Hunter

Chapter 31

        What a relief. My children were safe and sound. Still, the presence of a rifle in the room let me think a danger had indeed weighed on them while I was gone. However, Sophie seemed to have managed to protect them.

"Well? Are you going to tell us were you've been?" She threw at me as she went to put her weapon away, as if my return meant the end of the danger.

She reappeared in the room and settled in one of the seats of the living room too. She was hiding something. At least, I had the feeling she was. I put that feeling aside and told them everything, without any secrets. After all, Sophie was the one who had found Arthur's portrait in the gnome's pocket. Of course I would have wanted to hide to my son that a warlock was looking for him, but I had promised not to hide anything from him anymore and I did not want to lose his trust again. The fear I could read on his features seemed like the exact replica of mine. When I eventually finished, silence filled the room for a few seconds. Then Sophie spoke:

"What does this wizard want with Arthur, you think?"

I shook my head and shrugged. I had no idea. I turned my head to look at Arthur who sat next to me and that is how I noticed what I had missed on my arrival. His left brow bone was slightly cut, his skin was turning blue between his lips and his chin, and his low lip was also cut. I grabbed his chin and turned his face to examine his wounds. I felt Sophie tensing in her seat and rack her brain to find an escape. When my hand had touched his face, Arthur had jumped and pulled a face because of the pain. He had been hit.

"Who did this to you?" I asked as I let him go.

Arthur lowered his eyes. I turned to Sophie who was still tensed. She had hoped I would not notice.

"Who did this to him?"

"Gustave..."

"Who did this?!"

I had jumped to my feet, pointing at my son. I was certain I already knew who had caused these bruises, but I needed to hear it. Sophie got up too, her hands in front of her, in a gesture she wanted calming.

"Calm down! Please!"

"Not until one of you has told me what happened!"

Arthur and Sophie looked at each other, then, she put her hand on my arm.

"Alright." She said. "But sit down first." I obeyed and tried to falsely relax my face.

"Someone sneaked in my house and..."

"Sophie, go straight to the point."

She inhaled deeply. She was giving up.

"Alright. It was Henri."

"I knew it!" I shouted jumping to my feet.

That bastard had taken advantage of my absence to go after my son and had dared to lay his hands on him. It was impossible for me to contain the rage I felt. I headed for the door insulting the bastard. I was striding and Sophie had to run to catch up with me. She stood between the door and I to prevent me from leaving.

"Step aside!"

"Gustave, pull yourself together! What do you think you're going to do?"

"I'm going to break his face! Here is what I going to do!"

I had clenched my fists and was breathing raggedly for anger was pressuring my chest. Behind me, I felt Arthur's presence and I could easily imagine him staring at me, utterly stunned by the violence emanating from me.

"And what good would it do?"

I did not answer. I knew she was right, but I was consumed by rage. She cautiously laid her hands on my shoulders.

"You should rest instead! You haven't slept in more than 24 hours now. Things will be clearer after a good night of sleep... You can stay here, if you want to."

"Dad, listen to her. S'il te plaît."

I closed my eyes, weary and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Dad?"

The silence went on for a long minute before my fury turned into a simple anger and I was finally able to speak again. I opened my eyes.

"Fine. One night. But then, I'll make him vomit his eyes through his nose!"

I felt Arthur relax in my back and Sophie took her hands off my shoulders.

"I need some air."

         In the street, life followed its course, unaware of the looming threat. I inahled deeply hoping to calm down. A colleague strongly desired to discover my son's secret and a warlock who had the whole supernatural community shaking was looking for him. The both of them seemed willing to do anything to reach their goal. I was having a hard time to picture how the situation could get worse.