PANACEA-Book One-By Hell or High Water

14. Guilt Trip

When I imagined locating the key and getting into the room that had everything we needed, it went a lot faster.

Hero wasn't much help. He just acted as though it weren't a problem he was concerned with.

And as a result, it was just Edmund and I who decided to search around. Hours passed, and there was still no sign of any key. I sighed heavily, having resorted to kneeling in the grass and feeling around. I hoped maybe if Corbin decided to take the key with him, he would have dropped it. There were thousands of other places it could be at the moment, I realized. I still got the puffy grey slacks dusty on the knees tugging grass from the ground.

Discouraged, I went inside to find Edmund sitting by the now lit fire. It was now just getting light out, and it dawned on me how long I must have been searching. I looked around for Hero, but he was nowhere. The smell of herbs and hot water hit me like I'd walked straight into a wall of flowers when I opened the door.

I didn't get to enjoy the smell that much. Everything I thought about that wasn't related to Corbin or the stupid key that he probably took with him, disappeared from my mind instantaneously.

"Have you found anything?" I asked him. I could see the water reflecting on his face, giving his already almost olive skin a green tint to it. He looked up, and shook his head.

"I doubt he left the key behind. He obviously didn't want us to find it." He picked up a long silver spoon and stirred the warm pot. I walked over to him and sat at his side.

"Hero still doesn't think Corbin could have possibly done this?" I asked him.

He shrugged, and started setting up two teacups. "He has his reasons to deny your claims."

I sighed and watched him fill the two cups. "He is your father."

"Not really, actually," Edmund replied as he set the teapot down. He carefully lifted one cup up on his palm and held it out to me. I carefully took it. "Technically we were both adopted," he said.

"Really?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Corbin has been raising Hero since he was very young. Hero was only three years old, floating in the middle of the Bone Coast in a little boat." Edmund took a pinch of sugar from the bowl and sprinkled it in my tea. "Hero does see Corbin as a fatherly figure, given how long they were together. And I do refer to him as such."

"But do you feel that way towards him?"

"He only really took me in two years ago," Edmund replied.

I assumed that meant he still held his real parents in his heart, whatever may have happened to them. "You believe something is wrong, don't you? You don't just assume Corbin can't be at fault."

He didn't reply right away. "Personally, I don't want to assume anything right now. When we find Corbin, he'll explain what happened. Until then, we can't really know." He sipped his tea. "I will admit, though, it's hard to argue with what's in front of us."

I was glad he wasn't picking a side. Even if that meant I didn't have him completely backing me up. I nodded. "Alright." I took a long swig of my tea, now that it had cooled. "What are we going to do if Hero doesn't want to help us?" I asked.

"There isn't much you can do for his stubbornness," he said. "I'd hope he would reflect on the situation. Especially if we end up going to look for Corbin. I don't think I could leave without him."

I sipped my tea, hoping he knew I understood without me saying it. Despite Hero's faults, I knew he was kind. He just seemed to have difficulty accepting that Corbin may have done something bad. It was obvious that he had a big heart. I could see why Edmund would grow attached to him. They were brothers, in a way.