The Obsidian Key ✔️

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

"No!" The seventeen-month Mark shouted. "No!"

"You don't tell me no," I scolded. "Give me back that toy."

It had been exactly a year since we lived in this house. Now Mark was almost hitting his terrible two's, he had learned to talk a bit and was walking on his own. And his temper was horrible... He had just stolen a toy that Darnel had made for Bear, while Bear was chewing and playing with the toy Mark swiped it. Bear was too kind to get it back and Mark was mean enough to tell the dog no.

Caspian was sitting on a chair with Caspian with Amul, chuckling as he watched me chased the little toddler around.

I finally grabbed Mark and pulled him into my arms, he just squirmed and screamed, "Mine!"

"You don't want a nasty toy that a dog slobbered on, Mark. Ew."

"Mine!" He shouted again.

Bear who was sitting beside me looked up at the toy and was barking. Mark was determined that the dog's toy was his, and Bear was too sweet of a dog to steal it back. Or he didn't want to bopped on the nose by a toddler again...

"What is wrong with him?" Darnel questioned. "It is not that special."

"He is just reaching his terrible two's, he is almost two. So of course he would be a pain," I tried to take the toy away again but he continued screaming and hold it tighter. I stopped and rolled my eyes, placing the toddler back on the ground, "Fine! You can keep the slobbery toy. Just don't put it in your mouth... hey, what did I just tell you!"

I took the toy out of his mouth, "Jeez, Mark. What is up with your tantrums and your disobedience??"

The baby just smiled and giggled, sitting down on the ground and playing with his new toy. Bear looked at the toy and began to inch closer but Mark held it away so poor Bear couldn't get to it. I gave up and rolled my eyes, walking away, "I'm going to end up pulling my hair out by the time he turned three..."

Amul chuckled, "He is but a child, Ria. He will be disobedient at this age. They like to test their own authority with your own, mouse."

I stood beside Caspian and gave him a stern stare, "I wonder where he got that from."

Caspian grinned, grabbing me and bringing me down onto his lap for a kiss. It shocked me, and to keep me from getting angry he kissed me again, finally speaking, "He gets it honest, Lovely."

I rolled my eyes at him, looking back on the ground to see that Bear had given up on stealing back his toy and just laid there in defeat. Mark struggled to get back up onto his feet, but once he stood with the toy still in hand he walked over to Amul and let out small cries, grabbing the big man's knees.

Amul grabbed the little boy with his large hands and placed him on his lap, the baby's cries ceased.

"Amul," Darnel said his name with a smile. "How did you get to be so tall? I always wondered that."

"One day as a boy I was climbing a tree," Amul told the boy with a grin. "I climbed to the very top, but a branch I stood on broke and I fell. My legs got caught in two other branches and I stretched," The man shrugged.

Darnel laughed, "You're so sarcastic."

I even began to laugh at the story, "I never heard that story before," I got up from Caspian's lap and was starting to head for the basement, but Caspian's voice stopped me, "No, lass. I think it is not a good idea for yer to go in that basement again today."

"I need to if I'm going to find–"

"Today we need to head to the town," he stood up slowly in his chair, "It will only yer and I, yer need time from that room."