Demon of the Skies [Book 1]

Lying in Deceit

Chapter Quote:

"I thought I knew the world. I thought I knew myself. I thought I knew my dearest friend. But I knew nothing at all."~Estrella DeMadrigal__________________________________

Chapter 16: Lying in Deceit

Elizabeth

I tossed and turned for about two hours before finally giving up on sleep. I wasn't tired, and my mind kept replaying my uncle's story over and over in my head. How could someone do that? How could a brother do that? I thought about Genette doing something like that to me, and the idea was unfathomable. I thought of Nagase or Chopper doing that to me, and the idea remained just the same. What had overcome Pixy that he turned on his brother? What, or who, had convinced him to do that? Because after listening to the stories, I had a hard time believing Pixy just abandoned Cipher. Maybe one day I'd find him and ask.

My stomach growled, interrupting my thoughts. I rolled out of bed, padding to the kitchen. To my surprise, my brother was already there. He was making a sandwich, peanut butter and jelly by the looks of it.

"What are you doing up?" I asked.

"Ahh!" Genette yelled, lifting his knife in defense. Realizing it was me, he lowered it, and said, "How do you enter rooms so quietly? Seriously?"

"Must be my military training. So what are you doing up?"

"I got hungry. You?"

"Couldn't sleep, and I was hungry. Make me a sandwich?"

"Do I look like a chef to you?"

"No, but you look like a wonderful older brother," I replied, giving him a hopeful smile. He rolled his eyes but still ended up fulfilling my wishes. The two of us ate in relative silence. I let my thoughts fall back to Pixy, still trying to understand why he did what he did. I prayed I never experienced that kind of betrayal when I worked for the military.

"Okay, you're unusually silent. What gives?" Genette finally asked in between mouthfuls.

"Just thinking about Cipher and Pixy, what happened between them, and how Pixy could do that to him."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Not going to lie, thinking about it is what really kept me up. Although being hungry was another."

"I know we have our differences, but you would never do that to me, would you?"

"No. For all our differences, we're still too similar on that front. Now, if it comes to football or movies, I might be willing to backstab you there with sufficient reasoning."

"Do it and die," I warned.

"Why is Genette dying this time?" Uncle Jason asked as he shuffled into the kitchen.