His Other Half

Fifty-two

Malik

I love you, all of you, okay. I'll see you soon.

The words replayed over and over as I stared at the black screen of my phone. I felt the car come to a stop, but I couldn't move. I was in so much pain that I couldn't think. "I know this is a lot. I know you're feeling so many emotions but right now your son needs you." I looked up seeing Alexander standing between me and the door.

I looked back at my phone feeling a stinging pain in my chest. I clenched my jaw before tightly gripping my phone. I let out a breath nodding my head before getting out of the car. I headed into the hotel feeling everyone's eyes on me.

"Mr. Ahmad." The receptionist said. "Ahsha Saleem, what's her room?" I asked no emotion present in my voice, but I could see the fear in the woman's eyes. "R-Room 403." She stammered giving me the key card.

I turned heading for the elevator, and I couldn't help but touch my chest. The elevator doors opened and the four of us stepped on.

The burning I felt in my chest wasn't just from knowing Ahsha was gone but it was physical. I gripped my chest squeezing my eyes shut. "Malik?" I heard Jericho call. "What is it?" Cairo asked touching my back.

I shook my head because right now I just needed to get to Nasir and figure out what happened with Ahsha.

"Nothing, I'm fine," I said clearing my throat before looking at the number on the elevator rise. I could feel Pablo back and forth in my mind, a wave of emotion coming from him.

"We're coming now open the door." I heard Alexander say as the elevator doors opened, I walked onto the floor heading for the room.

With every step I took, it got harder and harder and the hallway got longer and longer. I gripped my chest feeling someone come over to help me stand. "We need to be him into the room." A voice said as I was led a few steps further before I sank into a couch. "Malik, hey!" A voice that sounded like Cairo said.

I looked up. "What's happening?" He asked. "My chest—," I paused going to take my shirt off. "Woah!" I heard.

"Is that a mark?" Cairo said. "No that's a royal mark," Jericho said. "No," Alexander said shaking his head. "That's the royal mark of the Oyeyemi," Alexander said as I felt a chill wash over me at the mention of the Oyeyemi.

"Ahsha has begun the transition to receive the gifts of her ancestors." We turned to see Dalia and Taj standing in the doorway. I slowly sat up looking at them.

I watched as their attention drifted over to Khalil who was holding Nasir. Dalia and Taj's eyes turned a lighter shade of gold as they looked at him before bowing their heads.

I looked at my son seeing his eyes darken to an obsidian black before a golden ring shined through the darkness that surrounded it. "I think we should continue this back home. With your grandfather and—,"

"Ares?" Taj said. We all turned to look at him.

"We know what happened between you, Ares, and Dominic or is he still going by Pablo these days," Taj said. I rose to my feet and walked over to Nasir. "We'll continue this at—,"

"Your grandfather's office in 20 minutes," Dalia said. "And do make sure Isaac is present. This concerns him as well." She added before turning to leave. Taj looked at us a while longer before following his sister out.

"This is going to go really bad," Jericho said. "Or maybe we'll be lucky but given our history I doubt it," Cairo said. "Cairo?" Jericho called. "Yeah?" He responded. "Shut up," I said as my phone started ringing.