Restoration of Fire

Chapter 5

Agmos stepped in front of Winter, protecting her. Winter felt panic rising inside her at the sight of her mother standing in front of their apartment building. Of her parents, her mother had been the worse of the two. Winter's mother studied Agmos with cold eyes and Winter gently held onto Agmos' shirt, trying to calm herself.

"Well now. And who might you be?" She asked. Agmos opened his mouth to reply, but Winter gripped his arm tightly.

"Don't give her your name! She'll use it to control you!" Winter instructed, her voice tinged with fear, her eyes never leaving her mother. Winter's mother smirked and turned her gaze to her daughter and Winter's breath hitched. However, instead of hostility, there was a gentleness that Winter didn't expect.

"Winter...may we speak?" Winter gripped Agmos' arm tightly.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say in front of him." Winter retorted. Her mother looked sad at the comment, but nodded.

"I'm sorry. Your father ran our dwelling with quite an iron fist. He forced me to torture you with my power. I never wanted to hurt you or cast you out. You have to know that." Her mother begged. Winter had never seen this side of her before, but everything inside her was screaming at her not to trust her.

"I wish I could believe you, Mother, but I can't. Not after everything." Her mother nodded at her words and looked down.

"I want to explain things. May I?" She asked. Winter hesitated and Agmos looked down at her out of the corner of his eye.

"What do you want to do, Blue?" He asked. Winter wanted to say to leave her alone, but there were questions she had. Questions that only her mother could answer.

"I need answers and she's the only one who has them." Agmos nodded.

"Alright, Mother, we will hear you out." Winter replied and her mother gave her a smile. They led the woman up, Winter in the front with Agmos in the rear. Winter stepped into the apartment making Swindle look up from the new chair. An open book lay in his lap and his monocle was in to help him read. First, his eyes fell on her, then the demon behind Winter.

"Winter, what-?" Winter held her hand up, cutting him off.

"She was standing outside. She claims that my father forced her to harm me and she has information I need. A-A-A-Adam and you will keep an eye on her." Winter stammered trying not to give Agmos' name away. 'Adam' looked at her with a flat look.

"Adam? Really?" Agmos asked incredulously. Winter gave him an apologizing look and Agmos sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"My name is Liora." Winter's mother introduced herself. Swindle caught on that Winter was using fake names for a reason and quickly came up with a better name than Agmos'. He closed the book and took off his monocle, letting it drop to his chest.

"William." Swindle replied, 'introducing' himself. Liora smiled as she looked around.

"I'm quite surprised you are living here, Winter. You managed to find quite a comfortable place of residence." Her mother commented, but Winter didn't answer. Winter went and sat down on the couch before looking up at her mother who was taking a seat in the other new chair.

"I can see you're not up for chitchat, so what do you wish to know?" Liora asked, turning her gaze to Winter.

"Who was my real father?" Winter asked and Liora sighed as Agmos took a seat beside Winter, ready to protect her if she needed it.

"I truly don't know, Winter."

"How can you NOT know?!" Winter felt anger rising inside her. Liora had promised answers and Winter was frustrated that she wasn't getting any.