Crown of Glass (Heritier Lunes # 1)

Chapter 6

"Happy birthday to me.. Happy birthday to me.. Happy birthday, happy birthday... Happy birthday to me..."

A cold December morning, no birds on the window sill in sight.

A small smile on their face, a figure stood and dressed, their mood felt good.

They continued humming as they left the bedroom. Everyone in the castle was still asleep, they had one amazing hour to themselves before a certain someone finally woke up.

"Happy birthday to me... Happy birthday to me..." Their voice sounded more joyful as they lit a candle and walked around the halls.

"Happy birthday, happy birthda-..." The figure stopped suddenly as they stared into a large portrait illuminated by the orange light.

It was of a father, a son, and a future king.

Two of them wore matching smiles... but the other wore an expression in the painting that was now similar to the one they're wearing now.

An empty frown.

I... I've always hated you...

"...Happy birthday..." They turned back, clenching a shaky fist.

"...To you."

The fire flickering on the lamp became a mere wisp of smoke.

- - -

Basta abt Diamond's bday idk wait.

- - -

"It's no rush, just... think about it, you know? Try going outside and think to yourself." Abel opened the door of his office, ushering Veralis outside.

At sixteen, she still didn't seem to understand the gist of what Abel said during their first meeting. Wouldn't one feel immense satisfaction once they got even?

Veralis looked at the obsidian scythe in her hand. Odd gift for one's birthday, from her adoptive father no less.

Well, they're not an ordinary family anyways.

She put on her Verre Noir jacket, one of her prized possessions, and covered her head with its black hood.

This isn't helping. Sharpening her scythe wasn't helping either.

A rustle from not far away.

Readying her new weapon, she stood and parted the bushes to see...

...a little boy?

"Valravn?" The kid's knees began to shake and to her annoyance, started crying.

"Unfortunately not." She mumbled and bent down to meet his eye level.

"Where're the people taking care of you, kid? They must be worried."

"I... have no one to take care of me."

"No one?" Her voice cracked.

"Well, used to."

"What happened?"

The boy smiled sadly, "Wardens."

Her grip on her scythe tightened, he was... like her, like any other Verre who'd fallen victim from the Wards.

"Are you... angry? Have you... ever thought of... getting revenge?"

"Of course I'm... angry, but I made a promise."

"...Promise?"

He took her hand and she felt a radiant warmth throughout her entire being. The boy knows she'd felt that too.

"To live on. To be freed from my shackles of pain and revenge. I suppose that extends to you too."

It made sense now. He knew exactly how she felt, because it's a power within him from the moment he was born.

An ardorist.

A powerful one, in fact.

"Are you still in search of a new home?"

"If anyone is willing, yes."

So this was what Abel meant. Tears pricked her eyes, as she was hit with that sudden realization.

"I'll take you in. What's your name?"

"Kai."

Hand in hand, both started to walk away from the boy's makeshift home,

"What's it like?"

"What's what like?"

"The feeling of home. I haven't felt that in a while..."

Veralis paused to look at an aloof Kai, who glanced at a nearby animal that passed by.

"It's... warm."

Everything after that was a blur. Her home burnt down, some of the people she loved killed, and Kai taken.

By the Wards.