Under My Skin

~ Chapter Twenty-Three ~

"My Apologies"

"Graham for the last time, they will not know." The dark lord had reassured. "But what if she finds out?" He seemed fearful of the idea. I was crouched by the door listening. "What could she possibly do Graham?" Voldemort asked him.

"I was at her fathers funeral, I heard what she said!" He was terrified, but why? "She can't know that I'm the one who killed her father." Graham muttered. It hit me like a train.

I was in tears, Graham Sayre was the one who killed my father. I wanted to bolt from my crouching position beside the door, but I was frozen in place. I wasn't afraid but I was stunned. And if I was afraid, I was afraid of what I would do.

A minute later I gathered the strength to stand. I ran towards Atlas's room. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn't. I opened up the door slowly, walking into the pitch black bedroom. But when i didn't see Atlas in bed, I panicked.

"What are you doing in my room?" I jumped slightly. His voice was low and unbothered. I looked towards where the voice was coming from. He sat in a desk chair, shirtless and turned towards me. He was playing with a dagger between his fingers. "Did you know?" I interrogated.

"I did. He came home covered in blood. Then insisted we go to his funeral." He said it as if he hadn't betrayed me. If his father hadn't murdered my father in cold blood. "Although I didn't connect the dots of whom he might've killed until Riddle told us your father had just passed." He continued.

"My apologies." He was so contained and formal. "I know what you must do but I suggest you wait until we speak to Aspen and figure out where my sister and I will live." He was unbelievable.

"So you'll just willingly give me permission to kill your father?" I scoffed. "He is no father to me Ember, only my legal guardian. Keep in mind Aspen and I hate him more than should be possible." Then an idea popped into my head.

"Do you hate him enough to help me kill him?" He looked up at me. "It'd be a pleasure." He had a grin spread across his face. It confused me on how he's not a Riddle. "We leave in an hour." I told him. "Its 3 am?" He tried correcting me.

"Exactly, you have an hour to get everything situated. We're leaving for Riddle manor early." I demanded. "I'll wake Aspen, come to my room when you're ready." I reassured. Then I left his room walking across the hall to Aspens.

She was peacefully sleeping under her silk covers. I sat beside her on the bed, lightly shaking her awake. "Ember?" She questioned, wiping her sleepy eyes. "We're leaving for Riddle manor in an hour. Remain quiet, don't tell your father, and come to my room when you're ready." She nodded her head.

Stepping out of bed and getting her things situated. Walking back to my room I tried my best not to step in any loose flooring. One creak of the wood, I would be caught. Since the meeting Graham was having with The Dark Lord. I went to Kieran's contact on my phone dialing his number.

He picked up almost immediately. "Ember? Is everything alright?" He rushed over the phone. "I need you to come pick my siblings and I up from Sayre manor, quietly. Don't honk, turn off your headlights when you enter the driveway, text me when you're here." I ordered. "Alright I'll be there in half an hour." He told me, hanging up.

I began getting dressed in one of Kieran's black sweaters and pair of my own shorts. Letting my hair land freely over my collarbone. Putting my wand in my back pocket and my dagger in my bra. Stuffing my inhaler in my purse after taking a puff.

I had my trunk by my feet and purse on my lap as I sat on my bed. My siblings came in minutes later, their trunks in their hands. I told them that Kieran was picking us up soon and to stay calm. Aspen fell asleep on my shoulder.

My arms wrapped around her. Atlas sat below us on the floor, his dagger in hand along with his wand pointed at the door just in case. My phone vibrated in my lap. I answered it hearing Kieran on the other line.

"I'm here." I told him we were on our way. Aspen was still barely awake so I let her ride my back. Her legs wrapped around my waist and arms around my neck. I had my trunk in my left hand and purse in my right. Atlas carried Aspens trunk for her along with his. Navigating me through the halls.

We made it to the door, opening it slowly to avoid noise. Kieran surprisingly didn't have the van and Instead brought his Chevy Impala. His black 1967 Chevy impala, he knew I loved that car. I slid Aspen into the back seat along with our trunks.

Atlas going into the back with his now awake sister while I sat in the passenger seat. As soon as I got into the seat, Kieran took my head in his hands.

Kissing me, he missed me already. We stopped after a couple seconds smiling at one another. He started up the car again, driving quickly out of the driveway. My hand in his as he took us to Riddle manor.

I saw Aspen grinning ear to ear at us and Atlas giving Kieran the stink eye. He was already being a protective brother and we hand then known we were siblings for a full 24 hours yet.

With the music in the car now blaring, my siblings safely in the back, and plan to capture and torture Graham Sayre to death forming in my psychotic mind. Everyone already felt safer.

But Graham Sayre is a deadman.