Exhale

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

I found myself kneeling across from Adrian when I came back. My hands were cold and damp, and tears stained my cheeks. I was a bit off-balance. My body was shaking.

I stared at Adrian and lightly shook my head. No. How could this be?

"Say something," Adrian said after a moment. As if he was worried about what I'd think.

Suddenly, I saw him in a different light. He was uncontrolling of his actions and his emotions, because of my uncle. I'd seen him try to be good, but whenever it would happen he'd come back around and make some pretty terrible decisions. Mostly involving me. And then some.

The way I saw his hope fade from his eyes was the part that killed me. He was only a boy and he was now an immortal being, suffering because he tried to get his family back. I still wasn't sure what the deal with that was, though.

I studied Adrian carefully. He showed me a vulnerable side to him. Probably something he didn't show often.

Adrian waited patiently for me to speak, but I could feel his anxiousness.

Frankly I had no words. Only emotion. And my heart was breaking for him.

So instead of saying anything, I took my hand and touched it to his cheek. He closed his eyes under my touch, as if being flooded with relief.

I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him close, giving him a tight hug. He didn't deserve what he went through. This wasn't what his life was supposed to be like.

I buried my face in his neck and held him. I felt his body tense. As if he wasn't sure what to think or how to act, but then his arms slid around my waist and he pulled me closer.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered to him.

"Thanks," he said back. It hasn't been an easy life, that's for sure."

I pulled away to look at him. "But I still don't understand...what happened to your family? Your mom, and- and Matthew, was it?"

He winced slightly before saying, "Let me start the explanation from the beginning. It will make more sense.

"I was cursed because I made a deal with a powerful warlock AKA, your great Uncle. That warlock just so happened to be your uncle on your maternal grandfather's side. He chose his path by choice unlike your maternal grandmother's ancestors who did not have a choice. I'll explain that part later.

"Your Uncle Ron tried to convince my father to join his cult. Something about them being super close, them being best friends or something, which is hard to believe, honestly. When my father refused, your uncle Ron became angry, swearing that he would make him and his family suffer. He threatened to kill us all, but I - being the brave soul I am - stepped up and begged him not to. Ron, being a slippery being, agreed to not kill them if I did a dirty deed for him. He imprisoned my family, and cast a spell on me for obedience to do what I promised to do. Sadly, I had no choice but to follow through with it." He thought for a moment. "Even without the spell, I would have done everything in my power to save my family." A pause, a look of regret. "I had to kill the warlock's brother, because he was a threat. He too chose the path that the warlock chose, but unlike him, his brother was not evil, or a psychopath. He chose it because he thought that he could make a better life for him and his family." My skin suddenly got the chills. My dad lost his dad years ago, when he was young. I wondered if Adrian was responsible for that? I wondered if he was responsible for my father's death as well? I let him finish his story though. "Other witches and warlocks part of the cult saw what he was like, and he knew that they would choose his brother over him to be their leader, and he was angry about that, and wanted control.