The Mariposa

Chapter 20

Kalon

"Kalon," he said, his voice familiar but different all at the same time. It was the same voice I knew as a child, but deeper, richer, aged with time. His eyes were searching mine as he slowly stepped closer and I felt myself backing away, my gaze darting behind him, wondering if I should make a break for it.

"I don't know who you're talking about, sir, I'm not Kalon and I have no clue who you are," I lied, forcing what I hoped looked like a polite smile on my face.

He stared at me for a moment, expressionless, before slowly laughing, disbelief coming over him. "I'm not an idiot, Kalon. Even if I wasn't sure before it was you, I know now that you're doing such a shoddy job at hiding your panic. Where the hell have you been?"

My heart was racing, my legs begging me to take off. I inched towards the end of the hallway, just about to do just that when he grabbed my arm.

"Kalon, please. We were all each other had. Did that mean nothing to you? I just want to know how you've been, if you're okay."

I yanked my arm away, my fear turning to icy rage as I glared at him. "Why?! So, you can report back to our father?!"

His jaw clenched, his arms crossing over his chest as he rested on the wall across from me. "I know I was a brat when we were kids, Kale. I'm not ten anymore. I'm just a man who hasn't seen his sister in a decade. I thought you were dead."

I couldn't help laughing at that. "Why would I be dead? Think I couldn't find a way to survive without our father's precious money?"

He was the one who was angry now, stepping off the wall, his pale skin going red as he yelled back at me: "Would you stop treating me like the enemy for one second?! Whether you like it or not, we share the same blood. We are both descendants of that man."

I nodded. "Yes. But as opposed to me, that fact always made you proud."

His eyes darkened and I stumbled back a little more, but I was determined to hold my ground at this point. "What is it you are doing, Kalon? Who have you been working with?"

"That's none of your business," I fired back.

He tilted his head, silent as he appraised me, considering something. "You're not trying to tear him down, are you?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're not a very good listener, are you? I said it's none of your business. I have no reason to tell you what I have been up to."

He chuckled, shaking his head. He looked away for a moment and I glanced away as well, wondering if maybe the line of questioning was finally over.

I jumped when he suddenly stalked closer to me, backing me against the wall. I reached my arm between us out of instinct but winced when I realized I was unarmed. His blue eyes were freezing me with their frigid coldness, his sickly-sweet breath filling the air around me.

"A word of advice, whatever it is you're doing, you'd be wise to stay away from anything having to do with father and his business. Or for that matter, me. Am I understood?"

His caring brother façade was completely gone now, and I shoved him away just as my best friend's panicked voice came my way:

"Kalon!"

I turned on my heel, watching as Elyas and Maeve were running towards me at breakneck speed, their faces the image of sheer panic.

"I'm here, what's going on?" I asked, grabbing Maeve's arm.