Painful Memories

Chapter 17

When I woke up the next morning, the sun was already high in the sky, sending beams down into the water. Kai's side of the bed was cold, but it took me a minute to realize we weren't in Beltmare. We were in Aegrem.

My body still felt weak, but my head wasn't pounding. I sat up in bed and stretched, taking a deep, steadying breath. As I exhaled, I felt my muscles relax. I didn't remember much about yesterday, but what I did remember hit me like a punch to the gut: laying the truth bare for all of them to see; their reactions to said truth; the reaction Mom had before Dad's parents arrived and the reason for it.

As far as I knew, Dad's parents had stayed in the suite beside theirs, not wanting to be far away from their son. I took a shaky breath, exhaling deeply. The knock, when it came, was hesitant. As if the person on the other side didn't want to wake me.

"Come in," I called out, my body protesting slightly as I got out of bed and swam to the bathing room. Shutting the door behind me, I braced my hands on the counter, gazing at my reflection in the mirror. My face was wan, dark circles ringing my eyes. Tear streaks were just barely visible on my cheeks.

I heard the suite door open and a voice call out, "It's me, Izzy." I quickly got dressed, pulling on a purple-and-grey gown with gold stitching.

Before her words had even finished lingering in the water, I was moving. I threw the door open and sped into the sitting room. Aunt Bella was there, grief and sadness etched on her face. The tear streaks on her cheeks suggested that she'd most likely fallen asleep crying.

"Nerissa told us everything," she whispered as we embraced, holding me tightly. "I'm so sorry, Isadora." Her voice broke on the last word. When we finally broke apart, she gripped my arms, scanning me from head to tail. "How are you feeling? Jay said you'd been sick."

I squeezed her hands. "Better. How are you? How's Uncle David?" I'd known that the news would shake them, probably as much as it had us. I could only imagine what they were feeling.

Sadness flashed across her face, gone as quickly as it came. "As well as can be expected. Even before..." she swallowed hard, her throat bobbing as she forced the words out, "the news, your uncle had always had a tenuous relationship with your father's brother. There are some things that he doesn't even share with me. He wanted to check on you, too, but I told him that you probably wouldn't want too many people crowding around."

My heart skipped a beat as I thought of Uncle Noah. As much as I wanted to feel anger and resentment towards him for what he'd done, I knew—I just knew—that Jacob had coerced him into it. But what could he possibly have said that would have been enough for Uncle Noah to betray his family, not once, but twice?

I thought of how he'd looked a few nights ago when we'd opened the front doors and saw him floating there—his bloodshot eyes, brimming with unshed tears, his face wan. He knew what he'd done, yet he didn't hide. He willingly surrendered.

"How's Dad doing?" I asked. A lump rose in my throat, but I forced it down.

She blew out a breath. "Nerissa said he hardly came out of their room yesterday, barely ate or drank anything. I think out of everyone, he blames himself the most for everything that's happened. He wanted so badly for them to be a family again. I haven't spoken to Oliver or Alicia, but I imagine they're feeling the same."

The rush of anger flowed through me as swiftly as an ocean current. My heart hurt for my grandparents, the betrayal and anger they must have been feeling. I was up and moving before the thought had even finished forming in my mind.

I was going to visit Uncle Noah. I had to get answers. Why had he done it? What had Jacob said?

Those two questions swirled around and around in my head, taunting me. When I reached the front door, Aunt Bella was right behind me, a hand outstretched. "Wait. Where are you going?" The worry on her face made my heart skip a beat.