“Monkshood and Mountain Ash.” Trisha completed. “You’re right. How come we never put these pieces together?”
“They also have assault rifles. I saw them with my own eyes.” Dalett added. They all looked at her. “What?”
“Are you telling us that now?” Jade inquired.
“Well. It slipped my mind.”
“Dalett, something like this shouldn’t slip your mind!” Trisha yelled. “This is about our friend Selena. This is about trying to assist her.”
“But you said we couldn’t trigger her.”
“Forget what I said, Dalett. Now, I want something we don’t know that you know, because I know Riot was not the only one you were sneaking away to see.”
“Who is Riot?” Selena asked.
“The Garden Boy.” Trisha clarified.
Dalett swallowed. “I feel Riot has been snooping around Selena since she arrived at the mansion. I have caught him several times in places he shouldn’t be, but he always finds solutions and words to keep me from suspecting. Now that I think about it, I don’t think he even likes me. He did all those romantic things so I would not suspect anything about him.”
“And what romantic gesture is that, Dalett?”
“Shouldn’t it be private?” Jade asked Trisha.
“Okay, whatever. Anyway, tell me. What is the good news now that we know your grandfather hunts werewolves?”
Jade sighed. “I don’t remember anymore.”
“What?”
“All this talking has made me forget the good news. But I have got something we can work on.” They all awaited her statement. “Why don’t we kill that Riot guy?”
“Are you insane?” Trisha asked.
“You are thirteen, Jade.” Selena said.
“Fourteen.” Jade corrected again.
“How could you think about murdering someone at your age?” Dalett asked.
“Is there a better idea? This guy knows too much. If he was snooping around Selena, he must have noticed... Err.... Estry.”
“And who is Estry?” Selena asked.
“That is a question for another day, Selena.” Jade said. “Think about it. If this guy bluffs, your friendship is over. So, what do you think? Would Grandfather forgive Selena and allow her to roam freely around where humans live? No! He would not. He won’t hesitate to put a gun to her head and blow her brains out. He wouldn’t hesitate to take her to a lab and subject her to experiments. He wouldn’t hesitate...”
“Alright, stop!” Trisha yelled. “We understand your point, Jade.”
“Do you?”
“We do. But there must be another way.”
“There is no other way, Trisha. Unless we also kill our grandfather.”
“Why are you so thirsty for blood?” Trisha was concerned.
“Well, I have been watching some horror films recently.” Jade laughed. “I want to practise killing in real life.”
“Jesus, Christ, Jade!”
“But, guys, think about it. If your grandfather hunts werewolves, what about your parents? Are they aware? Are they one, too? Your mother was also suspicious at that time. Do you believe they are in a cult or something? What about Hania? Does she know?”
“That isn’t possible, Dalett. Isabel doesn’t seem to be the killer type. She may have a sexy figure, but...” Trisha paused. “...will look sexy wearing leather trousers and holding a rifle.” Trisha gasped when she locked eyes with Jade. “What if what Dalett says is true? What if?”
“My parents don’t hunt wolves, guys.” Selena said. “They work in the real estate industry.”
“Does this explain their money and wealth? Because I don’t believe real estate professionals are as wealthy as your family. Perhaps the first thing we should do is look into your family’s history and how they got to where they are today.” Trisha said.
“Like going back on a mission with the team?” Dalett asked.
“I hate to say it, but I am in.” Jade took a deep breath. “It is time to clear our doubts. It is time to figure out what is going on with my strange family, and we need to start at this point.”
* * * *
Selena was discharged early. Her mother had decided that her therapy session should begin right away. Selena was waiting for the bomb to go off, despite the fact that Isabel had not informed her that she was heading to rehab. When her memories returned, she couldn’t wait. Jade believes that things would be simpler in that case.
“I will be in my room.” Selena moved away from her mother and towards the stairs.
“Be sure your door is open!” Isabel yelled just as Selena was about to enter her room.
Selena sighed while sitting on her bed. If only there was a way of remembering. She couldn’t travel far from home. She refused to return to her normal self after rehab. She sighed once more. Her legs started trembling impatiently. Selena threw her pillow out of her sight in frustration and closed her eyes.
“You cannot force yourself to remember. You will only hurt yourself.” Jade picked up the pillow from the entrance as she approached Selena.
“What should I do then?”
“Have you ever heard the story of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty?” Jade asked as she placed the pillow on the bed and took a seat.
Selena turned to face her. “Disney Princesses?”
“Yep.”
“So what about them?”
“Selena, they were patient. Although they received a true love kiss to wake them up, this will not suffice in your case. You don’t even have true love.”
“You are not wrong, but I have chemistry with a certain someone.”
“Titus?”
“Hmmmm...” Selena shot her a quick glance.
Jade shakes her head. “Nothing; I said nothing.”
”No. I swear you said Titus.”
“Then you misheard me. Who is this person with whom you seem to connect? It doesn’t seem like that person is Xavier.”
Selena got out of bed and gently closed the door. “To stop anyone from listening.”
“No one is with us here,” Jade explained.
“We’re not aware of that. This town is simply too strange.” Selena approached Jade again and sat down.
“No, this is not Xavier. His name is Titus.”
“Who is Titus?”
“Max’s brother.”
“Have you been hanging out with Max’s brother?” Jade knew. She had given Titus some information on how to persuade Selena to his side. She was their cupid, but she lacked a costume and accessories such as an arrow and a bow to complete her appearance.
“Don’t tell Trisha or Dalett.”
“Well, I won’t. Are you happy? Are you going any further? Do you feel there will be a relationship? "Does he like you too?”
“There are too many questions.” Selena spoke, then nodded slowly. “I’m glad we are getting closer, but there is something weird about him.”
“What is?”
“He is mysterious.” Jade raised an eyebrow as Selena continued. “He is a bad boy, and we haven’t gone any further. Yet.” She blushed.
“So, do you like him? He likes you, right?”
“I think he is just flirting with me. Do you think this means he likes me?”
“I am not in his mind. Selena, I understand how you know when a boy likes you.”
“You are fourteen.”
“I am four... Hey, you got it right this time, but just because I am four years younger than you does not mean I am less experienced.”
“Are you having sex?”
“Definitely not! Eww! My body is being reserved for the right person. Selena, I’m not like you. Well, you will know if he likes you. He will behave in a variety of ways, including with care. Trying to understand what is going on in your life. This includes who you hang out with and, if he learns you have a boyfriend, his desire to end your relationship.”
Selena gave a soft nod. “I think he likes me. Jade. I told him about Xavier and me, and he wants our relationship to end. He said I don’t love Xavier.”
“You don’t love Xavier. Everyone knows you don’t love Xavier. Xavier knows you don’t love him. This is obvious. Why don’t you break up with Xavier and date this Titus guy? He sounds dreamy.”
“He is dreamy. He is a bad boy. I prefer bad boys. You are correct. I will try to meet up with him tomorrow so we can get to know each other. Perhaps we will share our first kiss together. I really like him; he gives me chills.”
“Then do it. Break up with Xavier and go out with Titus.”
“However, I have also been thinking about something else.” Selena locked her gaze on Jade. “How do I get him to come over to me?”
Jade stood up. She did not want to tell Selena that she could let it happen. She denied not knowing who Titus was ten minutes earlier. “Do you believe in fate? If you believe this, Titus will see you even if you don’t contact him. I heard that when you think about someone you love too much, fate brings them to you.”