CHAPTER 46: TITANIUM (2)

"You better not run away this time! Go to the third floor, there is a big room there at the end of the hallway. I will come with the key. We take the stairs to the third floor and soon after, Selene arrives and opens the room. It is a big room indeed with two beds and closets. Three windows on each side of the room. A big green carpet on the floor.

"You want to eat before or…"

"No, for now, we should rest first, eating might not have a good effect."

"You refuse to eat my food? That's rare. I am even more curious now about what happened. Rest then. I am downstairs, should you need anything."

Selene closes the door and goes. Excafol removes his clothes and enters the bed without saying anything. Then I hear snoring. He fell asleep in less than one minute. Was he really that tired? I don't really have that many clothes on me, mostly my damaged bandages and a tattered shirt on top of them. My trousers are also in a pitiful state. I remove everything and also lie down. While I think about everything that happened, the mansion, the forest, my eyelids are heavy. So heavy.

***

When I wake up, everything is dark. There is only the feeble light coming from the spaces of the door that light the room. There are no candles here? I stand up and realize that the old man is not in his bed. Did he leave? Did he also abandon me? Well, it is not the first time so there is no need to panic. When I go to his bed, however, I see that his clothes are still there. Maybe he is still here after all. I put what is left of my trousers and exit the room. Going downstairs, I hear Selene and Excafol voices, so he was with her.

"...So that's what happened. Can you believe it?" when I approach, I hear Excafol asking something to Selene. It looks like they have been talking for quite a while. I simply sit on the stairs and wait until they finish.

"So Silviane... our daughter, is avenged then. I see... I understand why you would give up everything you built there so far for him. Although I can't say I agree. What will you do now? I can let you stay here as long as you want, as long as you pay of course."

"No don't worry, I have another plan. But I will need your help. Look where we can buy a property, something cheap and isolated." What are they talking about? Excafol wants to buy a property? What for?

"Oi kid, come over here instead of listening to people' conversations like a rat. Don't you know it's bad manners?"

While I am thinking about what they were saying, Selene shouts at me. How did she know I was there? I stand up and go to them. They are sitting on a sofa behind the counter. I sit on a chair next to it.

"So who are you? Ever since I saw you I didn't hear you saying anything."

"I am Kevin. And shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking for people's names?"

"Ah!!" Selene gets up from her seat but Excafol holds her hand.

"Just leave it at that. And he is not wrong."

"Tch! You and your kind heart. The name is Selene, SELENE CARACAS. It will madam for you."

"Okay, madam." Selene sits back down after I answer. Then I look at Excafol.

"Right, right, no need to pierce me with your stare. I will explain everything to you. Everything I know anyways but, you will have to do the same, from the beginning. I saved your life so you own me at least that."

"I didn't ask-"

"You didn't ask me and yet here you are still alive so be more grateful, will you!!" Selene is glaring at me!

"Okay, I understand."

Excafol starts explaining how he heard everything we said in the room. How he asked the prince to let him participate in the plan. Everything. Then it was my turn. I told them everything. From the beginning. How I was abandoned, betrayed, and saved by…

"What is it, Kevin?"

"I-I don't remember. What happened in that forest after Tatiana died. I can't remember at all. I just know that next thing we were in Onklah."

"Then maybe you were from the beginning. That forest of the betrayer is something that was never proved anyway. Right Excafol?" Selene looks at Excafol but he has his eyes closed and his hands crossed. Then he opens his eyes.

"Just let him continue for now. It is better to not conclude things on our own." I explained the rest. Veronica, the assassin, the contracts. And finally Kalok's case. Excafol looks at me silently, or maybe not. It's like he is looking elsewhere. Then he simply sighs.

"Okay. Anything else you want to tell us?" Anything else? Ah, yes, I didn't talk about the Dragonroad thing!

"Yes, there one last thing."