Chapter 14

"Son, can you come here please?"

Wynn stopped midbite of his sandwich and looked at Helena. His sister stared wide-eyed at him. Neither of them had any idea what their father wanted, but the tone brooked no argument.

Setting his lunch aside, the elder Esposito went to his father's office. Being called here was like being called into the principal's office. Only this office was laden with wine, glasses, and decanters. A real principal would be fired and arrested.

He knocked once then went in. Giulio Esposito sat behind a massive oak desk. He had several books stacked on one side. There were grapes in a bowl on the other side with a pestle and wooden bowl beside it. He'd been smashing grapes by hand for extra research. He was helping to crossbreed grapes for different tastes.

Wynn sat in the highback chair across from him. When they lived in Tuscany, he didn't have this big desk. His office had been in the solarium where the light had been best. On weekends, the seven of them would play in the garden out back with his supervision.

Here the office was at the front of the house facing the road. It was on the east side of the house where it was brightest during the morning. Giulio was usually gone to the vineyard by middy so he missed the natural light.

Wynn hadn't seen his father this serious in a wlong while. Even when he'd told him to try out for soccer, he hadn't been super serious about it. He'd just wanted him to make friends.

As he sat across from him, he realized something was going on with him. He was looking off in the distrnace, almost as if he was waiting to say something. Or he was thinking hard about something Wynn had done. The only thing he could think of was when…

"Papa," he said. He drew his father's gaze. "I'm sorry. I know you don't agree, but Jarrod was only here to check on me. I was supposed to attend the Wainscott party, but I was sick and didn't answer my phone. I didn't know he'd fall asleep here."

Giulio waved off the babble. "I already know about him and Gray. That's not why I called you in here."

Wynn frowned. If this wasn't about Jarrod staying the night, then what was it about? He knew he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. Other than being sick, he'd been somewhat normal. He missed a few meals, but he was otherwise fine.

"Son, have you noticed anything weird?" his father asked.

"Define weird," he said. If his father knew his definition, he'd have him committed

"I've seen some of your artwork. I think you know what I mean." When the son just looked at him, he changed tactics. "Tell me about Grahamville Heights' Scale. I know most of them are teenagers, which is slightly out of the ordinary. I figured most of them go to school with you."

"Papa? You know?"

"It's the reason we moved here." Giulio pulled a book from the middle of the stackon his right side. "This is our family history."

Wynn took the book but eyed his father strangely. "We know our family history. We did it in high school back in Italy."

"That's the human aspect. What you have now is the magical aspect."

The younger man looked at the elder briefly before he cracked open the book. It creaked as if it had been closed for years. By the thin layer of dust on the outside, it had been.

The opening page had familiar words. 'Find the Key, and all will be known; Mend the pieces, and the Lock will be shown; Then shall we return home.' Wynn recognized them from his dreams and from Gray. To see them in a book marked with his family name was different. Except this book said Baroducci, not Esposito.

"Your great-great-grandfather changed our surname in the mid 1800s. No one knows why for sure. I personally think he was trying to hide from someone," Giulio explained.

"Or something," Wynn added. His father nodded. "Are you saying I'm part of this whole thing with dragons and their Keepers?"

"Open to page forty-five. Your answers will be there."

The teen opened the book, flipping to that specific page. He started at the second paragraph.

"'When humanity proved to be too catastrophic, the dragon lord commanded his kin into hiding. Only when his people were at their most desperate would they be able to unlock their whereabouts. A Lock and Key were created for such a time'."

Wynn frowned at the page. "'The last time such a thing was attempted was in 1918 when WWI raged and the Spanish Flu was rampant. However the Lock was never found'."

He looked up. "When was this written?"

"That particular one was written in 1925. We have every volume written since 1645, except one. We're missing the book from 1944," Giulio explained.

"That would have been during WWII. That was the last major war that could have changed the world completely."

"Any war can change the world, son, based on who the victors are." he motioned with his head. "Keep reading."

Wynn continued. "'There are five main dragons based on the four elements; Earth, wind, water, fire. The fifth is the spirit of the people. Once the Lock and Key are found, only with the specific element can that dragon be raised'."

He paused. "So only one can be raised at a time. Do you know where the resting places are?"

Giulio shook his head. "No one knows. They kept those a strict secret. Only the Lock and Key can open them with that particular element. Then will they be known."

"Papa?" The question niggled at the back of his mind, worrying him. "Who were the former Lock and Key?"

"One is born in each generational decade. You are this decade's Key, those who were born in the 1990s."

"Why so many?" His father leveled him with a serious look. "Just in case one of us dies?"

"It's morbid, but the truth. It was planned in case one is killed. That Lock or Key can only function within its genenrational decade. Almost like my house key won't fit the neighbor's lock. The keys are coded differently."

"What is going on that I've been chosen to awaken them?"

Giulio shrugged. "I'm not sure, but the earth must be rumbling enough to force them to reach out. Whoever the Lock is must be having the same dreams you are. Chances are you have already met them."

"Them?"

"It could be male or female. Usually it's someone the key is attracted to."

The two stared at each other. Wynn knew what his father meant. Because he was gay, he was attracted to men. So whoever the key was attracted to was the Lock, meaning it was another male. And chances are he already knew him.

His dad let him have the book, and he made an escape only a coward would love. Wynn wasn't sure what else to do. He'd learned so much in a short time, but the book was the size of a journal. He was going to have to read some more. Not only that, he was going to have to tell Gray.

~~~~~~~

Wynn stared at the golden halo he'd just drawn while he was supposed to be working on a study guide. With the holidays right around the corner, the teachers were trying to get all their grades in before the first of December. Two of his classes were giving huge tests while his AP English was going to another dual credit course next semester.

His first dual credit final was the day they returned from Thanksgiving break. He just had to submit a paper that he was already working on. He'd be done with it by the end of next week. And he wasn't worried about any of his tests. The only thing he truly worried about was his art showing next weekend.

Saying his showing was the only thing he was worried about was a lie. He'd read his family's book cover to cover many times but he'd found no clues to who they were searching for. Gray had been adamant that he was the Key, but who was the Lock?

Wynn wanted this to be over, but if it was a generational thing that ran in his family, why hadn't Franco gotten it instead? Didn't these things usually pass to the eldest son in a family? It couldn't have. His father was the eldest son, and he wasn't either the Lock or the Key.

He looked at the clock and groaned. Only four more hours until he could go home and immerse himself in his art. He wouldn't have to think about this anymore for a while.

A hand reached down and grabbed his sketchbook. By the Rolex, he knew who it was and simply held out his hand. With an exasperated sigh, the book was closed and given back. Wynn folded his arms over it protectively.

"Didn't Gray tell you to let him know when you have artsy visions?" Nathan asked.

"It wasn't a vision. Just a random thought," Wynn defended.

Nathan turned the chair in front of him around and sat down. He looked at Wynn squarely, asking him to argue.

"Tell me what happened," he said. He threw his thumb over his shoulder to where Gray and Autumn stood talking with the senior class president. "Between the two of you, what happened?"

Wynn shook his head. "Nothing happened."

"Bull shit." It was harsh and pointed. Nathan's eyes matched his words. "He called me saying you ended things with him and he wasn't sure why. What did he do wrong?"

The curly headed boy sighed and slumped back. "He honestly didn't do anything wrong. I just didn't feel for him like that."

"And that kiss?"

Wynn's face turned red. "You know about it?"

Nathan nodded. "And I know Jarrod stayed at your house the day you were absent for being ill." His face changed to a concerend one. "What's going on, Wynn? Why aren't you talking to us?"

"The better question is why are you talking to me? I broke up with your best friend nearly a week ago."

"As long as you weren't two timing, I don't care. You're just as important to our cause as he is, maybe even more so. Gray keeps us connected to our magic, but you may have the ability to bring back the ones who gave it to us. So whatever is going on between you and Gray has nothing to do with the rest of us."

Wynn couldn't tell Nathan about Jarrod kissing him on school grounds. They'd fight, and everyone would get in trouble. No one needed that. Not with everything looming over their heads.

"Is there a place we can meet? I have some things I need to tell you away from school. It may help us solve so many things."

Nathan agreed and said he'd call him with the time and place. Wynn was too nervous about it. He was going to give so much of himself to these people, but how much would he lose in return?