The Shadows ✔️ [TSS#3][BXB]

XII

"As soon as the storm clears.." My grandfather takes in a breath. "I'm taking my grandson back to the High Peaks, where he belongs-"

My eyes widen as I turn to my grandfather but he doesn't look at me. He continues to stare at my father, watching as his face crumbles at his words. My father's face then goes rigid and filled with fury as he leans closer to the elf.

"He belongs with me. With his family in the Dry Lands-"

"I am more family to him than you ever were! You were never there! You only want him now because he is older and capable of raising your goddamn army of savages! I raised him! He is more my boy than yours-"

"No." I state lowly and I didn't need to raise my voice for them to hear me. My input was vital to them surprisingly and they all looked at me.

"I'm not going anywhere. For now, I'm staying here. This is not about us anymore. Not about what's best for me. There are people, not just elves but Dry Landers, simple travellers from the Wet Divide-they are travelling here because they are looking for shelter and not just from some storm..."

I look at both of them. Here goes everything.

"We are in the middle of a war whether you want to believe it or not. The only place that is reasonably safe anymore is here but in time, the Sky Lanes will be at the hands and mercy of the Shadow prince."

There is silence as Bow nods at me in understanding. Seeing the bigger picture. Malakei and my father do the same as Anya stares at me with a frown. My grandfather suddenly lets out a comical laugh.

"There is no war Keylin." He frowns at me, amusement playing in his eyes. "The storm is strange yes but a war? Impossible."

"It is true." My father says seriously as he looks to my grandfather with a little less anger.

"I have faced them. My warriors have faced them, even Keylin has faced them. Staring straight in the face of Maximus Sarcovnia himself."

"You lie!" My grandfather seethes, his worrying face turning to me. "They have brainwashed you Keylin. They are putting these thoughts in your head! There is no war!"

"Why are you here?" I suddenly question as I frown at the ground before looking at him. He sighs tiredly and goes to speak but I don't let him and continue.

"We spent our day making sure that your elves had somewhere to sleep tonight and food in their stomachs. Where were you? Why were you not with them?" I question as my eyebrows knit together in disappointment the longer my grandfather stays in silence.

He was inside, in the warmth reading his God damn book while his elves suffered and shivered with the cold.

In the end I turned away from him, not able to look at him anymore as I began to leave.

"Until you both can talk to one another without wanting to tear each other apart, don't attempt to talk to me." I mutter angrily as I brush past them, heading towards the dining room doors and ignoring their calls of protest.

—

The next few days go by rather quickly. I insisted on spending my days helping with the refuges and making sure they were settled and had enough to eat for the day.