Shattered Vengeance (The Alderidges Book 2)

Prologue

Three-year-old Arien's mouth was parted open in awe as his father carefully lowered the one-day-old baby girl in his arms.

He sat on the couch in the private hospital room, his little legs dangling from it as he held his sister in his arms. 

He glanced up at his father. "My sister?"

His father stroked his head, giving him a small smile. "Yes. She is your sister, Arien."

Arien looked down at her, gently trailing his fingers over her dark hair. "She will stay with us?"

His father chuckled, glancing affectionately at his wife who laid in the hospital bed, smiling at her husband and children. "Yes, she will."

Just then the door burst open, and another pair of little legs rushed into the room.

Arien looked up at his elder cousin, a grin forming on his face. "Za! Look, my sister!"

Asael was three years older than his cousin and Arien was unable to pronounce his name yet, settling on calling him 'Za' for now.

Asael's parents followed behind him, his father shaking his head slightly. "I told you not to run in a hospital, Asael. Also, you should open and close any door slowly."

Asael frowned, he hated being told what to do.

Arien and Asael were cousins from both sides, their mothers were siblings and so were their fathers.

As they all met each other, Asael walked over to where Arien sat with his sister.

"My sister." Arien was still grinning as he proudly showed his sister off to his cousin.

"No." Asael started to grab her. "She is my sister."

Arien scowled, refusing to give her to him. "No, mine!"

"Ari, give her to me," Asael whined. "You have been holding her for too long."

"No, Za. My sister. I hold her."

Before they could argue further, Asael's father intervened. "Okay, enough."

He gently grabbed her from Arien's arms, holding her away from them. "She is very fragile so you can't snatch her like a toy."

Arien nudged his cousin, whispering, "What's...ragile?"

Asael shrugged. 

Kallias (Asael's father) chuckled softly upon hearing Arien's question. "Fragile means she can be hurt easily. You don't want to hurt her, do you?"

Both the boys shook their heads immediately.

"Good. Now, Arien, why don't you let your cousin hold her for a little while?"

Arien nodded hesitantly as he watched his Uncle place his sister on Asael's lap after he sat down on the couch and Arien climbed beside him, both of them watching her in mesmerisation.

"What is her name?" Asael looked up at the elders.

Arien's parents shared a warm look between themselves before his mother announced, "We have decided to name her Sierna."

"That's pwetty!" Arien exclaimed making Asael nod.

The loud noise disturbed the baby's sleep as she let out a sharp cry making both the boys flinch back in fear.

"You made her cry." Asael scolded.

Arien's lips curled down. "I did not!"

"It's okay." His father assured, taking Sierna in his hands and handing it over to his wife so she could breastfeed her.

"I will never make her cry",  Arien said softly. 

"Me too. I will protect her from all the monsters." Asael added.

"Me too!" Arien agreed.

Their fathers stared at their children softly as Kallias spoke, "She will be the most protected girl in the world."