The Serpent's Enigma

36 | Mother

I've had you four intense, suspenseful chapters, so this one will be heartwarming; I promise 😂 ❤️

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

Try with all of your might
But none can hide from this unforgiving moonlight
Every step I take, every fallen tear
Weaves another lie, a curse I will bear

There's a part of me, struggling to break free
It lives within the dark

That brilliant light is beyond my reach
Maybe I belong here – beneath the light of the moon

— AKIRA, Pale Full Moon

.·。.·゜·༺♥༻ ·゜·。.

CAL VELIUS LEROY

Cal Junior lowered himself deeper into the warm water of the tub, peeking at his father as he went out to fetch some fresh towels.

He hadn't been able to forgive himself for getting Gigi in that accident, and honestly, he was still quite shaken over what happened in the forest; the encounter with the strange man.

This was the first time in his life when he thought that having these powers might not be all rainbows and unicorns. There was his magical encounter with Fate, and possibly dragons and the Five Muses. Those were good things. But there were also worse things, like the man, lurking in the dark.

Another thing that was bothering him was the man admitted to his middle name, Velius. Seeing how he was older than him, it couldn't be possible that he was the one named after Junior? His father had gotten his middle name from the first Emperor of Angletonia; so he should at least have gotten his from another Leroy sovereign, right?

Soon enough, his father came in with one of their big, warm towels. Waiting for Junior to come out of the water, Senior wrapped his arms around him like big, protective wings. Which again, reminded him—even though with powers—how small he really was.

Should he try to ask him about his namesake? There's a chance that he might be given an answer, but Cal was too scared of what he'd unravel.

"Junior?" Senior spoke first, dragging him out of his trance.

"...Mmm?"

"Is there something on your mind, dear?"

Yes. "No," answered Junior lazily.

His father knelt down, inspecting his temperature. "Are you sick?"

"No." This time he answered with certainty, looking back into his father's eyes. He was sick of himself, really.

"Then why don't you just talk to me?" Senior questioned kindly. Junior realized that he hadn't been giving his father more than one syllable. "You haven't spoken much... since yesterday."

Junior lowered his gaze, wrapping the towel tightly around himself. "Father, I... I am responsible for what happened to Gigi. You know I am to blame, so you have to punish me."

Senior's eyes narrowed; for a moment he was taken aback by what Junior asked for. "I don't blame anyone, Junior. It was an accident, and I would never punish you for it."

"You would've if it were someone else," Junior insisted. "Why make an exception?"

Taking a deep breath, Senior raised his brows before he continued, "If it were an adult person, then yes, I will have them abide by the law. But you are young, Junior. You're going to make mistakes that you never intend to, and you regret your actions; that's all that matters."