Kings On The Horizon (Vol. 4-6) ✓

146 | Fourth Protectors

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"WATCH YOUR STEP," GAVRIIL says while holding onto Max's hand tightly as the two walk up a hill. The two lovers went on a so-called date. Gavriil wanted to congratulate Max after hearing about what happened with Cigarettes, so he invited Max to go out, which was something that Max gladly accepted.

     "Are we close?"

     "Just a little more."

     After a couple more steps, the two were welcomed by an amazing view of the city. They were at their spot, the king's horizon.

     "It still takes my breath away, almost like I'm seeing it for the first time," Max says, letting go of Gavriil's hand and getting closer to the edge of the cliff to get a better view of the city.

     "Leigh, be careful," Gavriil warns before walking toward Max and pulling him away from the edge a little so he wouldn't accidentally fall. He then stood beside him, and the two stared at the breathtaking view together.

     "I don't know how many times we've been here when we were younger; all five of us, I mean. We were all just so carefree. We didn't care about a single thing. I'd lie if I say I don't miss those days anymore," Gavriil says, making Max look back at him with a sad smile. He didn't know what Gavriil was talking about because he couldn't remember those memories at all, but at the same time, he knew deep inside him that he feels the same longing as he does. Everything felt like a pleasant dream for him.

     "Leigh, do you remember the time you found out about Grey's death?" Gavriil suddenly asks, surprising Max even though he knew that it was a topic that they had to discuss sooner or later.

     "I do," Max answers after a long pause. "My memory has always been hazy, but that...I remember. I saw the news about his accident, which was the worst place to find something out. I remember that the first person who called me was my father. He told me that Matthew Grey Cullen died, but at that time, I didn't understand why he'd tell me. For me, Grey was just someone I knew, just another unfortunate heir. In his last dying breath...I didn't know who he really was. I didn't even know how much he meant to me."

     Gavriil stares at Max and grabs his hand to squeeze it tightly. He didn't say anything, but his warmth was enough to comfort Max.

     "The news of his death didn't shock me so much, but when I went to bed I couldn't stop crying. I didn't know why but my tears wouldn't stop. I was just so sad. The next day the old man told me to attend the funeral as a Sinclaire representative. That was the last time I saw Grey," Max explains.

     "I'm glad," Gavriil then says, making Max look back at him with furrowed brows.

     "What do you mean by that?" Max asks him.

     Gavriil takes a deep breath and squeezes Max's hand again before answering, "It was selfish of us, but none of us went to Grey's funeral. I didn't have the courage to face him, Viktor wasn't allowed to go, and Cindy didn't want to believe that he died. I'm glad because at least you went."

     Max was surprised that none of them went to Grey's funeral, but for some reason, he understood them.

     "I think if I didn't lose my memory, I might have done the same," Max casually says before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as he felt the breeze touch his skin. "If you didn't tell me about our past back then, I wouldn't have known anything. Now that I know who Grey really was to me, I feel relieved. Even though I forgot about him before, I'm glad that I'm remembering him now like this."

     Gavriil agreed, but then Max opened his eyes when he remembered a dream he had right after visiting the House of Queens.

     "Oh yeah, I remembered something," Max says, making Gavriil look back at him. "When I fell asleep at the car after my visit from the House of Queens, I had a dream that was more like a memory."