Chapter 36 — As Told by Cade

Cade’s POV:

Lexus was gone as soon as his parents found out he was cheating with Aqua and Vella. I was going to stay in a hotel until I could move but since Lexus was gone and Vella was fired, I was fine with staying until I could move. “Cade please stop packing. Vella is gone and I doubt Prince Lexus will come back anytime soon.”

I was kneeled down on the ground sorting my things. “Mom I thought you of all people would understand why I can’t stay.” I continued packing. “It’s too much, it reminds me of what happened, I’m ready to move on with my life. I don’t even want to be around Dad right now.”

“How do you think I feel Cade? Your father betrayed me.”

“I know Mom, but that doesn’t mean I’m not affected by his affair too.” I was only a baby and that didn’t stop him from potentially tearing our family apart. “I’m saying that it’s contributing to my wanting to leave.”

“I need you here with me, so I don’t have to deal with this alone Cade.” She pleaded. “I can’t just leave like you can.” I didn’t want to have to leave the only place I’ve ever called home.

I stood up. “I’ll think about it okay?” I realized in the heat of all this I hadn’t seen Sadia to make sure she was okay. “I have to go so we can talk about this another time.” 

I went out of my room and on my way out of the castle I saw Aqua. She hesitated then said, “Hey, Cade.” She waved. It had been a week since Lexus left and I hadn’t spoken to her much. I wasn’t speaking to a lot of people, but it’s not like she tried.

I stopped walking. “Hey, can I ask you something?” 

Aqua nodded. “Anything.”

“Did you know?”

She looked guilty so I knew her answer before it came out of her mouth. “I did… I’m sorry.” It was hard to believe that she was sorry.

I left the castle without saying anything and walked to the packhouse. I met with Sadia, we talked and had sex then talked again. I got back to the castle late that night.

The next week I started hanging out with Arma and Stewart again. I hung out with them whenever I wasn’t with Sadia. It was like I was experiencing life so differently now that I wasn’t working or following Lexus around.

I was in Gray’s room; his room was connected with our parents. “You haven’t told me anything, what’s going on?” Mom asked.

I could hear their conversation since the door between the rooms was cracked open. “They’re thinking about making Hannah the heir instead. In our meeting two weeks ago, they put Hannah in charge of Lexus work and her studies are focusing more on preparation for ruling. Aqua has been aiding Hannah since Lexus has been gone. The press made everything that happened public. It was just a matter of time since the whole castle knew within hours.”

“I guess she really is your daughter.” She said resentfully.

“Is that really necessary Lynn?” Dad sighed. 

I got up and closed the door all the way so Gray wouldn’t hear anything. “What do you want to do now?” 

Gray frowned. “They’re fighting, aren’t they?” He walked to the other door that led to the hallway. “Let’s go find Aqua.”

I guess I was ready to talk to her again. “Okay.” 

We left to her room and knocked on her door. Aqua answered. “Oh, hey.” She looked like a mess. Her eyes and nose were red as if she had been crying. Whenever I saw her walking around with Hannah, she didn’t look all that great then either. She always looked tired and now she looked sick. 

“Are you okay?” Gray asked and walked in without asking.

Aqua looked at me. “You can come in.” She walked to her bed and sat down. “I’m okay, I just have allergies.” It was obviously a lie. She must have missed Lexus or something.

“I was thinking we could finish the movie we were watching but Cade doesn’t like cartoon movies so we can watch something else.” Gray suggested. “I can show you one of my favorite shows.” Aqua nodded in response. I sat down with Gray on her sofa, and he turned to the show. “This looks kind of like a different tv from last time.” Hanging out with my siblings would have been a better time if things weren’t so screwed up.

A week later I walked into the castle after I went on patrol with Sadia. I went to the cafeteria because this was usually break time for Arma and Stewart. I saw that Aqua was with them at the table we usually sat at. I sat down at the table. “Don’t you want to get some food?” Stewart asked.

“I ate already.” I usually brought myself and Sadia food while we patrolled. Aqua stood up. “You can stay, you know. If I didn’t want to be around you, I wouldn’t have sat down.”

Aqua sat back down. “Sorry, I wasn’t sure.” I noticed she had crust in the corners of her eyes, she still looked sick and depressed.

“Well, that's awkward.” Arma chuckled. 

“Do you guys mind if we talk about Lexus?” Stewart asked. “I know he’s a touchy subject for both of you right now, but Arma knows something I really want to know what it is now.” 

Aqua waited for me to speak first. “I don’t care,” I answered.

“I’m fine with it too,” Aqua answered. I noticed she didn’t have any food in from of her, but Arma and Stewart did.

Arma rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. I don’t know how true this is, but Hannah might take over as queen now.”

Stewart looked at me then Aqua. “Is it true?”

I sighed. “I don’t work here, but I heard my father mention that they’re considering it, but I don’t know much anymore.” 

“Yeah, they’re considering it and that’s what Hannah is hoping for,” Aqua mentioned. “They don’t even know where he is.”

“And do you?” Stewart asked.

“I don’t.” Aqua’s answer surprised me. 

“Do you guys know about the werewolf pack stuff?” Stewart asked.

I nodded. “The pack alpha doesn’t want Aqua working for them. They’re at each other's throat. This always happens when the holder is announced. Well, that’s what my grandfather told me.” 

“Why didn’t I know this?” Aqua asked.

I shrugged. “They probably don’t want you to worry about it.” Me and Aqua might have been distant now but I didn’t want it to be that way.

The rest of the week I tried talking to Aqua more, but she was trying to talk to me less. She stopped hanging out with Arma and Stewart all together. I walked to my door when I heard a knock. “Do you need something?” I asked my father.

“Yeah, can I come in?”

“Sure.” I stepped aside so he could come in then I closed the door behind him. 

“Your mother told me you were upset with me and not speaking to me because of my affair. You know it had nothing to do with you, don’t you?” 

I looked away from him. “How could it not? It affects the whole family, not just you and mom. I tried to ignore it but when I found out Vella cheated on me with Lexus I couldn’t anymore. Now I sort of know how mom felt.” I looked at him. “How could you risk losing us when I was so young?”

I could see the guilt in his eyes and I’m sure he saw the disappointment in mine. “I don’t have an answer that will satisfy you Cade. I didn’t think I’d lose you, maybe Lynn but not you. In my mind I wasn't risking you because I wouldn’t let anyone keep you from me. I’m sorry Cade.” I was hearing that a lot lately.

It wasn’t a satisfying answer. “Do you love Mom?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Do you still love Mae?” I needed to know because my mother didn’t deserve to hurt anymore. If it were completely in the past, I could move past it, and I hoped mom could too. He didn’t answer. “Are you still seeing her?” 

“No, I’m not seeing her.”

I sighed. “Okay, that’s better than nothing. I think I can forgive you.” He loved Mae but still chose our family over having one with her. I couldn’t be too mad at that. 

There was another knock on the door, so I answered in. “Great, Konn is here too.” Hannah said. “Have you guys seen Aqua? I’ve been looking for her all day.”

We hadn’t seen her and a week later we still hadn’t seen her. “Do you think she could be with her mom?” I asked Dad.

“She could be.” 

“Let’s go to Mae then.” I didn’t want to suggest it, but it’s been a week, so I had to. 

Dad cleared his throat. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “As long as I’m with you, I’m sure. I want to find Aqua.” I felt guilty because the conversation I had with her the day before she went missing wasn’t the best.

We left the castle and I followed him as we flew to one of the neighboring kingdoms. We landed, shifted, and walked to her home. He knocked on the door and she answered. “Konn?” She looked confused then looked at me.

“I’m his son, Cade.”

She looked a lot like Aqua and a lot different than my mother. “Oh, that doesn’t explain why you’re both here at my front door.” She squinted her eyes. “Surprisingly at my front door instead of inside…” 

Dad didn’t look too good, he seemed nervous. “Is Aqua here?” 

“Nope.” 

“Sorry to bother you.” He turned around.

“Wait.” I said and Dad turned back around. “When was the last time you saw her? We haven’t seen her in a week.”

Mae frowned. “I saw her about six days ago. She was here for a few hours. I haven’t seen her since.” 

She had to have had a lot more information than that. “She didn’t tell you where she was going or if anything was wrong?”

She sighed. “A lot was wrong, but she didn’t tell me where she was going. It’s clear to me that she just didn’t want to be in the castle anymore. You don’t have to worry, just let her go wherever she needs to even if she doesn’t come back.” She walked in her house then back out with a magical item. “Here, Konain. She came with this and left it.” I never heard anyone other than my grandparents call my father by his full name It made me uncomfortable. “Aqua’s better off being left alone so she can get better.” I didn’t believe that she needed us.

Dad shook his head. “You can keep the splicer.” It was a portal splicer; one I never knew we had. “Do you mind trying some tracking spells?”

Mae looked sad after he refused to take the portal splicer. “I’ll let you know if I find her.”

Two days later I was in the great hall with the king, queen, my father, and Hannah. “I got in contact with Lexus yesterday, but he claims that he doesn’t know where she is,” I reported.

“Yesterday the journalists reported that he was in an elf village, but he relocated.” Dad said. “They didn’t spot anyone with him, so I believe he was telling the truth.” 

“The castle’s mage can’t track her, and the oracle hasn’t seen anything. Konn, send more guards to search for her and schedule a meeting with the werewolf alpha. I also need you to search for a new aid for Hannah.” The King assigned my father important tasks. “We want you both to lead the search for Aqua if that’s okay with you Cade.”

I wanted to find her as much as they did and if not more. “Of course.”

I spent so much searching for Aqua that I didn’t have much time to hang out with Sadia. After two weeks of Aqua being gone we had an unexpected visitor when we were in the forest. Lexus had landed in front of us in his dragon form then shifted into his human form. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now Cade.”

“You are.” I wasn’t ready to see him. “Unless you have news about my sister, I don’t want to hear it.” 

“I want to help you find her. You know I’m the only one who can find her.” 

Dad walked to us. “What do you mean you’re the only one?”

Lexus sighed. “Me and Aqua are mates, chosen by the moon goddess. If I get close enough to her I should be able to sense her even if I can’t see her.”

Maybe Lexus could help us find her.