The Incandescent | Book 7 | The Fairy arc

Chapter 9 ~ The Rancid Nightmare

Killian returned home late at night from his walk. Fireflies glowed around him as he stepped out of the forest, his footsteps halting when he saw his daughter's silhouette. Killian walked forward, his smile dwindling when he noticed the somberness on her face.

"I will ask again," Mara said strongly, her voice uncompromising. "Why?"

It was the reason why she became a private detective. Answers to the greatest mystery begged to be revealed, refusing to be in vain. Mara would not let this go, even if she had to force the answers from her father.

Killian took a deep breath before letting it out. I can't keep putting this off. I suppose it's time I finally told her. She needs to know, Killian thought, feeling it was unfair to keep it from her. He had been unwilling to do so in the past; now he felt it was a suitable time to revisit unpleasant memories, to finally confide in his daughter.

"I will tell you over tea," Killian promised, needing a warm drink to help him clear his mind.

Killian prepared Mara's favorite tea blend of oolong almond rose with red rose petals, saffron, amaretto, dark chocolate, peony buds, and sencha green tea. A blue rooftop covered the porch area from the rain.

However, it wasn't rainy that night. Killian sat across from Mara after setting down the tea. The cool night air wafted with the fragrant scent of tea. For a moment, there was nothing to break the silence of the night. Fireflies danced, and father and daughter drank tea.

Then out of nowhere, Killian's voice carried through the night.

"Vinessa Haidesur was the daughter of my father's rival business partner, Scypere Haidesur. Vinessa was engaged to a noble man named Ruyesli Calire, but she didn't love him, and she wanted to marry me.

"My father, Merdan Decuir, discovered our romance. Instead of reprimanding me as he should have, he supported our relationship and arranged meetings with Vinessa's father to attempt peaceful negotiations.

"Per my father's hopes, the rivalry ended. All was well, with prosperity and success. The only one that opposed our marriage was my older brother, Ilucian Decuir. He warned me, but I foolishly didn't listen, blinded by love.

"Vinessa was already pregnant with you by the time we married. I rejoiced when you were born. I held you every day, singing to you as you slept. I took you everywhere with me, so proud was I of you. Even Vinessa's former fiancé wished us well, gifting you a pearl music box. He married a mermaid named Annasca and moved to the seaside with her.

"My older brother inherited the business from my father, learning everything there was to know about weaponry, metal, and gemstones. Though my brother had the best teacher, he was no metalsmith. He refined swords, but he had no talent in design. I created the family emblem and my own personal emblem.

"Ilucian was amazed at my remarkable skill. He wanted me to inherit the business, since I was more knowledgeable and skillful, but I didn't want to. I wanted a simple life, away from confining matters of business. I left that to my brother, since I didn't want to deal with any of the complicated office work that came with running a business. I opted to be an ordinary metalsmith.

"My swords and weapons were legendary. Business increased, roses bloomed, you grew older, and life was grand. Things were well for a time, even after Drave's birth. Ilucian only visited when Vinessa was away; he refused to even speak with her.

"Turns out, Vinessa wanted my brother, but he refused her, so she went after his brother. Vinessa never loved me; it was my brother she loved. I thought her love was genuine, but my brother knew the truth of her fake love, her deceptive affections."