Vorden couldn’t believe it. Jack Truedream was still alive and was out there somewhere. He truly believed that if the Blades were involved, he would have been dead. If not dead then at least turned into one of the Chained to never be able to leave the island again. It was the first time he had heard someone was able to get away from Hilston like that, and now he understood the anger on his face.
As for the reason for not remembering who he was initially, it was because Hilston remembered strong people and not cowards. There wasn’t a doubt in Vorden’s mind that Jack was running away using some type of trick rather than fighting his grandfather.
Still, the military didn’t know where he was, and it looked like the big three didn’t know either. He was either still hiding out there, not wanting to come out (which was understandable after what the Blades had done to his city), or another family were keeping him in secret. It truly might have been a game changer if that was the case.
“This era has been a bad one,” Hilston said. “It looks as if the Sunshields aren’t going to be keeping up with their contract either. The big families are getting rebellious, and it might be time to give them all a stern reminder. It has been a week since they were meant to arrive and hand one over to us. Due to the current situation, I will give them some more time.”
Vorden hadn’t been alive long enough to see a handover happen, and he was at school during the last one with the Graylashes. However, based on their past journals there didn’t seem to be any such problem like this in the past. It was the first time something like this had happened.
“Yes, I have sent out a messenger to them to see what they plan to do.” The father said. “But if their response is what I expect it to be, then I’m afraid we will have to act.”
“Do you plan on joining this war then?!” Vicky said excitedly, standing up from her seat.
“Your bloodlust is as high as your grandfathers,” Hilston said. “Unfortunately, mine is only for the strong while yours Vicky, is for anyone who wrongs you. We will not throw ourselves deep into this war. It will be interesting to see who comes out the victor in all of this.
“If we are to move out, then myself, your mother and father will be the ones going to meet the Sunshields along with ten men. The rest of you are to remain behind on the island.”
“What!” Vicky shouted. “Why am I being punished for something that happened so long ago? If you are by my side, you can control me.”
“There is no need to show all our cards. Besides, there may be a point when all of us will need to use our strength soon. Be more like your brother.” Hilston said.
When Vicky turned to her brother, he just gave a calm smile as if he didn’t care about anything at all.
This made Vorden think about the first war. According to the journals he read, when the Dalki came to attack, the big three families had come to him asking them for permission – asking if they could help save the planet.
After saying yes, it looked like humans were able to fend off the Dlaki, but the Blades never joined the war themselves. It looked like this time, that maybe, the Blades would help if another big war was to happen, or more like they would have to. This civil war would greatly weaken the human’s forces, and it was clear the Dalki would attack once it was over.
Thinking about this, Vorden really wanted to look at those journals, he even wondered if the Blades had more interactions with the vampires. He was never too interested in his family’s past, he always had his own problems to deal with, but now he was.
The family began to eat their food as the big discussions were over, and during that time Hilston asked questions about his life at school, and Vorden told him of most of things but left out everything to do with the vampires.
The only person at the table who was speaking seemed to be Vorden and Hilston. Hilston would ask, and Vorden would reply while the others would listen. Once in a while, Vicky would mumble something under her breath, but the rest of the family didn’t seem to care for what Vorden had to say at all.
“It looks as if you made some good friends Vorden,” Hilston said. “I’m sorry you couldn’t spend two years there, I thought that it might have helped him return to normal.”
Hearing this, Sil started to cover his ears and rock back and forth even more. He didn’t want to hear any of it.
“He’s gotten better,” Vorden replied, hoping the answer would satisfy, but the face Hilston pulled was a hard one to read. It didn’t look angry nor happy, just deep in thought.
The meal had finished, and after eating, Vorden was eager to go back to the library to look at those journals.
“Err, where do you think you’re going?” Hilston said, seeing Vorden walking towards the door. His siblings had first gone to Hilston to give him a kiss on the cheek, then soon after went to their parents.
The kiss to Hilston looked natural and genuine from the two of them, but it looked almost robotic when it came to their parents.
“Aren’t you going to give your family a kiss?” Hilston asked. “Remember we are family.”
Vorden did as he was told and gave his grandfather a kiss on the cheek first, but when he went to look at his parents, they started straight forward at the wall as if their eyes were dead.
“Mom, Dad.” Vorden said, kissing both of them.
‘This fake family.” Raten said. ‘I can’t believe this creepy old man is keeping it up, right, Sil?’
This was something Raten would have never said outside, not unless he wanted to live, but it was true. The whole family act that was being put on now was faked and it was all set up by Hilston.
It was true that they were all related and family, but the actual roles were fake. His mother and father were actually just his older brother and sister, and they were told to call them as so.
Not only this, but everyone on the island was related. They were all siblings to each other. Hilston would often leave the island, he was free to do as he wished, after all, freer than anyone else and every ten years or so, he would come back with a group of babies. Most of them having blonde hair like Hilston.
Who their real mother was, no one knew. But everything was controlled by Hilston to be set up a certain way, and Vorden was to call the man grandfather even if it wasn’t true.
The truth was, everyone in the room and on the islands was either Hilston’s son or daughter. Hilston was Vorden’s real father, not the man he was forced to call father.
“Actually, do you mind staying behind?” Hilston asked.
Everyone left the room as asked, and now it was only Vorden and Hilston. Once again, he started to feel nervous. He was surprised that there was no punishment for using the name, but in the end, it didn’t seem to cause much trouble in their eyes. As they were unaware of why Trudream had decided to attack.
“I would like to speak to Sil.” Hilston said.
“Okay.” Vorden relief and closed his eyes.
Raten and both Vorden were now in the darkroom looking at Sil, who still had his ears covered up and was rocking back and forth.
“He’s not going to take the seat you know?” Raten said.
“I know, but I have to try…otherwise who knows what he’ll do,” Vorden said as we walked over and knelt down by Sil’s side.
“Sil, Sil.” Vorden called out to him in a soft voice. The rocking had stopped, but his hands were still covering his ears, and he slowly looked up at Vorden.
“That’s right, it’s me, don’t worry,” Vorden said. “It’s Grandpa, he says he wants to speak to you.”
“No!” Sil shouted. “No! He lied to me, he lied, lied, lied!” Sil shouted.
“I told you it was a waste of time,” Raten said. “All we can do is take whatever is about to come.”
Heading back to the chair, Vorden opened his eyes and shook his head.
“He still doesn’t want to come out, but I promise he is getting better,” Vorden said, worried as if he was trying to plead to his grandfather.
“It’s as I thought, nothing has changed. If he became broken at the temple, then maybe he can be fixed there. Vorden I will be sending you to the temple. Don’t worry, it won’t be as a student. Not yet anyway, but as a worker. You will start heading there tomorrow, prepare yourself.”
This was what Vorden was dreading, heading back to the place where it had all started for them. He didn’t know what Hilston was thinking. He and Raten knew Sil best, this wouldn’t fix anything but only make things worse.
*****
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