Restless Waves

Chapter 59

Confusing, I know ;)

- Sian

"What do you mean Jack saved us all? He saved my family and me because you cursed me!" Mandy barked in a voice that made Rowan flinch.

"No, you've got it all wrong, even Jack." Braiken hurried into the garden and motioned that it was safe. Rowan saw four people climbing over his dad's fence. One person was Jack, the other was Wez, and two women he didn't recognise.

"Jack, what's going on?" Rowan asked when they crowded his dad's kitchen.

"Well... Solar, when I broke the curse on your mum, I went home because of your hunter situation." Jack looked to Braiken who watched him proudly. "When I got home um, my dad had no idea who I was. For some reason, he thought I was a seven-year-old kid. When I broke the curse on your family, I broke the curse that was unknowingly put on all of us. Even I was cursed." Jack frowned. "I told you that my dad wasn't a nice man, but neither was your mother. The curse made us believe that. Well, everyone was cursed except Wez and his soulmate."

Everyone turned to Wez for an explanation.

"Did you do it?" Mandy asked.

"No." Wez scowled. "Quite frankly, I'm insulted that you think I did."

"Yeah, and me," Braiken said.

"But Jack literally told us his dad did it, which is you," Rowan exclaimed. "Was that because of the curse then?"

"Yes. My memories of my dad have changed now. I remember what he was like before this all happened," Jack said, knowing Rowan understood how he was feeling. "It's taken me a few days to get my head around everything, which is why I didn't reply to messages."

"Who would do this?" Michael asked to anyone willing to answer.

"That's what I've been trying to figure out for all these years," Wez said, standing closer to the woman with dark skin and turquoise eyes. "I had to stay on land and watch you all to make sure you were somewhat safe while I tried to find who was responsible. I stuck with Mandy because she turned into a hunter, so she was in the most danger. A danger to herself and poor Thalassic Mortals."

Mandy looked down in shame.

"This is so confusing," Michael sat at the table, rubbing his temples. "So, Jack told us that Braiken cursed Mandy because that's what the curse wanted us to believe. I'm guessing whoever cursed us didn't think we'd get rid of it. They must have thought that we'd end up fighting each other instead."

Braiken slapped hands on Jack's shoulders, grinning. "That's why I'm so unbelievably proud of my son. He might be nineteen, and I might have no clue who he is now, but he broke one of the strongest curses I presume has ever been made. Cursing royals is a dangerous move. Let our Goddess mother find whoever did this, so her sons and daughter can get justice."

"Why didn't you get cursed Wez?" Rowan asked, and Braiken noticed that he and Kaerius were holding hands.

"Are you two soulmates?" Braiken asked with a funny frown. "That's a bit... odd."

"Dad," Jack complained. "It's two thousand and nineteen, get over it."

"The year two thousand and nineteen, wow," Braiken said. "Well, if men kissing men is the new norm, I'm all for it."

"Wez," Rowan sighed, wanting to educate Braiken on how long people have fought for the freedom to be who they are. He wasn't some trend. "Why didn't you get cursed?"

"I don't really know. I guess the first time I came on land was after you were cursed. We were a family who didn't speak unless who had to, but I always felt when either Mandrylikah or Braiken had returned to their home. I hadn't felt either of them in almost three months, so I went on land to make sure they were both okay. I got the shock of my life when Braiken was suddenly a fairy, and Mandy was a human hunter. I knew from that moment I was to stay on land and figure out what happened."