Greykin Valley

| 54 | Reiner Manor

There were a lot of paintings and photos lined along the walls of the hallway Jackson followed Raphael into. Several were either of Lord Caedis or had him in them with another man and some children, and Jackson started to wonder whether this was or used to be his home.

"Um...if you don't mind me asking, what is this place?" Jackson asked, looking over his shoulder at the twins.

"Reiner Manor," one of the twins answered.

And the other said, "Caedis and his husband used it as a family home during the first human-Caeleste world war to keep their kids away from it all."

"Human-Caeleste world war?" Jackson questioned.

"Yeah, hard to imagine, right?" the twin with the star in his eye said with a scoff. "Once upon a time, the humans got so sick of how insignificant they are that they started a world war."

"That wasn't the reason," Raphael called irritably as he turned right into another open lounge, but there wasn't anyone sitting on the black leather couches, the dark red curtains were drawn, and the fireplace was empty.

The twins went silent as they shot irritated looks at each other, and Jackson could have sworn he heard one of them mutter, "Nerd."

"What's with the star in your eye?" Jackson then asked.

"Sectoral heterochromia," the twin in question answered. "It's how everyone knows I'm Amos and he's Elias," he said, nudging his brother's arm with his elbow.

"That and how annoying you are," Elias grumbled.

Raphael stopped outside a pair of oak double doors, which he knocked on and then waited.

"Is Maleki even still here?" Amos muttered to his brother.

"No idea," Elias replied.

"Come," came a voice from behind the doors.

Raphael opened the door and led the way inside.

Jackson glanced around the huge, bright office for a moment; like the halls, there were pictures and paintings all over the white walls and the mahogany panelling. Sunlight shone in through the three huge arched windows on the back wall, and a balcony wrapped around the left and right walls and above the door, providing access to many book-stuffed shelves. A crystal chandelier hung from the rib vaulted ceiling, and the fireplace on the left wall was burning brightly.

But his attention swiftly shifted to the two people by the desk at the end of the room. The man sitting in the chair had a concerned look on his stubbly face; his black hair was combed and parted in the middle, falling to his jawline, and a cigarette was burning in the ashtray beside his coffee cup. The brunette woman standing beside the man had a tired look on her face, and sadness lingered in her green eyes.

"Oh, Elder Idina," Amos said nervously as he and his brother waited by the doors while Raphael escorted Jackson closer to the desk. "S-sorry, we didn't realize you were here."

"Oh, don't mind me," Elder Idina said as she looked over at them.

"Is this the guy?" the man asked as he picked up his cigarette and drew a light breath while nodding at Jackson.

Raphael stopped in front of the desk and nodded.

Jackson stood beside the orange-haired man; he was nervous, and the smell of tobacco was making him feel a little uncomfortable. Eric smoked a lot, and the stench forced the memory of his stepfather to the front of his mind.

Idina patted the man's head and said, "I'll leave you to it." She walked around from behind the desk, and as she passed Raphael, she quietly said, "Be good, Raphael." And when she passed the twins, they both bowed their heads respectfully to her.