HOLD MY HAND THROUGH THE WAVES

CHAPTER 22

               I NEED TO KNOW WHY..

           Adam and Arthur were searching all over the city for them, By the time Derek searched in the village. Ezra and Agnes were taking care of Fox at Kai’s house, Kai has been sitting near Fox since she was wounded.

            The house door slammed open, Ezra and Kai came running towards the door. They saw Wolf standing by the door holding Veronica in his arms with water dripping from his clothes and his long hair which covered his eyes. He was panting hardly. He spoke in a voice deeper than the ocean, “He did it..” He slowly raised his head, “Rainier did it..” Ezra came up to him and helped him to get her to bed. Fox slowly reached upstairs, “What happened?” “He threw her off the waterfall..” Wolf’s eyes were not focused and he was tightening his grip on her hands. “I’ll bring back Brother Arthur and Adam Hyung...” Kai rushed out.

        Derek returned as soon as Kai left, “Wolf!! He is not Rainier and he took Ve-” He stopped as soon as he entered the room and saw Veronica. “What happened?” He squatted down next to Wolf. “He did it..” Derek noticed Wolf’s eyes were shining with tears but he is not allowing it to flow down, Derek touched his shoulder and he turned around. His pupils were constricted and he started to clench his jaw, Last time Derek saw him like this was when he got the scar from Arthur. “....Wolf?” “Don’t worry, I’m not mad at you..” Wolf flipped his hair back and stood up, “Let’s go, We need Adam.”

       As they were about to come out the door Adam and Arthur came with Kai,
“Where is her?” Derek pointed upstairs and Adam went inside to see her. Arthur was about to go with Adam but Wolf stopped him by grabbing his elbow, “I- I think now is the time for you to apologize for your brother..” Arthur saw his mono lid eyes were not facing him, It was fixed towards downwards. “He is not my brother.” Wolf suddenly let go of his hand. “What?” “No one has ever seen him since he was fourteen Wolf, Neither you.. He just looks a little similar to our Rainier but it’s not him, He tricked us all didn’t he?” “Who is he then?” “The Devil Prince himself..” Wolf’s sudden scoff surprised them all. “What a coward for making the move on the weakest, He couldn’t even survive with Ezra..”

        Adam came towards Wolf, “Thank you..” He hugged Wolf, He stood facing him. “We need to figure out where the keys might be..” “Hmm..” Adam pulled out the locket, “The letter says to follow the stars isn’t it?” Ezra interrupted the conversation. “Yes..” “It might be locations, The each stone on the locket..” “Can you be more specific?” “If It’s Lorelei then five edges of Lorelei and the middle heart lake.” “How did you know?” “It’s just my guess as last location is a water body.”Ezra answered Derek’s question. “What’s in the five edges of Lorelei?” Adam asked Arthur. “I think the market, village, Tribe, Sea shore and...” “And?” Adam asked. Arthur was still not ready to answer. “And the slums.” Wolf answered for Arthur. “What’s wrong with the slums?” “You’ll know..” All of them seemed disturbed.

       “Adam?” Fox called for him, When he looked at her she said Veronica is asking for him. They all went upstairs but she asked to talk to Adam alone. “Adam?” “Hmm?” He held her hand, “Are you all okay? I’m sorry I believed in a wrong man..” She said in a weak voice as tears flowing down her cheeks. He wiped her tears and said, “Let me tell you a story,

      Once there was a little boy who lived with his mother near a sea shore. He loved his mother more than anything but his mother didn’t love him back. The mother made him do everything she wants and he kept on saying, “Hmm Okāsan.. (Mother)” With a warm smile and did it all. This always surprised the mother and she started loving him too, One day she decided to ask the boy why does he love her so much..” The boy smiled at her and answered, “Okāsan..I know you are not my mother, I over heard your conversation with the land lord. You are just using me for my inherited money.” The mother sat there completely froze by the words, “Then why did you-” The boy started laughing, His laugh echoed through her ears “Okāsan..I would have never known that I have a house until you decided to pick your Sister’s child from the garbage..Now I have new life, a house to live, friends, and many more. I’m not grateful for you but I’m grateful for the other things I’ve got because of you..” This pierced straight through the mother’s heart. For rest of her life she couldn’t forget his laugh and words.

     “Moral of the story?” Adam asked Veronica. “Don’t trust anyone?”
“Nooo...Were you even listening? It means some people come to our life just to leave and hurt our feelings but, Their arrival can make changes to your life..Look around you Veronica..He gave you pain but he gave you some non replaceable people..” “You are good with words Adam..” She finally smiled and that’s all he wanted from his sister. She stood up as she was feeling well now, “There’s someone I owe a Thank you..” She went out of the room. “I’m glad she’s feeling well now..” Adam whispered to himself.

     “Wolfy!!” “I told you not to call-” He turned to see Veronica standing next to him. “Oh- I’m sorry I thought you were Fox..A-are you feeling okay now?” She nodded. Wolf smiled at her showing his sharp canine tooth, “*GASP* Huh?? Do that again..” “Do what?” “Did you just smile at her?” Said Fox teasing him. “Yaah!!” “Don’t fight now..” “No.. we are nor fighting at all..” Wolf suddenly turned to Veronica and said scratching his head. “You are seeing this too right?” “I need to use the wash room real quick.” “Me too” Derek and Fox whispered to each other faking vomiting.

      “I just wanted to say thank you..For saving me..” “Hmm? Thank you? I think I should have just insisted on taking you with me..” This made her laugh, Which made him feel satisfied. Everything was finally getting back to normal until an arrow came right through the window, But this time Wolf caught right before it hit Derek. “It’s the same..It have the feathers..” Said Derek looking at the arrow. “Right It has a letter too..” Said Wolf. Adam joined them, “Read it loud.” Said Adam. Wolf opened the paper,

“YOU SAVED HER DIDN’T YOU? YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE WOLF...I’M BACK AT PALACE AND GOOD LUCK FINDING THOSE KEYS AND THINGS. DON’T WORRY I WILL NOT BE CHANGING THINGS, I’M PRETTY SURE FOOLS LIKE YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO FIND EVEN ONE OF THEM. AND ABOUT THE JOURNAL YOU’VE BEEN SEARCHING IN THE PALACE, IT’S NOT OURS IT’S YOUR BROTHER’S ARTHUR..HAHA. IT HELPED ME A LOT TO KNOW ABOUT HIM AND I FOOLED YOU ALL,
COMPLETELY. NOW IT’S TIME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF HUH? I’M WALTER’S OLDER SON, CYRUS THEO WALTER. AKA,
                              THE DEVIL PRINCE..”

        “Walter had an another son? And his eyes and hair are same as my brother’s”
“We need to find real Rainier soon..” Adam opined, And agreed with it. “I can’t believe I was with fake Rainier since I met him..” Said Adam. “Where is my brother then?” Wolf crumbled the paper and threw it away, He slammed his fist on the wall and said,

“HOW THE BASTARD HAVE TURNED     THE TABLES....”