The Remnant

Chapter 60

"I'm proud of you," Valtair said after a few seconds.

I blinked a few times to confirm I wasn't imagining things.

"What?!"

"I said, I'm proud of you," Valtair chuckled.

"Uhhh... Thanks."

Not wanting to look him in the eye, I decided to focus on the lines of my palms. To say I felt confused and uncomfortable, would be an understatement. If this were a movie, we'd just gone off script.

"I always knew you were stronger and smarter than the other children your age," Valtair told me.

A soft scoff escaped my lips. "This isn't the first time you tell me this."

Valtair's lips curled upward, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "I know, I know... A few years ago, when you came to my room and showed me you could use magic, I was so happy. You have no idea how proud I felt. I was the proudest father in the entire world..."

Not knowing how to respond to such a comment, I opted to stay quiet.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, son. There are a lot of things I haven't told you," Valtair confessed.

The moment the words left his lips, my eyes widened in excitement. If this was him trying to open up, this could be my chance to pry some answers out of him. I needed to get him talking.

"You can always count on me, father."

"I know, son." Valtair smiled and patted me on the shoulder. "Although I trust you, I'm also aware that you and I have very different views on the world. You could say I'm a little bit more old school."

"Yeah?"

Valtair nodded. "I know you weren't pleased when I declared war against Eldrath. I also know you aren't keen on the old ways and traditions of our world."

"Of course, I'm not," I snorted.

"I was once like you," Valtair recounted. "When I first became King, I also wanted to change the old ways. I wanted to break the barrier that separated us from other races. And I tried to do just that. I put my faith in the hands of other races, hoping it would change the world. Our world."

"What happened?"

Valtair's gaze darkened. "I was betrayed..."

I waited a few seconds, hoping to hear more details, but they never came. Whatever it was that had happened, he was determined to keep it a secret.

"I apologize if I made you feel uncomfortable." Valtair took a deep breath, forcing a smile in my direction.

I shook my head. "It's fine."

"If there's one thing I want you to get out of this conversation, it's this." Valtair leaned back in his chair, letting out a sigh. "The only people you can ever trust are your family. Everyone else is out to get you."

A few seconds passed before Valtair continued. "The day you were born was one of the happiest days of my life. I still remember it like it was yesterday... You were so small back then... Even though I felt joy, I also recall feeling an immense sense of fear when I first held you. Even now, I still fear my enemies will one day hurt you, to get to me."

As subtly as I could, I inhaled deeply, suppressing the wave of anger boiling in my chest. To him, this was a father and son bonding moment. To me, this was something else. Something very different. If I could describe what I was thinking in one word, that word would be unworthy.

If it was up to me, I'd take out my sword and cut off his tongue. This person, no, this devil, had no right to voice the things he was saying. That fear he was describing, that very same emotion was something I felt too in my old life. I felt it many times.