Tower Of Bones

Chapter 5: Arcane Secrets

Dex and I sat outside of the ice cream shop on a quiet little street after the meeting with Varyn and the unexpected visitor, Mayor Drakeford. Dex was quiet since the meeting and I got worried that maybe he was having second thoughts about letting me live with him. I swallowed, as I stared down at my chocolate scoop of ice cream on my cone.

After the long silence, I couldn't take it anymore and I said, "I'm sorry about what happened, Dex. I don't know why I acted like an ass in front of the Mayor."

Dex blinks and seems to come free from his thoughts to make eye contact with me. His face pales. "Oh! No, Max, I'm not mad at you or anything. I was just thinking about some things is all. Mayor Drakeford needs to be put in her place sometimes, I think she's just a bit worried about new comers since everything that happened with Alex Divine and Thorn Black."

"Who?" I asked, lifting my chin up to make eye contact with my uncle.

A pair of old people walked passed and Dex seems to quiet down instantly and suddenly, my interest was taken completely by his reaction.

Dex taps the tips of his fingers across the table gently. "Listen, kiddo, that's a bit of a sad story that I don't want you to hear on your first day here, let's just--"

"Dex, I'm gonna be living here now. I wanna know whatever you can tell me about this place so I at least know what I'm getting into," I said.

He hesitates and the confliction in his eyes makes me nervous. Eventually, he lowers his ice cream until it's resting in between both of his hands between us and sighs.

"Okay, but please, try not to talk about it too much around others, a lot of people around here are still a bit miffed about the whole situation."

"Jeez, you make it sound really bad," I say, eyebrows knitted in worry.

"It is, Max."

I wait for him to continue, holding my tongue from saying anything more as he speaks.

His eyes dart around once more, to make sure our conversation stays secure from any prying ears. Once he's done a few takes around the empty tables outside of the ice cream shop, he leans in across the table and whispers.

"A couple of years ago, a couple of boys went to school at Arcane High. I didn't know them personally, but there was a rumor floating around that they were gay. Alex must have thought someone, perhaps his parents, would take issue with it. Again, all of this is alleged, since we never officially closed the case, but we think Alex may have accidentally killed Thorn Black in a fit of rage one night."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I held up my hands, matching his low tone and leaning close to his face. "A kid was killed here?"

"Unfortunately. Some hiker found the poor boys body in the woods. Torn apart by elemental magics, a form that we think belonged to Alex. Some of Thorn's close friends admitted that he wanted to speak to Alex about coming out to their parents once and for all."

"Well, where is this Alex guy now?" I asked.

Dex shakes his head, and I can see the question has bothered him for longer than he would probably admit. "I don't know, Max. The boy hasn't been seen in two years. We think he ran off after he accidentally killed Thorn. Julius and Clementine Divine have been tormented by the town since then."

"Because their kid murdered his boyfriend?" I asked, now very worried about outing myself to anybody else here. I just hoped my haircut wouldn't give me away.

"Some of the people here blame them for Alex's reaction. Julius has been beaten numerous times for it and Clementine turned into a shut in for a while. They've just recently been able to show their faces again. But they still face backlash."