The Son of Ice and Dusk

Where I finally have a new purpose

A few months after these events, my friends and I were at the Brighton Vault.

It was basically a rip-off of the Brighton Dome, but it was built in the above ground part of the Aether Realm. We had gathered permits from the humans to build more infrastructures above ground, though many citizens wouldn't stand for it. So far, the coexistence between our species has been friendlier than it had been in years, though. In Brighton, the humans were more lenient compared to other cities, because it was the city where the Magic Senate was located — basically a capital for the English Enchanters. Architects started working on new roads and buildings. And they were incredibly fast — they started working on the new theatre early on, and with magic to help their work, it was done in a matter of months.

At the Brighton Vault we were watching Silver McQueen doing one of his shows. Ever since people found out he was still alive, Brady had started doing shows that sold out immediately.

Seeing Brady on the stage made me see him in a different light. Seeing him with silver hair and make up, and how good he looked in those even at his age, made me realise his face was more androgynous and handsome than I had given him credit for. Either way, since he started doing shows again he looked like a different person. Happier, I'd say.

After the show, we had to go to a party Mister Winter organised to show us his new house, because he thought he needed a real house, other than inhabiting the Academy, and so did Jeff. Which is something I'd never thought I'd say. And weirdly enough, I actually wanted to go to that party.

I felt way worse when I got there, saw the house was huge and that the people invited to the party were basically... all the Enchanters I knew. Lucretia seemed to have forgotten a little the pain Jake brought her, but she kept harassing me with countless questions about the quest. And I felt weird when Bill congratulated me for defeating Set, considering that it had been teamwork and that we only did what had to be done.

I realised many people still didn't know who I was. I decided to randomly tell the people who approached me to talk to me, if their questions verged too much in my private life.

When I went to grab another drink, I found myself in front of my grandfather. I was almost telling him the whole story, when he stopped me.

"I think we should discuss it... in private," he said.

I nodded. I didn't know what he was about to say to me, but I knew I had my share of things to say to him.

"You knew who my parents were," I told him as soon as we found another room. "You've never even pretended not to know, but still chose not to tell me anything."

It wasn't a question. I'd always known he knew. "Sorry, Ryan. I think I owe you an explanation."

"Well, you better hurry up," I bit back.

I couldn't feel pity towards him: he had always known that I was his grandson, that my mother was a relative of Vitaly, and maybe he had also known something about Samuel's doubts. And he had never told me anything.

I remembered that Samuel wanted to tell me other things about it before he died, but I hadn't let him. I had decided that letting him say goodbye to Jeff and Vitaly was more important. And it was. Still, I couldn't shake off the feeling that none of this was over if there were other verses that nobody knew.

"Jeff was born the year before you," my grandfather started explaining. "When he was born, our biggest problem was that Samuel was too young and busy to take care of him properly. And Vitaly didn't take it too well."

He smiled bitterly, like he had liked Vitaly a long time ago and he still had fond memories of him.

"When Samuel went crazy or, as we could say now, he inherited the family disease, he killed his wife. It was around the same time that he had killed your father. When he killed Nathan, we couldn't stop him because he was still on KI. When he killed Miyuki, we arrived too late. He also killed your mother, Brooke. She knew our family disapproved of her engagement with your father because it was illegal — she was a hybrid who did not inherit the powers. But she was a close friend of Miyuki, and Samuel killed her too. I decided to adopt Jeff. And then, Jeff's father simply disappeared. I noticed someone — I think it was one of the Awakened — had made it so that Jeff could remember everything even though he was only a child. But I actually took pity on him! I wanted him to have a life, so I had him cured and raised him."