The Sadian Chronicles: Book 3: Deeds of the Unforgiven

New Ventures: Part 1

This is the third installment of the Sadian Chronicles. If you want to read the other two they are posted right here on Wattpad. The first one is Broken Candle and the second is From Mercury to Venus.

Prologue: New Ventures

Mystic waters was a name little Reese Faigon gave to the tranquil lake near his home where he lived with his mother and her two friends. Marianna Faigon loved to watch her son play in the shallow waters.

"Don't go too far out," Marianna called to her son. The boy just laughed as he splashed in the water. "Reese, did you hear me?"

As usual, Reese ignored his mother's advice. Soon Carla Benson came out to join the Faigons in their day of play. Marianna looked towards her as she approached.

"He loves the water," Marianna said, letting out a little laugh.

"He gets it from you," Carla said, sitting next to her.

"I worry about him, Carla," Marianna said, letting out a little sigh.

"I know," Carla said, sitting next to her.

"I'm afraid for him," Marianna said, elaborating further. Carla didn't look surprised just paid close attention to Marianna's words. "Marcus may be locked up, but he's still out there... waiting."

"Do you think Marcus or his father might hurt him?" Carla asked. It was a loaded question she knew, because no matter what he did Carla feared that it was traumatize Reese in one way or another. "Do you think he might have him killed?" She kept her voice low so the carefree four year old could not hear.

"Carla, he's killed before, and each time he believes it to be me. Given the chance he'll do it again, and I can't do anything to stop him."

"Is that why you call the prison every week to see if he's still there?" Carla asked, even though Marianna knew she already knew the answer to that question. She looked away from the older woman refusing to answer the question. "Mary, please, don't do this to yourself. Vanessa's death wasn't your fault."

"Don't say that," Marianna snapped back at her. "I know now that it was my fault, because I played right into his hands. I left my son to go chasing after him, and what happens?"

"But Marianna..."

"Don't sugarcoat it," Marianna said cutting her off. "Vanessa's dead because she was my friend, and Dusk should hate me for ruining his life."

"Did he say that?" Carla asked which made Marianna turn away.

"He never actually said it, but it's only because I left him before he had a chance to." Marianna said keeping her eye on her child who was still playing in the swallow waters. "If fact he begged me to stay with him, but I couldn't o that.. I'm poison for any man, so I left to save him the heartache."

Marianna rose to her feet, walking towards the shoreline. She kept a watchful eye on her son.

"That's not true," Carla called running after her.

"Yes, it is," Marianna said sharply while turning to face her. "I just hope my curse doesn't touch Reese." She turned to see Reese still playing in the water. She carefully walked in to fish after her son. "Reese, it's time to go home now."

"No, Momma, wanna play," he said trying to run from his mother in the water, slashing about. Despite getting soaked by her stubborn offspring, in the end she won the fight. Head-strong and stubborn he was, which were traits he had inherited from her, but Marianna worried more about what other traits he could have gotten, especially from Marcus Hunter, the man who sired him. She never considered Marcus a father, seeing that he once tried to kill Reese and her before he was even born.

Traveling back up to the mountain cabin, Reese led the way skipping and singing as happily as any four year old would. Carla tried reasoning with Marianna once again.

"Are you still hell-bent on blaming yourself for the evils of the world?" Carla asked her, but again there was no reasoning with her.

"Only the ones I have the power to stop," she said, but Carla gave her a look like she didn't believe her. "Don't lecture me again. I want a better life for Reese, so I have no plans on getting myself killed. He needs me alive, Carla. I wouldn't be any good to him dead."

Carla smiled for the first time happy that Marianna was being somewhat optimistic about the future. "That's the spirit, keep those good thoughts," Carla said, trying her best to keep a positive attitude, but she knew all too well how Marcus could manipulate Marianna into doing whatever he wanted. Marianna just let out a little laugh at Carla's choice of words. Both women were worried but refused to voice it to each other or anyone else.

Reese ran into the house jumping and screeching high-pitched sounds of unrecognizable words. Marianna realized suddenly how dirty Reese was.

"Look at you, such a filthy little boy," she said kneeling down to his height. "Into the bathroom to get cleaned up."

"No, Momma, no bath," he whined while spinning in circles.

"None of that, young man," she ordered. "If you can splash around in the lake, you can certainly splash in a sudsy bathtub."

"Come in with me, Momma," he said, suddenly changing his tune and pulling his mother towards the bathroom.

Carla laughed as she made her way to the kitchen. "I'll make lunch," she called, still laughing.

Forty-five minutes later Marianna and Reese emerged from the bathroom. Reese was sopping wet and wrapped in a towel. She led him into the bedroom where she helped him put on some fresh clothes.

"Now, isn't that better?" she asked him while combing out her son's mangled hair.

"Momma, stop," he said pushing her away from him. "I'm clean enough."

"Alright, now go into the kitchen," she said and smiled at him. "Carla should have lunch ready by now."

"Yay!" he yelled happily running out of the room.