Rebellion (22 page)

“Is there a problem?” I asked the boy.

He shook his head before speaking. “No. There is no problem,” he replied. He handed the plate to Isaac. Wrinkles creased the skin between his eyebrows when he laid eyes on Isaac.

“Thank you.” A thin smile crossed Isaac’s lips. He tilted his face to the side as he grabbed the plate, noticing Arundel’s strange reaction.

Arundel started making his way back to his father. He came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the room. “Are you…a Nephilin?” He shifted his eyes to me.

“He is with us,” Petra said in a sharp voice.

Arundel strolled his hand through his raven hair. “I am sorry. I did not mean to be rude. You are our guests.” He was about to turn his back to us when he looked at Isaac once again. “Have we met before?”

Isaac shook his head. “You have probably met my father, Dustin Khan. People say that we look alike.”

“Diane and Dustin are your parents?” Arundel’s eyebrows rose. “They are here! They are ups—”

“Arundel, keep handing out these plates, please,” said Alistar in a strong voice.

Isaac frowned, standing to his feet. “They are here? In your house? Why did you not tell me?”

“Isaac, you have to listen.” Alistar dropped the plate he held in his hand on the table.

“I want to see them,” Isaac said, his voice rising.

“Something happened.” Alistar crossed his hands in front of him, holding his head high.

“What happened?” Isaac spread out his hands, looking at Alistar with fervent eyes.

“It is not an easy thing to explain…” Alistar’s voice trailed off as he made his way to Isaac.

Isaac’s chest heaved with heavy breaths. He clenched his hands into fists. In an instant, he turned his back to us and shot his way up the stairs. His footsteps sounded like rocks falling down a cliff.

“Wait, Isaac!” Demetre leaped to his feet, running to him.

“Demetre!” I shouted. He turned to me. “Let him be.”

He raised his eyes, looking up at the staircase. “Why would you lie to him?” He turned his gaze to Alistar.

“Your friend is not ready to face the harsh truth that awaits him,” Alistar said.

“What harsh truth?” Demetre’s shoulders rose with a slight turn of his face. “After all we have been through, no truth or lie would ever have the power to break us again.”

With his right hand, Alistar scratched his forehead.

“Do not speak of things that you do not know, Demetre. You know a fraction of the truth.”

An uncomfortable silence lingered.

“I am sorry, Alistar,” Adara said with her head low. “We should all be grateful for what you are doing here today.”

Alistar reached for a plate holding a piece of bread. “Don’t worry about me.” He walked to Adara. “Your friend is the one that will need your support and courage.” He stretched his hand, handing her the plate.

ISAAC

XV

I marched my way up the stairs, determined to find my parents. Why would Alistar lie to me? What was he hiding? Like a pursuing enemy, rage kept coming after me. I had to forget about him—at least for now.

There was a door to my left. Its silver knob glistened under the candles that burned on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

With fumbling hands, I twisted the doorknob.

“Mom! Dad!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I peeked inside the room. An empty bed covered by a colorful quilt was sitting next to the window, and a ragged white rug sat at the foot of the bed.

I closed my hand, slamming my palm against the door in frustration.

Another door was in front of me. I repeated my previous act.

“Are you in…” My voice disappeared. Numbness shot up my entire body. My knees trembled.

Here they were. The most important people in my life were lying on a bed, covered in white blankets. They were alive.

I could not move for a while. So many times I had fought against the belief that their lives had been taken. With tears streaming down my face, I tromped my way to them.

“Dad.” I took in deep, fast breaths, sitting next to him. His skin was pale, his face covered in bruises and wounds. “Dad,” I repeated, this time, shaking him. He did not wake.

I gazed at his face. In my childhood, there had been such pride in me when people talked about how my dad and I had the same face.

“All this time I thought you were dead,” I said, disregarding the fact that he was unconscious. “And here you are, right in front of me.” I laid my head on his chest; his heartbeat was nothing more than a soft murmur.

On the other side of the room was my mother.

I stood to my feet, making my way to her.

“Mom, I am here.” I sat on the edge of the bed.

Her golden hair cascaded above her shoulders. Though she lay unconscious, I found a way to wrap her in my arms.

“It was not easy for me to wake up and not find you in the kitchen that morning. You were gone…” I shuddered at the memories that invaded my mind.

Her skin was pale and cold.

“Can you hear me, Mom?” I waited for her to react to my voice. She did not move. My eyes watched her for a few seconds. I laid her back on the bed, releasing her from my arms.

With elbows rested on my knees, I bowed my head. What had happened to them? What had led them here?

There was a soft knock on the door. I looked back and saw Demetre. It would have been impossible to miss the surprised look on his face as he surveyed the room.

“They are alive, my friend.” My trembling lips curved into a thin smile.

Demetre’s eyes filled with tears as he rushed his way in.

“I cannot believe it.” He stood beside me, looking at my parents.

My smile turned grim. Though I was glad to see them alive, I was also worried.

“We will take this as a sign.” Demetre had a soft grin stamped on his face.

“A sign?” I furrowed my eyebrows, tilting my head to the side.

“That we will succeed in this journey. I thought I was never going to see them again.” He sat beside me. “Yet here they are, alive.”

I placed my arm around his shoulder. “You know, Demetre, I could never have gotten this far without you, my friend. It was because of your companionship that I was able to remain strong in the Wastelands of Tristar.”

He let out a low laugh. “Do not forget that it was you that always protected me.”

It had been a long time since I had felt hope spring up in my heart. Though the world had changed, the three people I cared for the most in my life had not. They were here with me, inside this room.

“Why do you think Alistar did not want to reveal to me that my parents were here?” I wondered if I had made the right choice by following him to this village.

“Maybe you should go ask him, Isaac. If it had not been for him, you would never have seen your parents again,” Demetre replied.

My eyes shied away from his. I nodded, thinking about how I had reacted. Despite the fact that I was uneasy about Alistar, he had brought me to my parents.

“You are right.” My hands pressed on my knees.

Demetre and I rose to our feet, walking out of the room. I glanced back, looking at my parents once again.

I descended the stairs, avoiding any eye contact with my companions or my hosts. Demetre was at my heels.

“How are you feeling, Isaac?” Xylia inquired, walking her way to me.

A shy smile appeared on my face. “I am alright.”

Her arms wrapped around me in a tender embrace. Her heart was beating at a rapid pace.

“I am glad they are alive,” she whispered in my ear.

I returned her embrace.

“Thank you.” There was such comfort in her embrace. It was odd having all these positive emotions strike me at once.

“Please sit,” said Alistar, pointing to one of the stools.

Devin had his eyes fixed on Alistar as he nibbled on a piece of bread. “How are they doing, Isaac?” he asked.

“They appear to be well,” I replied as I took a seat. “I found it strange that they did not move from their beds. They looked unconscious.”

“That does not surprise me,” said Alistar. He picked up a plate with a piece of bread on it and placed it on the table in front of me. “You have to eat.” His eyes bore deep into mine.

I broke the piece of bread in half, waiting for him to elaborate on his previous comment. His son and daughter stood next to the fireplace, watching.

“One of my men informed us that an army of dark creatures arose from the Ruins of Madbouseux. He claimed he saw men with wings like dragons leading this army.” He sighed. “There was such fear in his face as he shared the story with me.”

“What did these dark creatures look like?” Devin laid the bread on the table.

“They had yellow eyes, similar to a feline’s,” said Arundel from the corner of the room. His sudden response startled us all.

“Arundel, please,” said Alistar, darting him an impatient look.

“Their mouths were long and thin,” he continued, disregarding his father’s order. “They looked human, though scales covered their bodies.”

“Be quiet, Arundel.” I was surprised when I saw Alistar’s fist pound the wooden table.

“I was the one who saw the creature.” Arundel scowled at his father. “I saw them—”

“Hold your tongue. This is my house and you live under my roof. Please refrain from speaking.”

An uncomfortable silence lingered. Sela ran to her brother’s side. In anger, he wrapped his arm around his sister, walking to the door.

“You’d better not—”

Arundel slammed the door before his father could finish his sentence.

“Please excuse him,” Alistar said after a brief silence. He pressed the tips of his fingers between his brows. “My son thinks too highly of himself.”

“Arundel saw the army?” Ballard asked, walking closer to Alistar.

“Yes.” There was anger in Alistar’s voice. “He did leave out a very important detail about this newfound army.”

We already had Nephilins, Fallen Stars, and all sorts of dark creatures against us. A part of me did not want to know what this important detail was.

His face shifted in the direction of the fireplace. His eyes watched the fire dance. “They were seen flying away from the ruins.” His voice was low and ominous.

“What are they?” Xylia asked, crossing her arms.

“We do not know what they are. There are no accounts of these creatures.” Arundel ambled around the room. “Lucifer’s army grows strong.”

I took a small bite from the piece of bread I held in my hand. All this information was of great importance, but I wanted to know why my parents were lying on a bed in a stupor.

“Two days ago, my men were patrolling the Road of Ahnor when we found three bodies hanging from a tree. They had been burned and mutilated. We only knew who they were because of the royal jewels they wore.” Alistar reached into his pocket. With his left hand, he took out three brooches.

He held up one that was shaped like an Aquila with its wings spread wide. “This one is made out of bronze,” he said, twirling the brooch between his fingers. “This design can be easily recognized.”

“That is the emblem of the Kingdom of Tarsh,” said Devin, gazing at the jewel.