Scion

2. The Forgotten Son

Rye^
Harpers POV

Stumbling out of bed, I wiped the sleep out of my eyes. After waking up I was usually quiet so completed my entire routine in silence, showering away the days previous dirt and grime while thinking about my brother.

Rye was a selfish, vile, jealous person, but he wasn't always that way. Once upon a time my brother was kind, a perfect older sibling, he became the man my father wanted him to be, when a child is made to be killer they are easily controlled.

Despite all my father's attempts to create his perfect child, a perfect monster. He despised his creation.

And so Father instead turned all of his attention to me, and Rye resented me for it.

Drying off and brushing my teeth I viewed myself in the mirror. I glared to spot any holes, any cracks, any breaks in the facade. None.  I spat the remnants of  the blue foam out of my mouth and bared my teeth. Under the bright lights of my bathroom did I look like a monster, another creation of my family's, a product of my environment?

A soft knock on the door interrupted my thoughts 'Maria?' I shouted already knowing who it was.

'James, I've made your breakfast okay? I'll leave it on the counter.'

'Thank you.' Maria was my maid, and the only real mother I'd ever known, she raised me and is the only one I'll ever be happy that calls me James, even if Harper sounded better.

Padding through the expanse of my room, I noticed a tray of steaming breakfast on my side table.

Smiling I took a bite, I loved Maria and her cooking.

(Time skip )~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Being called to father's office has never been nice. It usually meant I'd either done something wrong or he  wanted something from me both are usually equally unpleasant.

'James.' Father rarely spoke, but when he did it was enough to make your hairs stand on end. His voice was harsh, but smooth as if nails on a chalkboard had suddenly become melodious. All of this paired with the use of a name that I had bee glad to hear earlier made my skin crawl.

Without making eye contact, I spoke 'Yes sir.'
'It seems you were wrong about the Matsa last night, one escaped the battle and is out for blood.'
I cringed at that, ready to defend my men.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak however there was a light tap on the door followed by the heavy footsteps of my brother sauntering into the room. I turned to him for a split second, not long enough for him to notice my gaze but long enough for me to notice both the rare dazzling smile he held on his face and the slightly red patch on his neck. Strange.

'Ryan, just in time,' my father began, ' I am just informing your brother of his... mistake.'

At that, Rye turned his smile into a mere smirk turning to me before looking away again. To him my failure was his success.

'However I see this as a learning curve, children.' At 21 and 19 years old father would not stop calling us children, probably a belittling tactic. I could get past it but neither my father nor I missed the was Rye clenched his fists and his smile slightly disappeared at the word.

'James, as you allowed a member of the Matsa to escape you will be the one to track him down and terminate him, however Ryan you will do the same, whoever can kill the target and proves their allegiance to the family wins, I won't tell you the prize though that'll be a surprise.' He finished with a flourish, eyes glinting as I sensed he had a horrible plan in mind. 

Rye looked shocked, as if he couldn't believe the words leaving his mouth, he was usually excited to see me fail, but seeing me fail because of him was like an early birthday present.

I on the on the other hand saw this as an opportunity to prove to my father and the family that I could single-handedly beat an enemy, a chance to gain their trust. Father trusted no one, not even his own sons. However I was no idiot, I knew this was just one of father's may tests and that I would be one step closer to being my father's successor, which was my worst fear.

'They call him Sonny Robertson, and he must be killed.'

I gulped, I had killed before, but never anyone with similar training to mine, and each time i took a life I felt as if it wore away at my remaining humanity.

'Let the games begin.'