Chapter 58

He looked taken aback at my confusion and then let out an exhausted sigh and held his face as a realization hit him.

"That idiot didn't even explain it to you did he?"

I thought back to the scene when Kendrick told me.

"I'm - I'm so sorry Isabelle" The self-loathing look in his eyes had made it clear what he was about to say. It was as if I understood before he even spoke.

The reason why he was looking so desperately for my mother. The reason he looked so upset about this whole situation. Why he looked at me with that strange foreign look. The ridiculous amount of money I was left behind.

I felt a protest in my mouth. A need to reject his following next words, but I swallowed it down as I stared at him in disbelief.

"I'm your father".

I could feel the scenery spinning. The flowers and shrubs merge into a giant mess of green. The florals scents so dizzying.

His eyes were spilling tears as he reached for me. I had reacted in a way I imagined might have been painful for him. I had retracted myself away. Shaking my head in disbelief, no longer looking up.

He called for me, but from then I ran off.

I couldn't accept that my father was someone who- who wasn't just some scumbag off the streets and was the praised hero. It was so much harder to blame him this way. It was like my past emotions that made who I was today were just based on lies. Just... rubbish.

"I left... before he could" I spoke up, gulping down an uncomfortable ball of spit.

It was ironic that I ran to his friends for help right after running away from him.

Will gave me a smile that looked quite pained.

"I understand. This is probably sudden for you" I nodded as he spoke, feeling tears rising to my eyes and then promptly wiping them away as I realized this wasn't the time. Justin laid a hand on mine, a gesture to comfort I guess, but It made it so much harder to withhold it all.

"My sister"-.

"Don't tell me" I held up a hand as I realized what he might say and knew I wouldn't be able to handle it. "Just let me keep this one thing, otherwise I don't think I'll be able to handle any of this. Tell me after we've sorted Justin's problem".

Will nodded at me, gaze downcast. I could see the unshed tears in them. But he just swallowed them and let out a deep breath.

"You plan on speaking with the Lord, don't you?" he asked. He didn't sound uncertain at the idea.

"Yes" I nodded, waiting for him to tell me not to bother, but he didn't. I looked up at him to see him staring at me with a sincere smile, "You aren't going to tell me it's a waste of time?"

He shook his head, with a smile that conveyed that he knew so much more than any of us.

"He holds rather deep feelings for you. I don't think I've seen someone love anyone so much" His words made my insides feel warm. He glanced toward Justin and then gave a conciliatory nod, "But I guess that could have its adverse effects too. Talk to him, but once this is over I'll be speaking to him about"-

"Will! I found her!" A familiar voice screamed as the door crashed open and the hero ran into the room. When we all turned to him he froze mid-air, our eyes meeting before I turned away uncomfortably. "You met..."

"You big oaf! That door doesn't belong to us!" Will shouted, but his voice didn't sound as sharp as it usually is. It was warm.

"Sorry" he walked over and closed it. This time gently and then made his way towards us. I couldn't lookup. I could feel my arm trembling. I could feel the eyes of the three men on me. "You look like your mother".

I looked up at his words with surprise. Mother? And then the delight of being told that crashed as I realized he was thinking of another woman. One I didn't know... One that likely died after I was born. I frowned at that.

"Kendrick we are in the middle of something" Will's voice sounded uncomfortable, "You should come back"-

"How much is your slavery for?" Again the bluntness of this man was incredible. He stared down at me, much more confidently than before. I couldn't get used to those alien purple eyes.

I was about to reply with the original amount before I recalled the new amount that Cain had changed it to. Instead of answering, I spewed out some other words. Words I'd come to regret.

"You don't owe me anything. The money you left was enough. I don't need anything"-

"How much is it?" He asked again. Stubbornly. I could hear how much my words seemed to affect him, but I couldn't see myself caring.

"It doesn't matter"-

"Isabelle" Justin put a hand on my shoulder. I flinched at the firmness of his voice. He replied before I could stop him.

"1 Trillion" He answered for me. The fury in his voice was still the same as the first time he heard it.

The other two men's heads turned to me. Eyes wide like owls. Mouth gaping.

"Why-why is it so high?" Will stuttered.

"He didn't want you to leave" I flinched at the overwhelming anger in the hero's voice. I straightened up to defend Cain, but his next words had my lips sealed, "That blasted Darian... I'd kill him if he wasn't already dead".

I hated that name with a passion.

It was foolish of me to think Justin wouldn't correct them.

"It wasn't the former duke"- he paused when I grabbed his hand to stop him. Instead of stopping he shook my hand away.

"Justin!" I warned.

"It was Cain". I could see the resolution in his eyes. The anger he held for Cain was something else. I couldn't help but recall how I had once felt at a time.

I sighed at his words.

Why did he have to go and say that?

I was going to explain, but my voice faltered as I noticed the shift in both men. Their eyes weren't just murderous, but... I could see hues of mana surrounding them. Will was surrounded by a blue hue that seemed to lower his body temperature. I could have sworn that the air around him looked like millions of bits of ice. The hero was... he was surrounded by a purple current of electricity. The hair of his head rose and I could've sworn he grew even taller.

He could truly kill Cain.

I knew rationally that Cain deserved to die after the things he had done. The murders. He wasn't a good person, although he was. He was evil and yet so good. He was Cain...

"Don't you dare hurt him!" I found some strange strength I had never felt before. Something similar to what I had only felt towards Angela, but it was so much stronger. I caught the attention of both men and despite how terrifying they looked I didn't back down. They could hurt me without moving an inch. "Don't hurt him".

They softened.

"He's been by my side this whole time. He's the only reason I've smiled these last few days. So don't hurt him. Let me speak to him" I could feel the rawness of my words by the cracking in my throat, the tears that fell down my cheek. I don't think I could stomach the thought of Cain getting hurt. "He isn't a good person. He isn't, but... I love him".

I could see the purple current dying out at my words.

Kendricks's locks dropped slowly, concealing his full face that I had seen for the first time. He looked much too young to have a kid in their twenties.

"I am sorry Isabelle" I saw his eyes become brown for a moment. The same brown of mine... It was just a moment. The moment they became wet and he looked down, shame evident on his face.

"You do not need to apologize. I have been fine here" I felt the lie as much they must have. Will particularly looked away and grimaced. Justin scoffed but didn't speak up.

"I knew we should've come back sooner... I told you that Duke was no good" Will spat at Kendrick who renamed quiet.

I found myself feeling guilty alongside him. He truly thought I was treated well while I was away. His once again purple eyes wobbled.

"I don't blame you, Count Kendrick, Hero Kendrick and… Father..." The word was so foreign on my tongue.

He lifted his head at that. Staring at me, while those tears still fell in clumps. His face was an even bigger mess.

"I have failed that title".

I truly had no words to rebuke that.

I hadn't even thought I would meet him. My father. Or the hero. I never thought they would be the same person. Maybe that was a perk.

"Well... at least I can tell people I'm the great Kendricks's daughter" I joked.

That made him crack a smile. It was a relieving sight.

"Let's not forget that I'm your uncle" Will added. He stepped closer to us, a hand on my shoulder and then one placed on Kendricks's back as if to hold him steady and comfort him simultaneously.

"Of course. The great healer as my Uncle and the Hero Kendrick as my Father? Never in my strangest dreams," I laughed at the strangeness of it all. Both men joined in. I could feel tears pricking my eyes, but I wasn't sad at all. It wasn't just me it seemed. Will was also trying to blink away his tears, but his red eyes gave him away. The hero on the other hand was finally letting up his tears.

"Is it okay to start in the middle?" He asked, voice rough, but so fragile.

I laughed at that. I couldn't wipe my grin.

"Let's do that".