Heroes of Darkness

XXIII

ALEXANDER

Alex Specter sat at a desk in the library by the flickering light of a melting candle. The book he had open was a history of his own family, complete with birth records as well as deaths. He thought it would be a good place to start when trying to find any sort of information about his mother. If this Spector family tome has any mention of spouses in it, he thought.

Sure enough, towards the back of the dusty old book, before the pages were blank, he found his mother's name.

"'Lady Susan, formerly of House Forrest,'" he read. Her death had not come far after Alex's own birth date, but still his suspicions were raised. It may have been true she died not long after bringing her son into this world, but it seemed her death had come much too late for it to have involved birthing complications...

Thump!

Alex awoke from his drowsiness to the sound of some other book falling off a shelf somewhere in the corner of the room. He knew he had better put it back before he left the library. The book keeper was a grumpy old man who liked to keep his stacks neat and orderly.

He clumsily walked over holding his candle to the place where he thought he heard the sound, and sure enough, there lay an open book on the floor. The young Lord's son wouldn't have given it a second thought if he hadn't have seen his name scribbled in a fine cursive on the page.

...Father will be delighted to meet Alex. Thankfully, he has more of the Forrest look than that of his father. As his health fails him, I hope Caitlyn makes her way in haste...

Alex's heart skipped a beat. He put his thumb in the page and closed the book, looking at the front cover. It was blank. Alex sifted through the first couple of pages and found who the book had belonged to.

To Susan, Alex read silently. When you are feeling lonely, write down your words so I can read them from the other world. I will always love you, my Princess. Love, Mother.

He couldn't believe it. How could this be his mother's diary? It was surely too coincidental. He pinched his cheek, to make sure he wasn't in a dream. Surely a book as important as this would not be kept in the library, but in his father's own personal collection. Susan Forrest was, after all, his first wife. Alex put aside his questions and turned to the last page.

It seems my birthing sickness hasn't yet left me. The nurses seem puzzled, and most are confident that I'll make a full recovery. Sheila, the head nurse, seems most distraught, however. Her hands are shaky as she delivers my medicines. I've never felt so terrible after taking treatment, but I must persevere, Mother. I have a son to take care of...

He turned the page.

Your world is calling to me, Mother. The leaf on Grovyle's head is beginning to change colors. The sickness is growing stronger by the day. I can only hope that Caitlyn is around to watch over little Alex as he grows up. My husband has given into fear and joined with the Empress of Sootopolis... The Kingdom of Foretree as I knew it has forever changed. I am part of that old world. Tell Father, and now Solomon, that I'll be with you soon. It's so hot... I need to sleep...

There were no entries after that page. Alex found tears welling up in his eyes. If only he could tell his mother what Caitlyn had become... Wait, Alex's thoughts interrupted his longing for his family. Aunt Caitlyn had was the client who tried to have Burningtree and the Draconids capture Leo and hold him for ransom...