Forsaken

Chapter 19: Veil of Revelations

Claude's footsteps echoed through the grand hallways of the ancestral mansion, his heart heavy with anger and confusion. He had come seeking answers, but what he had uncovered only deepened the labyrinth of secrets that surrounded his existence. The weight of his discoveries bore down on him, and he was determined to confront his parents and demand the truth.

As he entered the opulent room, Lestat and Jesse turned their attention toward him. There was a charged energy in the air, an unspoken tension that hung between them. Claude's gaze was unwavering as he fixed it upon his parents, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and accusation.

"Everything I thought I knew... it's all been a lie, hasn't it?" Claude's words cut through the silence, his frustration boiling over. "You kept me hidden from the world, kept me in the dark about my own origins. And for what? So I could stumble upon the truth myself?"

Lestat's eyes narrowed, his own emotions flaring in response to Claude's outburst. "You think this is easy for us, Claude? You think we didn't have our reasons?"

Claude's voice rose, his anger fuelling his resolve. "Reasons? Tell me, what reasons could possibly justify this level of deception? I deserve to know the truth, damn it!"

Jesse stepped forward, her expression a mixture of concern and empathy. "Claude, please try to understand. We wanted to protect you, to shield you from the dangers that come with our world."

Claude's laughter was bitter, tinged with frustration. "Protect me? By keeping me in the dark and allowing me to stumble into this mess? I've been searching for answers, trying to understand how I even exist, and all I've found are more questions!"

Lestat's voice was sharp, his own anger surfacing. "And what do you want from us, Claude? An apology? An explanation for everything? You're not the only one with questions."

Claude's eyes blazed, his frustration reaching a boiling point. "I want the truth, Lestat. I want to know why I was brought into this world, why you and Jesse decided to create me. And don't think for a second that I don't see the connections-Aurora, Marius, the queen."

Jesse's voice was steady, a calming presence amidst the storm. "Claude, we didn't plan for any of this. But there's something more important at stake now. Aurora, she's on a dangerous path, and we need to find a way to bring her back."

Claude's anger faltered, his thoughts returning to Aurora and the turmoil they had both found themselves in. He took a deep breath, his rage giving way to a begrudging understanding.

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Claude admitted, his voice weary. "But if there's a chance to help Aurora, to bring her back from the brink, then maybe... maybe we can work together."

Lestat's expression softened, a mixture of remorse and concern in his eyes. "Claude, I know we've made mistakes. But we'll do whatever it takes to make things right, to protect you and the world we've created."

Jesse's voice was gentle, a reflection of her motherly love. "We're a family, Claude. We may not have all the answers, but we'll face this together."

As the tension in the room began to dissipate, Claude's anger ebbed, replaced by a sense of unity with his parents. The path ahead was uncertain, but they were bound by blood, by love, and by a shared determination to navigate the challenges that lay ahead.

With the storm of emotions subsiding, Jesse took a deep breath and began to share the long-kept secret with Claude. Her voice was tender, carrying a weight of both regret and motherly affection.

"Claude, there's something we've kept from you-a truth that has haunted us for years." Jesse's eyes held a mixture of sorrow and determination as she continued. "You see, when you were just a baby, we found you on the brink of death. It was a stormy night, and your life was fading away."