GRAVICTA

CHAPTER 30.

"I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier. This is your dad's house and we shouldn't be trying to break into his privacy. I'm so sorry," I say as Zed and Puffer arrives.

"Um, no problem. He's dead anyways." Zed shrugs, his voice sounding so distant.

"Okay," I say, looking away from him.

"Did you get the stuffs we requested?" Buttertooth asks with a straight face. It seems like she's trying to protect me and I appreciate that.

"Yeah sure. Puffer insisted on carrying them for you. Probably didn't want me to get my filthy hands on them," he says lowly and walks towards the old door, holding the light out.

Puffer hands us the cover clothes and walks after him. "Dude what was that all about?"

"What do you mean?" Zed replies.

"You know exactly what I mean. Stop acting like a bitch to everyone," Puffer says angrily.

"Hey you two–" Buttertooth starts but gets interrupted by Puffer.

"Yeah that's right. He's been snapping at everyone who tries to talk to him ever since we arrived here," Puffer says and Zed scoffs.

"Let's just get this over with quickly. I'm sure you all don't want me here anyways," he says and opens the door, stepping in with the light.

We stare at each other for a while before walking in too. Puffer looks pissed but he doesn't say anything as we follow Zed through the hallway and into a big room filled with shelves and books. Zed lights up the fire lamps and in no time, the whole room is illuminated. Puffer walks around and opens a few windows, letting in fresh air and light.

"Wow. This place is so old," Buttertooth says, turning around.

"I think it's a library." I ignore her earlier statement. "I see only one reading table though."

"Just one? Where?" Buttertooth asks and I point at it.

"Over there. It looks more like a drawer than a table," I say as we all walk towards the table.

"So, this was a personal library then," Puffer chips in.

"Before we get digging, I think you two should know what I found out last night," I say, looking at the boys.

"Okay. So, what did you find out?" Puffer asks.

Buttertooth tells them everything this time and by the time she's done, the boys look so confused, especially Zed. I don't blame him though. It's hard to take in the fact that he has a half-brother that he hasn't met before.

"So, my mother wasn't the Priestess?" Zed mumbles to himself.

"Are you okay?" I ask, reaching my hand out to touch him but he flinches.

"Why do you care?" He spits and I immediately lose my calm.

"What is wrong with you?" I shout and for a brief moment I see his eyes widen in surprise but he gets rid of any emotion seconds later.

"What's wrong with me? Really now? You're asking me what's wrong with me?" His tone is calm but I can sense the anger beneath the calm.

"Yes, I am," I simply say as I place my hands on my hips.

"What's wrong with me is that I have been begging you all to forgive me. I know I made a mistake but honestly, I would still do the same thing even if I was given another chance. What the hell is so wrong about wanting to keep the ones you really care about out of harm's way?" He says, a frown beginning to appear on his face.

"So, you just left?" I say even though I can see that he's getting pissed.

"What was I supposed to do? Hey guys uhm, I have to go face a couple of demons you know, the usual. I might not make it though so you all just keep doing your thing and avoid being worried and all," he says sarcastically as he laughs out.

"We were worried still. I was worried. You didn't even send me a letter," I blurt out, tears starting to well up.

"And I apologized. I tried writing you a letter but I just couldn't say goodbye to you. What more can I do to make you all talk to me again?" He says calmly this time and I realize that he really misses us.

I guess we haven't really been playing fair with him lately. "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter. Let's just check this place out. I have a feeling that we might find out more about this lie of a life I am living. I'm excited, yay!" He says and opens the table drawers.

I decide not to speak. His whole life is turning out to be a lie and he now thinks he doesn't have friends to be there for him. I look at Buttertooth only to see that she looks just as sad and apologetic. Puffer puts his hands in his pockets and sighs. I'm guessing he too gets the situation.

"Letters?" I hear Zed's voice and my head turns towards his direction to see him holding some papers.

"What?" Puffer asks and he waves the papers.

"Letters." He deadpans.

"I get it. Are you going to check it out or what?" Puffer says and Buttertooth nudges him.

Zed opens an envelope and reads what's on the piece on paper inside it, leaving us all in suspense. After a while, he sighs and places it down, going over to the next one.

"What's in them?" Puffer asks.

"They are written by my dad and Mrs Purplestorm. It seems they were still communicating after all. She's asking about her son," Zed replies absentmindedly as he browses through the letters.

Puffer nods and everyone stays quiet for a while before Zed drops the letters completely and shakes his head. I want to ask if he's okay but I hold myself, remembering the last time I asked that. He looks up at us but his eyes land on me and remains there.

"I think I have an idea who my half-brother is," he says.

Removing his eyes from me and picking up a letter, he hands it over to Puffer.

"In every letter they both referred to the boy as son but in this letter, my dad mentioned a name," Zed continues.

Puffer opens it and reads it out. "Hello Purplestorm, I hope you are doing well. I'm sorry it's been so long since I sent a letter. I know you are sick worried about him but I assure you that the spell you put on him is working fine. No one will suspect a thing and most importantly, he's growing up just fine without any complications. Love from your son, Decklan."

"What!"