Chapter 42 - The Gracy Legacy

Bryan rushed towards Serefina and grabbed her hand, pushing her behind him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, rage in his voice.

How was Serefina's disappeared mother-the disappeared Gracy standing in front of her? And did Bryan knew her? Was it this he was trying to hide the whole time?

Diana walked towards her and Bryan. "Isn't it obvious, Your Highness? I am here to finally see my daughter."

Bryan stepped back nudging Serefina to do the same. "Stay away from her."

"Ah! Young Love! Makes me have flattery feelings inside."

"Is this what you were trying to hide from me Bryan?" Serefina whispered, only wanting Bryan to hear her.

Bryan turned to look at her. His face had gone completely pale. His eyes had lost the glints they always had. "One of the things, yes," he whispered back, "It wasn't the right time for you to find out. I-"

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I have business here," Diana interrupted.

"You leave right now," Bryan said. Serefina had never seen him so angry. Why was he being like that to her? What was the connection?

"I won't leave until I meet my daughter."

"I won't let you. You have lost the right to that ages ago." Bryan gritted his teeth.

Diana chuckled. "I am here to talk, Your Highness. And besides why would I ever think what's not good for my own daughter?"

"You think you acting innocent would work? You think I'll trust you at any cost?"

"You talk about trust? What about the way my daughter trusts you? And you have been hiding so many things-oh I mean everything, right?"

Serefina had no idea what was going on. What were they talking about? She knew Bryan was hiding things. But how did that involve Diana Gracy?

"What I've been hiding are things about you. And I wouldn't dare telling her anything before the right time," he argued.

"Huh. Nevermind. We need to have a serious talk," Diana's gaze shifted to Serefina, making her gasp.

"About what?"

"Why of course, The Gracy Legacy."

Serefina felt a sudden pain in her head hearing that word. It was unbearable. "Serefina!" Bryan held her before she could fall. Something swirled inside her head. A shadow wanting to destroy every memory that ever existed. She felt her consciousness...loosing away without her wanting.

•••

Serefina was in Bryan's bed again. Her head hurt less than before but the pain was still there.

What had just happened? How was her mom back again? What else was Bryan hiding? What was The Gracy Legacy? And why did that word made her head hurt so badly?

So many questions.

"You're awake," someone said and entered the room. He was unrecognizable yet so familiar. His voice was too very familiar.

"Bryan?" Serefina guessed.

He smiled, "I do look a bit different, don't I?"

Different was the right word. Bryan wore what a Prince weres in fairytales. A white shirt underneath a blue waist coat and a navy blue cape-coat with gradient blue-white pants and blue boots, green gems all around. His hair had been straightened making his messy hair look long.

Bryan's smile vanished as he made his way towards Serefina and sat down on the bed in front of her. "I don't have the right apologize but I still have to."

Serefina just nodded. She wanted to ask all the questions arising in her head. But she knew what Bryan would say 'It isn't the right time.'

"I am just so frustrated!" Serefina snapped and realised that she had said that allowed. Bryan didn't even flinched at her sudden rage. He just looked down as his green gem earing dangled. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to..." she blurted out.

"First time I heard the feisty Serefina. I am glad to see another side of though you still manage to be cute even after being so angry." He looked at her. "Trust me, I want to tell you everything about your past so bad. Every single detail. But the only problem is that-"

"It isn't the right time?" she interrupted.

"No, it's that I care about you too much. I don't even want to think how you'd react when you remember everything. It's even more frustrating to see you in pain. What your mom did to you-I don't want to remember either. It would have been better if I had also forgotten what happened. I think I'll stay in regret my entire life because I couldn't save you."

Serefina saw that Bryan was sarting to tear up. She had never seen him like that. Bryan stood up turning his back to her. "My apologies. I don't want you to see me like this."

Serefina jumped out of the bed and made her way in front Bryan. And without thinking she wrapped her arms around him, stroking his back. "It's okay. I get it. I won't ask I promise. If you're hiding something, it must be for a reason. And you know even if I do remember my past. I know that, that me also would've never blamed you for anything." And then Bryan hugged her back.

After a minute or two, he pulled away. He wiped a tear with his index finger. He inched closer and placed his forehead against her shoulder and Serefina felt her heart race. He stayed like that and she didn't interrupt. He sighed and pulled away. "Thank you, " he said and gave Serefina his signature smile and held out his hand. "Let's go, everyone's waiting."

As they walked down the corridor, Serefina had the urge to ask, "So...why are you dressed like that all of a sudden?"

"I always dress like this in the Palace, though walking like this in Timeland would create suspicion, you know?" he replied.

Serefina nodded. He looked more like a Prince in this outfit than he looked without it. He shined so much that Serefina felt like covering her eyes.

"You know," he started, "you have to get used to this. I am going  to were clothes like this at the ball too. And you kind of visit me every day so..."

"You don't like me visiting you?" Serefina asked stopping mid steps.

"Sef, why would you say that? You know I love seeing you. Every day, every minute. Why would it bother me to see the girl I..." he trailed off. The girl he what?

Bryan cleared his throat and started walking again. "Umm, nevermind."

"Hey, Bryan that's not fair!" Serefina yelled catching up with him. "C'mon answer me!" She grabbed his sleeve to make him stop.

"Sef, everyone's waiting. And they were here the whole night, worrying for you. So we shouldn't keep them waiting." Serefina saw his ears turn red. Was he blushing? Wait did he...

Serefina's face turned into a tomato.

There was such a long silence that Serefina didn't know how long they were just standing like that.

Bryan cleared his throat again, "Uh, Sef?"

"Huh?" Serefina snapped back to reality.

"We should...uh...start walking?"

"Y-yeah..."

He glanced at her, "My...sleeve?"

Serefina jumped back mumbling a, "Sorry."

They climed the staircase leading towards the portal. Bryan lighted the lantern. The Big Thing still wasn't there. Bryan guided her towards the portal but instead of stepping inside, Serefina saw another corridor beside the mirror. And at the end of the corridor there was navy blue door.

They walked towards it and Bryan pulled the door open, revealing an apartment room. With big couches, a dining area, kitchen and two bedrooms.

Serefina looked round the living room to spot, Kyle, Rhys, Weswill, Professor Natalie, Jaszter, Ava, Ronald and Linda.

Everyone stood up seeing Serefina enter the room.

Kyle ran and hugged Serefina, "Oh are you really okay?"

"I am alright, Kyle."

"How many times have you passed out now?" Rhys asked.

"Rhys!" Kyle hushed him.

"I think it's the third time in the week," Serefina admitted. "I am really very sorry to worry everyone."

Professor Natalie came over next. "It wasn't your fault Serefina. Everything happens according to what time has decided."

"It's nice to see you in good shape, Serefina," Ava said. "We were all really worried." Ronald also nodded at that.

"Well, specially Bryan. He was so worried, he didn't even want to leave from your side for even a second until I forced him get some sleep," Kyle winked.

Serefina looked at Bryan and she immediately looked away, remembering the moment they had. Then she said to Kyle, "You did the right thing."

Weswill cleared his throat, "I think everyone should sit. We have things to discuss." Jaszter nodded.

As everyone sat on the couches, Serefina sat between Ava and Kyle.

Weswill brought a chair for Bryan from the dining area and gestured him to sit. "This isn't needed Weswill," Bryan refused.

"Of course it is, Your Highness, you are leading the meeting so you should sit in front of everyone."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Bryan sighed and sat down.

"What are we talking about exactly?" Serefina asked.

"What made you faint," Jaszter said.

"Oh," was the only thing that came out of her mind. She wanted run away from this conversation, scared of the lethal pain. But she had to know what it was. Grandma hadn't told her anything about it.

"Are you okay?" Ava asked.

"Yeah, just thinking why grandma never told me about it," Serefina replied.

"Must be a reason," Kyle noted.

Serefina nodded.

"So, Your Highness, what is The Gracy Legacy?" Weswill asked.

Bryan sighed and looked at the gems his boots. "It's very complicated but I'll try my best to interpret it as well as I can," he cleared his throat, "So as we all know that the Gracies are responsible for protecting the time crystals and keep them safe. The Gracy family always helped people to see their past, future and something happening somewhere in the present. But there is a dark truth that lures in much happiness we know."

"It's okay, if you don't want to tell," Serefina said after Bryan was silent for while.

"No, he has to tell," Kyle disagreed. "It's about your family's legacy, you know?"

"You have the right to know, Sef, though I can't tell all of it. Just the basics," Bryan said.

Serefina didn't question him, knowing that if he was trying this hard to hide something then it would probably be the most traumatizing truth she'll ever hear.

"So, where was I again?" Bryan asked.

"Dark truth," Rhys confirmed.

"Right. A Gracy has to go through a ritual to use the Time Crystals. The ritual is known as 'Awakening'. The Gracy who was already awakened has to perform it to let the next heir use the Crystals. And...that's about it."

Serefina tried to understand what she'd heard. All the information was so...wierd. Awakening? Grandma Hannah had never mentioned it before.

"My mom, how as she appeared out of nowhere?" Serefina asked. Bryan told her not ask about her past but he didn't tell her to not ask about her mom. Even if it was a shattering truth. She wanted to know. She wanted to know why was she in hiding all this time.

Grandma had always said to move on from grief. If you don't then it'll ruin your life. It'll ruin you. Grandma still wasn't over her daughter's disappearance. Serefina knew that she shed tears from time to time. It made her anger burn up against what Diana Gracy had done. She'd made Grandma miserable.

Serefina was burning up determination. Diana Gracy would pay after she found her Grandma and told her the truth.

Bryan's eyes widened. Right. He was planning on dodging the question wasn't he? He looked broken up when he said he wanted to answer her every question. Serefina didn't know if she was really ready for Bryan's 'not the right time'. But to her surprise he answered her. His answer made Serefina want to run away and hide somewhere as soon as she could. All this time, she thought her life couldn't get anymore disastrous as it already was.

"Sef, your mother is the Queen of Time Crystalia."