[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 14: A Cluster

I was in the front room with Tiana, my sister, and Duke and Lie. Last I remembered, he was reading that mystery tome he bought back on Engrada. In spite of its ridiculous size, he'd probably read through it a dozen times.

Ding-dong!

Tiana, my sister, and I exchanged glances. None of us knew who could possibly be at the door. We made a silent agreement that I'd answer it.

A pair of big, golden eyes awaited me outside. They belonged to a boy who was smaller than Duke. Since Duke could pass for being my and Alain's age, I guessed the boy was around seventeen or so.

The boy looked straight at Tiana. "I-is your brother here?"

The three of us looked at each other again.

He pulled one of his gloves off. He had a mark on his hand. Not that I saw it much, but it looked like the one Alain had on his shoulder.

I let him in while Tiana went to get her brother.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw who followed him in.

My sister went pale when she caught a glimpse of him. Since I wasn't sure how well she remembered him, I must've looked like a ghost got me.

Alain came back with Tiana.

The boy still had his glove off. He offered Alain his hand. "Alastair. Hannah is my Protector."

Who got the lights? Something in the kid changed when he saw Alain. At first glance, he definitely seemed shy and not the sort to be so comfortable with those who were older than him. Wait. Was he the same age as Alain and me?

Peter walked up to me and Becca. His face looked like it was on fire. "I owe you and those kids an apology."

Duke raised an eyebrow and put his hands on his hips. "What the crap are you talking about?"

"Izaz."

He pulled a white rose out of his pocket and gave it to my sister. "My brother didn't make what happened to you any easier." He put his hands on my shoulders. "Let Cece be my witness. I'm truly sorry for what my brother put you through, Marshall. I could never imagine how much more those trying, lonely times were because he worked so hard to turn them against you. I only wish I could've helped lessen that burden."

Did Peter think he was responsible for Izaz's actions? He certainly wasn't.

Becca looked like a ghost got her. What was she thinking?

Peter approached Tiana and bowed. "Is the prince here as well?"

"He is." Alain jumped in. "He doesn't know what happened to their mother, though. We never told him the whole story."

"That may be, but he deserves as much of an apology as the princess."

I raised an eyebrow. "Your tie to Becca and I is clear, but the royal family? What tie could you possibly have to the royal family?"

Peter gazed into her eyes. "My father is the one responsible for silencing a beloved queen. My mother is the reason you and the prince lived, albeit under less-than-ideal circumstances."

Alastair muttered something. "Sweet, Minicha," I thought. I had no idea what that meant.

"Is that so?" Tiana had tears in her eyes. "Thank you for telling me. I had always wondered why we'd been spared when we shared mother's blood and I was the next in line."

"Izaz was always closer to our father. I was closest to Mom. Mom adored children, so she wanted both of you spared if she could do nothing else to stop him."

"I see..." Tiana adjusted her pants. "I have matters to attend to."

The princess scurried out of the room.

He turned to Duke and Lie. "Are you both sure you want to be here? This might be the biggest bombshell of the three."

Lie tugged on his arm. She must've wanted to play with him or something.

Duke gasped, sighed, and followed her out.

"Alain, is it? This bit is your earth-shuttering news." Peter took a breath. "Would you rather I told you without other ears listening in?"

Alain sat on the couch with Becca. "No, this is fine. I'm listening."

"A girl called Vanessa Ventura went missing nearly a year and a half ago, right? It happened in December?"

December? How would Peter know that? I knew it happened while he was on Engrada with us, but Alain hadn't really said much about it. It seemed to hurt him too much to.

"That's right..."

"You also haven't seen that girl since you were four-years-old. That's my understanding, anyway."

He nodded.

"Izaz was always different from other kids. In the month leading up to your arrival at the palace, my brother was having visions every day. That power had just come in a few months earlier coinciding with his fifth birthday."

I cut in. "Why does that matter?"

"He had come to our parents on a Sunday. It was eleven or so. I was up letting Mom dote on me since I hadn't been feeling good before this." Peter took a breath. "He was sweaty, jittery, and frantic. This vision was like no other. It was his first that wasn't tied to someone in his life."

I think I remembered that. I was around him since he lived in town. He'd been strangely crabby. The older kids wonder if he got bit by an evil spider.

He swore evil spiders didn't exist. He loved them unlike most kids.

I wasn't sure... As a five-year-old, I was easily persuaded since I didn't know any better.

Peter would've told those kids off if he'd been there. He was nine I thought... He wasn't so easily persuaded. This explained why he wasn't there.

"It was of a boy with dark hair and eyes of silver who was shorter than him. The detail that stuck with me all these years was the clothes. It wasn't snowing, the grass wasn't dead, there weren't clouds or anything, but the boy was dressed for winter. He swore it was a thousand degrees outside."

"I always dress like it's winter. I can't deny that." Alain had sweat on his face. "I was short and have dark hair, but silver eyes? My eyes have always been blue."

Peter sighed. "I don't know much about what you looked like at that age, but everything else fits. Some details you just can't make up."

"Peter." I cut in again. "Are you saying the girl's disappearance was your brother's fault?"

"In the vision, you were playing with a girl as fiery as her hair. Her eyes were like staring back into a sea of trees." Peter gazed into his eyes. "Smiles are universal. It was clear you cared for the girl."

Becca cut in. "But if he knew the girl hadn't been in his life for well over ten years then why did he take her?"

"Izaz sensed his deep attachments to the princess. It mirrored the one he had to the girl. He figured they could use her somehow if he ever decided to oust the Council. No idea why they didn't when push came to shove though."

"Oh, my God..." was all Alain could say. His eyes changed. The colored part was clouded. It was different, though. I was almost sure the source of the change wasn't guilt or sadness.

Alain ran toward the bedrooms. Alastair ran after him.

There was scratching at the door. Peter opened it slowly. A dog with a red vest in its mouth ran past us.

***

Thoughts on the bombshells? Peter and his family? Theories? Predictions?

~Shino out!