Vengeance

Chapter 8

We arrived at the fence bordering the castle and walked along the side of it until we saw an opening. Several guards stood at attention there, and I was nervous for a second, thinking perhaps Zak hadn't reached them before us or he wasn't able to convince them.

My doubts disappeared however when a guard stepped forward to confirm my identity and then waved us inside. An escort was assigned to us and he was polite enough, but I couldn't bring myself to fully relax in the company of the human.

The inside of the palace had so many hallways and passages that it was impossible for me to keep track of which way we were going. Skylar, however, nodded when I asked her if she was keeping track.

"Where are we going?" I asked the escort.

"The Majesties are not ready for your arrival yet, Ma'am. I'll bring you to a waiting room."

I was silent for the rest of the walk. We stopped just outside a large door and the escort bowed slightly to us and motioned us inside as he held the door open. We entered the room, but I halted with shock only a few steps inside.

The guard shut the door behind me and I glanced back at the noise. When I confirmed what it was, my eyes returned to the boy sitting on the bed. He was staring at his hands, and slowly moved to look at me once the door had closed.

"Zeno? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to tell you in person. I thought you should know. Our parents have passed away," he murmured. Only then did I notice his bloodshot eyes.

I moved forward, ignoring the gasps of Jadis and Skylar when they heard the statement, and wrapped my arms around my brother. He immediately hugged me back, and I heard him let out a choked sob.

"The...the doctors couldn't find a cure in time. They're still trying to find one for the other elders who have caught it, though."

I didn't respond. I was devastated. I had expected their death, but that didn't mean I had wanted it. I loved my parents, and I hadn't even been able to see them again before they passed. While they were in pain and dying, I was down on Earth being attacked and chased by the Earthlings.

I pulled back and looked Zak in the eyes. "Listen to me," I told him. "Don't trust the Earthlings."

"What? Aren't they our allies?"

"They chased my guards away from the palace once already, and they killed Lorelei, Aiden and Atticus. We can't trust them."

He stared at me but eventually nodded. "Okay Zara."

I smiled back at him and looked up at the sound of a door opening. In the doorway stood Zak, his hands shoved in his pockets. He had changed clothes, which was probably something I should do as well. My shirt and pants were stained with blood.

"Do you require anything while you wait?"

"Food," I answered immediately. "And water too, if you wouldn't mind."

He nodded back at me, and his eyes moved toward Zeno. Zeno stared at him, unsure what to say. Before he could get a word out, Zak left and closed the door behind him.

"Was that...?"

"Zak? Yeah. He looks like you, doesn't he?"

He smiled at me. "He looks like you, too."

"He is our brother, so I suppose that's normal," I responded jokingly.

We didn't have to wait long before Zak returned with more humans behind him. They carried trays piled with food and pitchers filled with water. They set it on a table in the middle of the room, and then the humans retreated. Zak remained standing in the doorway, looking a little uncertain.