Chapter 56

THE LEGEND OF THE PHOENIX

LOU

I was feeling better now, the taste in my mouth had returned and my head didn’t throb with pain as it did earlier. My mother told me that my high school friends came to check on me. It was not rocket science that the two people who had come to check on me were Jameson and Christian – no other person will come to check on me, not after what had happened.

I also noticed that my mother didn’t talk about Cassie. Cassie used to be the focal point of our lives, a constant reminder that we couldn't keep hiding for long. I couldn't keep hiding. My job was to protect her, and that was what I was going to do.

I was in my room, trying to wrap my mind around the thoughts that drifted through my mind when I heard a gentle knock on the door, my mother opened the door slowly and stepped into the starkly lit light of the room. Her blonde hair was loose and framing her face and she looked much older than usual, almost haggard. There were bags under her eyes. She looked tired, her hair was messy. She had been crying.

"How are you?" She asked quietly.

I sat up, leaning against my headboard. "Better." I replied, "Just tired now."

She smiled sadly at me. “You should sleep. If I may, can I ask you something?” She asked, walking towards the bed.

I nodded silently.

She sat down next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, “you are looking better, you need to rest some more.” Her voice wavered slightly.

“Are you alright?” Her tone was soft and kind and filled with worry and concern which only added to my already increasing burden.

“I am doing fine, Mom.” I said, knowing she was going to tell me again not to lie to her.

We stayed silent for a while and I could feel my mom watching me carefully, she knew something wasn’t right but decided not to pry just yet, for my sake.

“Do you want to talk about what you saw?” she asked, her tone gentle, careful not to scare me away from telling her anything.

It was hard to speak, the tears threatened to fall again, the same old memories coming back. The fear of dying before my time and being unable to get revenge, all of those emotions I never got over. All I ever wanted was someone to blame and now she was here.

They were both sitting in front of me and staring directly into my soul, waiting for me to open up. The day passed quickly, just like most of the weeks at home went. It was a slow day for me. I used to get out of bed every morning and eat something before heading over to class, but it felt empty without Cassie The way she smiled, or how she talked made me feel warm, even if it was just for a little while. I knew she was looking out for me, I would have never been able to keep running away from it.

It felt scary knowing that there was an attacker, silently stalling, waiting to take my life.

I feared that Cassie was in danger. I still missed her dearly, despite everything that has happened.

“You know what it feels like to go through this…” She sat beside me, her hand resting on my thigh. “You’re doing so well today, honey. We’ve got all day tomorrow and tonight. Don’t overdo it, alright?” She spoke calmly, trying not to startle me with any sudden movement. I nodded silently.

My heart ached but I knew she wouldn't stop unless I said something, so I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start.

“I think there’s a reason why I’ve always been like this. You are not telling us the truth, mother.” I began. “We are not just of royal blood, are we? Father’s people – they don’t just want to kill us because of the throne, do they?”

***

Mother looked at me for a stretch of seconds before she sighed deeply. She was worried that I was going to run off wildly like Cassie. She was scared that I will leave her alone and the claws of my father’s people will sink deep into me, ruining me as they did to my father.

But, I was no longer a child. I needed to know what I was up against, and what I was capable of so I will be able to face my enemies head-on. The thought was pressing a heavy foot on my mind, making me wonder if there will ever be a confession from my mother.

She looked at me with wide eyes and smiles gently. “I should tell you about it all.” She said. ‘From the beginning to the end.”

I wanted to hear about it all. I wanted her to tell me the story of how our lives transcended, how we got to this point, and what these powers we held stood for. I didn’t want to keep running around like a wild wolf without roots, I didn’t want the power I possess to consume me and destroy me – I needed to be able to maintain a level of levelheadedness for my mother, my sister, for me, for the future of Advania, and River Valley.

If I knew the story, if I am able to understand the dynamics of things, if I am able to know the roots of my power and how to control it, maybe I will be able to use it to my advantage.

I also wondered; what was mother so scared of? If this power was so powerful, shouldn’t she allow us to harness it to destroy our enemies? Why did the enemy feel so confident to attack us?

“I am going to tell you a story, and I want you to listen to it very carefully.” There was water in her eyes. This must be hard for her, but what exactly was this huge story about? Would it ruin us? Would it destroy us? However, I wanted to hear all of it. Cassie was too impatient for this, so if anyone was going to relay it to her – it would be me.

I had to hear it all to make a rational decision on what to do.

I have always been put in a position where I have to be more mature, older, and wiser – my father had told me that I had the mind of his father, and whatever that meant, now was the time when I intend to find out.

Mother gathered my hands in hers and said in a whisper, “You are not from here – you and your sister.” She sighed again. “That is because the gods of the realm chose us to manifest the powers you and Cassie possess. It all started a long time ago, before you and Cassie were born, before your father and I even met one another. I come from a hybrid family of phoenixes.” She said.

Phoenix? Wasn’t that some sort of myth? Did Phoenix use to exist?

“I didn’t know at the time… It started a long time ago when I was still a child; a nobody…”