Children of Krina

Chapter Thirty-Five

Owen's POV

 I removed the letters from the file and read them, my heart racing inside my chest. How had they known that I took the violin all those years ago? Cadence Sorenson had been one of mother's favorite performers. I remember listening to her albums and mother explaining the components of each piece with me. When I found out that the musician that mother admired refused to return my great-grandfather's violin, I had been livid. Father had made it sound so reasonable. The violin was a family heirloom, one that mother loved. She deserved to have it back.

My hands shook. At my father's urging, I had stolen a violin worth millions. Even if it had belonged to my mother's family at one time, her grandfather had sold it before he died. I kept it for years, clinging to it as if it was my last connection to her. The joke was on me. Not only was I a murderer, I was also a thief.

I tucked the letters back into the file and opened the one containing the reports on Agatha. I felt a moment of trepidation. As if my world was preparing to be sent spiraling out of control once again. For my brothers to go to such extremes, it had to be appalling.

In all honesty, I could not take fault for the way Mr. Taylor Sr. spoke to me. They were all being courteous, more so than I was being. Luke was correct I had intentionally upset Victor. I could not help the umbrage I felt towards him. I blamed him for the growing gulf between my brothers and myself. It didn't matter the true fault belonged with me. As for the girl, this Sang or whatever she was called, I held her responsible most of all. I knew I was being irrational, but if she had stayed away from Sunnyvale Court Victor would never have left us. The Guardians would have never come to save her and would have never found Victor. We would have weathered the storm at Victor's mansion, not hiding in a dank cave. It is why I had agreed with Agatha that we should all date Alma. I hadn't wanted girlfriends coming between us, like what was happening now. Whatever this bond nonsense the girl was spouting was destroying the team.

I removed my glasses and rubbed my eyes. No, that wasn't right. I felt as if I was losing my mind. As if, I was two different people inside. Victor chose to leave; he was Krinar and belonged with his own kind. While he looked different on the outside, he was still the same Victor on the inside. As for the girl, Victor followed her, not the other way around. She hadn't known about us or who he was when they met. It was a Krinar thing, a mate bond that was rare and wonderful. At least the Krinar believed it was so. Victor wasn't being held as a prisoner. This Sang wasn't evil incarnate. They weren't stealing my brothers from me. The Krinar hadn't destroyed the Academy. The information on the papers was true. Agatha was a criminal; she was the one who hired hit men to remove the Directors so she could take their place.

My chaotic thoughts went back to the violin. Deep down I must have known that the violin hadn't belonged to my mother. Why else would I keep it hidden? I could have sold it and been set for life, but I didn't sell it. Why... why... why? It was too much. My head was a war zone.

"Owen," Luke was swiftly at my side. "You need to set this aside and rest for a bit. Stop thinking so hard. It will come when your brain has recovered fully."

"I want to see the violin, bring it to me." I ordered hoarsely.

"No," Luke refused.

"I gave you an order Mr. Taylor," I barked. Suddenly a deep rage filled me. How dare he refuse a director order?

"You don't give orders any more." His tone was unyielding. "The team ended with the Academy. Your authority over us ended when we gathered at Uncle's farm to survive and you formally stepped down when we were in hiding. As brothers, we are all equal." His expression became stern. "The violin belongs to Sang Sorenson; you have no claim to it. You are darn lucky that she isn't insisting on prosecuting you for theft. We will help you track down your great grandfather's violin if you truly wish to have it back, but it will not be stolen or worth more than most people make in a lifetime."