn't a good sign. 

About ten minutes later, I heard a knock on my door. Dolores poked her head in, her eyebrows raised with concern. 

"Cami, you alright?" 

I shot her an annoyed glance. "What do you think?" 

She opened the door wider, stepping in and closing it swiftly behind her. "Is it true that you and Avon have Soulmarks? And that she's from Temprest?" 

"Yes," I muttered dully. "Are you also going to tell me why Temprest is bad?" 

"No," Dolores sighed. "But I have to tell you something else." 

"What?" I let my head droop down, my voice muffled by my pillow. "Please not more bad news." 

"Interpret it however you like," Dolores said, in a lowish tone. She sat down next to me on my bed. "Did Abuela ever tell you the story of Averly and Blagden Meliac?" 

"Meliac..that's Avon's last name," I said slowly. "Yeah, it sounds a bit familiar." 

"Averly and Blagden were a part of the army who killed Abuelo. In fact, I think it was Blagden Meliac who struck Abuelo all those years ago," Dolores said that last part quietly, folding her hands together and swallowing hard. "Blagden and Averly were two of the most dangerous Temprestrians. They were assassins." 

"What does this—" I cut myself off. "What do they have to do with Avon?" 

"She's their daughter, Cami." 

"No," I said, my eyes darting to the side. "But if they were alive when Encanto was first built, wouldn't that make them as old as Abuela now? They couldn't be Avon's...parents." 

"They had gifts of their own," Dolores said gently. "And one of the gifts was basic immortality." 

"More than one gift." 

"Yes." Dolores blinked. "You see why Abuela hates her so much?" 

"But she didn't steal the Miracle—" 

"Hang on," Dolores said. "I haven't finished. A few weeks before you got your gift, you got extremely sick." 

"I was?" I frowned, confusion flooding my brain. "I don't remember that." 

"I'm getting there," Dolores said patiently. "Not even Tia Julieta could heal you. We tried everything...Abuela was out of her mind with worry and Mama just about destroyed the house with ten thunderstorms every night. I thought you weren't going to make it. Then, Averly Meliac sent a message to Encanto saying that her daughter was extremely sick..and to tell us about the Soulmarks." 

I stayed silent for a second. "How did she know that Avon's Soulmarks matched mine?" 

"Call it intuition," Dolores waved her hand. "But if you want to get technical...she probably used her abilities. Anyways, Blagden Meliac wanted nothing to do with us. He certainly didn't want his daughter to be associated with the Madrigals, much less have one of them be her soulmate." Dolores paused for a breath. "So on the day of your gift ceremony, Averly snuck Avon out of Temprest and brought her here. The result was instantaneous." 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 

"Soulmates of age can't be apart, Cami," Dolores laughed quietly. "They'll die without each other." 

My brain hit rock bottom. "Then how come Avon and I didn't die after that? We were separated, right?" 

Dolores took a breath. "Not exactly..."