Alonso, Nathan, Kalbreal, and Clare were standing downstairs in silence, neither of them wanting to
talk about what had just happened. It was as though none of them really registered the reality of the
situation.
Kalbreal moved slowly toward her, stopping a foot away he stared at her without an uttered word. He
didn’t need to say a thing when his expression said it all. At that moment Clare looked at him and knew
the look of regret and remorse. Joining Kalbreal and Clare before either one of them looked away was
the older man with her mother’s body cradled in his arms. The corpse looked so alive but gone at the
same time like her soul still remained trapped in its skin.
Seeing her mother’s body like that hurt Clare, she spun on her heel and walked away. Once a safe
distance was reached, Clare kept her vision pinned on the older man who was at least in his late
thirties. If she had to sum him up in two words, she'd say unpolished and rugged.
Thick eyebrows, a forty-eight-hour shadow, with short curly unkempt hair, he didn't give a damn about
how he looked. She herself always obsessed with what people looked like. Maybe too outsiders Clare
was shallow, but people didn't understand.
The only thing staring back at her was what she saw when she looked in the mirror, looks. She didn't
have all the memories that came with it. She didn't even know who was her father.
The brown leather pants and t-shirt the older man wore was an exact replica of what the others had
worn that morning. Only his was strapped and loaded with a vast amount of weaponry, from knives and
swords to two gun holsters packed with silver guns.
He gave her mother’s lifeless body to Nathan, “Take her.” he said to Nathan in a deep baritone voice,
“We can still perform the moon ceremony without Calub. If Barbatos has come, that means there’s a
much greater Tempter. I’m sure your mother gave you a message.” At Nathan’s grim nod, he continued
with his orders, “Alert the Garde, put a flame in the Aquadore mountain, we going to need all the help
we can get.”
Nathan obeyed the order without a word, then rushed toward the black BMW. Alonso acknowledged
her, as he spoke to the older man, who seemed to be in charge, “Caidrian, What about Clare? She’s a
mess.” Even though she had no tears evident she didn’t bother arguing with that statement as she sat
at bottom of the steps.
“I’ll bring her myself, and next time it’s best to carry proper weapons.”
Kalbreal ordered, “I’ll alert the Orderian, I’m quicker.”
Caidrian nodded, “Thank you,” not having anything else to say to the boys Nathan and Alonso left a
while after, taking the jeep, leaving just Clare, Caidrian, and Kalbreal standing in the parking lot.
Caidrian watched her, his emotions closed off, “I’ll get the car, a lift Kalbreal?”
Kalbreal pointed to a black Porsche parked a few cars away from them, “I’m good.”
Caidrian left, and she turned to face Kalbreal, “What are you still doing here?” Smiling at her question
he tilted his head, eyes on hers, “Gonna clean the mess upstairs, I don’t think the other’s thought about
it.”
She wiped the dust from her eyes with the back of her hand, as a heavy wind blew.
“CLARE, I’m sorry I couldn’t save her, I don’t know your hurt and pain, but what you did back there was
reckless.”
“Please Kalbreal don’t, I…” he went closer to her, his breath kissed her neck as he whispered in her
ear, making her forget all that she was going to say, but not in a sexual way, but a temporary lull, “I
have waited eight years to meet you again, I always imagined it with smiles, I’m sorry it has come to
this.”
She looked at him, curious, as to, what did he mean ‘again’ when Caidrian drove up right next to where
they stood, interrupting her on getting any answers. Kalbreal stepped back and lowered his eyes, but
never bowed his head, she noted that he never did drop his head. It was a sign of pride, and he was
always proud, she wished she could have had some of his.
Caidrian revved the engine, “Clare let’s go, See you in the realm, Kalbreal.”
Clare looked at Kalbreal before he turned, but he didn’t look back, just continued up the stairs.
“Who dented the car?” Caidrian asked her as she jumped in the car. It was the first time he had
addressed her head-on,. Having no interest in his questions, or even a slight inclination to answer it,
her eyes stayed glued to the window.
The urge to kill should have lessened by the death of the Tempter, but all she could feel was a slow-
burning fire waiting to be released from her chest, a need for justice. She thought of her history
teacher’s last lesson, he said that there was power in vengeance, but the true power was how you
chose to apply it. Watching the trees pass by, Clare knew that the only application she’ll make was the
one with Tempters’ blood, and just that very thought eased something inside her, it wasn’t much but
she would find a way to keep it.
They parked outside a forest entrance. The whole drive Caidrian had stayed quiet, now, however, he
was holding her gaze with a pained expression, making her want to flinch at his pitiful face, “How much
did Franchesca tell you. Do you know who I am?” Her no answer was answer enough, “It was
Franchesca’s idea to separate you from all this and the rest of us for so long.”
“Franchesca meaning Michelle, my mother, I know Nathan's my brother, and my mother’s dead, so I
guess there isn’t much left to know, is there.” “I’m your father, there’s that, and a whole lot more, which
I’ll explain to you soon, if you give me a chance.”
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