Thorns of Fate: Serendipity Saga Book One

Chapter Nine

The foyer in Damien's mansion was expansive and lavishly decorated. There was a sense of old-world charm there. Down its center was a grand staircase, swooping up to a second floor where a railing lined the edge of a walkway that branched off in either direction. At its base, a door was placed on either side, leading farther into the house.

Carson pulled me up the stairs and down the hall to the left. Anton hadn't followed us. The corridor was lined with doors. After several steps forward, Carson stopped and turned to the right. He lifted his fist and rapped on the door.

"Come in," called Damien's voice. It was eerie to immediately recognize my father's voice after having it be absentee for my entire life. Carson twisted the knob and the door swung open.

I hadn't realized I was holding my breath onto my eyes fell on him. Even I could admit that my father was striking. He didn't look old enough to be my dad. He looked like he may have been in his late forties. He had auburn hair, much like myself, but with deep, forest green eyes. He had a goatee that was a shade darker than his hair and his lips were pulled back in a sneer as he read over something.

Carson and I stood there. He had his arms behind his back and stood stiffly. My father didn't look up as he commanded, "Sit."

The room we'd stepped into looked like an office except as large and extravagant as a study. Damien had a desk centered in the middle of the room and two large chairs sat between us. We immediately obliged plopping into the seats.

Damien finally placed his folder on the desk and looked up at me. "Hello, my daughter. You're looking well." Then he turned his gaze to Carson who if I didn't know better would've have said looked terrified. "Carson," he greeted.

"My king," Carson replied with a bow of his head.

Damien gave him a knowing look.

"Sir," Carson corrected with a smile.

Damien stood, gesturing for Carson to come to him. Carson did as bid, clasping my father in a hug.

"It has been too long, Carson," Damien said.

Carson nodded but before he could speak I interjected, "Too long? Didn't you both just spend months together at my bedside?"

Damien looked back to me, its smile and jovial attitude gone. "We did. But Carson was not himself during that time." He finished the phrase, returning a different, sympathetic smile to his lips.

Carson's eyes went wide.

"What do you mean?" I asked my father.

Damien looked to Carson for a moment, sighed and didn't respond.

I looked between them. My father looking guilty and Carson looking afraid. I didn't appreciate being left in the dark. I could feel heat swelling inside of me as my anger increased.

I stood up so fast I knocked my chair onto its back. "Look, I'm in enough of a chaotic whirlwind for the two people I'm supposed to trust to start keeping secrets from me." I said it all in one incensed gasp of air.

My father looked shocked and Carson sported a grimace. For a long moment my words hung in the air. Then my father seemed to compose himself first.

"Well, you truly are my daughter," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "My sweet child," he cooed, "some things are better to be learned than told."

I could sense Carson's relief.

I righted my chair and walked out of the room.

Once I felt like I could see clearly past the haze of red that had crept into my vision, I began to roam the halls. I thought I had a decent understanding of this houses size from its exterior but I was proven unabashedly wrong. I continued down the dizzying corridor and found another at its end.