The Clearing: Origins

Chapter 3

The following morning, the Grant children sat in the sunny kitchen, heads down as each concentrated on their meal. The breakfast table sat under its usual coverings of cups, plates, cereal boxes, and the occasional spilled milk or orange juice. It seemed like a typical morning on a regular school day. But the main difference in their usual routine stood near the stove, coffee mug in hand, as she droned on about the last couple of months.

"It's obvious that everything you've gone through has seriously affected you, Victor. Maybe all of us." Lovedae paused to sip her cooling coffee. "You were inundated with alien powers, accosted and assaulted by villainous magi, your emotions tampered with—"

Victor's head shot up at the mention of emotions. "Mum, Kristy had to use the Allure on me. It wasn't her fault!" The Allure of Desire—an innate fairy trait that forced desire on a victim. As a half-fae, Kristy had no choice about captivating him with the Allure as her former master, Arabella, had ordered it. 

"I wasn't assigning blame, just stating the facts," said Lovedae. She frowned at the interruption but continued speaking after a brief pause.

Victor bit into his cinnamon roll, wondering where all the talk would lead. He'd looked like a total prat last night, screaming like a banshee just because of a nightmare. Although assuring everyone it had just been a bad dream, it had taken all he had to crawl back into bed after his mother and Rosetta left. Jason, noticing his discomfort, had slipped from his own bed and climbed into Victor's.

"You don't have to do this," he'd said while scooting over, giving the younger boy more room.

"It's like when I was little and had nightmares," Jason had whispered back. "You'd guard me while I slept. Now, you sleep, and I'll guard, 'kay?"

"Thanks, Jason." Ashamed by the sweet gesture, Victor hadn't slept much.

He gazed over at Jason, who grinned at him while rolling his eyes. Victor smiled back before focusing on the tail end of the conversation.

"...meet with Dr. Mason after school today," said Lovedae as she put her empty mug in the sink.

Victor sat up straighter. "Wait, to what, the where who? Beg pardon, Mum, I missed something."

"Because you weren't paying attention," replied a smug Rosetta before sipping her milk.

Jason turned to Victor and smirked. "Mom said you're gonna see a shrink."

Victor felt the hurt. "Mum, you think I've gone bonkers?" 

"He's not a psychiatrist." Lovedae glared at her younger son. "I want Vic to talk with Dr. Lyle Mason, not get his head examined. He's a former student of your father's and a distant relation, recently hired by the University. His area of expertise is the mystical and paranormal, so he wouldn't consider Vic addled."

She turned to Victor. "Apparently, it was Dr. Mason your father contacted the night you came to us. I knew... Craig had consulted someone about your strange appearance. I didn't know who until he came to my office to offer his condolences, and we talked."

"Never heard of him. Did he talk with Papa much?" Victor wondered if this doctor would have any knowledge of the paternity test.

Lovedae shook her head. "Not lately. He heard of... Craig's passing when he moved back to the states. He'd been conducting research in East Africa."

Victor cringed at the sound of pain mixed with betrayal in her voice when she mentioned the professor's name.

"I also checked several of... Craig's yearbooks from his former teaching positions. Dr. Mason was in several photos with your father."