The Veil Between

Chapter Eleven | A Little Black Sheep

Chapter Eleven | A Little Black Sheep

The vigilante admittedly didn't sleep all that well.

It was an annoying trait of his, one that he had ever since childhood. If he didn't feel completely safe wherever he was, then sleep did not come easily.

After he managed to get at least a few hours of shut eye in, Jason woke, and instead of trying and failing to return to sleep, he climbed out of the bed and silently dressed, before peeking out of the guest bedroom and looking both ways down the hall.

They were on the second floor of the Ballantine Estate. The grand staircase was in the center with an open flooring in the center that looked down onto the main level. Around the banister upstairs was a wrap around hallway that led into several rooms.

Of course there were the guest rooms that he, Vano, and Anna slept in, and then there was Tobias' bedroom, but there were also two extra rooms that he was curious about.

He stepped out into the hall, looking at the doors. Tobias' door had his name engraved on it in green writing, the exact same colour as his magic and his strange freckles. He glanced over at the doors across the landing and started to walk around and over to the opposite side where the other doors were.

Jason stopped at the first one that he reached. It had the name 'Martine' engraved on it in a rather pretty teal colour, it reminded him of the colour of water in cartoons.

Pausing in front of the door, he glanced around, making sure there was no one around. He was honestly hoping that there wouldn't be anyone awake yet, despite the fact that he wasn't sure what time it was nor how early anyone in this family got up.

He looked down at his wrist and tried to turn on the screen, but it didn't respond. He just wanted to check the time, but his electronics seemed to not work in this world.

After a moment of trying he gave up and moved his hand to the door handle, twisting it and finding himself to be rather surprised when it swung open.

Hesitation kept him paused for a moment, before he gave into his curiosity and stepped inside, looking around.

The room seemed to belong to a younger person, there was art on the walls and stuffed toys on the bed. Was this a child's room? Where was the child? A sibling of Tobias', maybe? Jason wasn't sure. He didn't remember Tobias mentioning any siblings.

Curious, he picked up one of the books on the desk, it was something unfamiliar to him, a book about magic in a strange alphabet that honestly just left Jason feeling baffled.

"That's a school book. Advanced Illusion Magic."

Jason nearly jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound of the voice, turning to look at the door and finding Catherine standing there, watching him with a sweet smile.

"I- I'm sorry for snooping, I was just-"

"Don't apologize, it's fine. I raised three sons, boys get into everything, so don't worry." She told him with a gentle look, coming over to stand with him. "Martine was my youngest."

"Was?" Jason raised an eyebrow, curious, but his tone had an air of cautiousness to it.

She pursed her lips and seemed to be debating her next words, confirming Jason's suspicions that the son she spoke of was no longer with them, and likely it hadn't been an expected passing.

"Martine passed away. A long time ago. We are... still not aware of all the details surrounding what happened, but he got involved in something he shouldn't have, involving our other son, Dalton. It cost him his life." She explained softly, taking the book from him and setting it back down in the exact same spot he had picked it up from, sadness in her eyes. "Contrary to what Alistair may tell you, none of my children were bad. Dalton was just... misunderstood... and he dragged his brother down with him."