Inherited (EDITING)

Chapter 16

The moment Sky and Ty took their leave from the dining hall, excited chatters filled the hall. Friends crowded around their newly discovered non-human friends, asking them about the part of them they've hidden for years. Jordan proudly showed off his scaly tail and wings, even taking flight and perching on a wood beam.

Killia retreated to her room. Kei stayed behind to talk to his friends. Jerome and Mitch were still seated, still processing what had just happened. Mitch snapped out of it and looked around at his comrades. Some of them still looked unsure, but were slowly getting the idea.

The brunet spun and squeezed Jerome's forearm and whispered, "They still don't know about us."

Jerome frowned and looked at his lap, "I don't think they should, buddy."

Mitch turned his head to look at him, leaning down to try and catch his friend's eyes, "Why not? Look around you, Jerome."

The other man still refused to look away from his lap and spoke firmly, "I'm not ready."

"Then we go to Seto."

Jerome lifted his head and looked at him, baffled, "What for?"

Mitch rolled his eyes but squeezed his forearm again, "Potions. To help your change."

He ducked his head and spoke softly, reassuringly, "If we can't reveal ourselves to everyone, then we can do it to Seto. We've known him for years, dude."

Jerome remained silent, un-moving. His eyes stayed on the bandaged stump of his wrist. He'd been receiving a lot of pitiful looks lately, and he hated it.

"Hey."

A hand gently laid over his bandaged wrist. He startled. No one has ever touched him ever since he lost his hand. They were always afraid of hurting him, afraid that one feeble touch will cause him to lose all his limbs. The hand on his wrist didn't hurt, it was gentle in its tender hold.

Jerome's eyes followed the hand up its arm to its owner.

"I'll show him mine if you show yours?" Mitch said cheekily with a wink.

Jerome couldn't help it and barked out a laugh, wheezing, "Brice will have our fucking heads, but sure, buddy."

He grinned openly at his friend, "Let's go."

Mitch brightened up at that and they both stood, quietly leaving the now busy hall. Mitch claimed he saw Seto and Brice leave towards the small library in the base and they were heading there. A couple of soldiers chatting animatedly about the meeting minutes ago passed them, too distracted to throw pitiful looks at Jerome, which he was grateful for.

When they reached the door, they paused before it, blankly staring at the gold engravings on the wooden door. They looked at one another and both took a deep breath before entering.

They found Seto bent over a thick book with Brice walking around with books in his hands, clearly trying to return them to their original places. The two men looked up at them. The four just stood there, staring at each other in silence. After a moment, Seto turned to nod at Brice, who nodded back and disappeared into the shelves with the books.

Seto straightened up and gestured to the two chairs in front of him with a welcoming smile. Jerome and Mitch shuffled over quietly.

Seto spoke first, his smile warm and inviting, "What did you think of the meeting?"

Jerome replied quietly, "It was... A surprise. A pleasant one."

Seto hummed, nodding, "And I assume you coming to me has something to do with the subject of that meeting. Am I wrong?"