6

Not the kind of meeting with my father I expected

Zark stood leaning against the window sill, arms folded across his chest. His fiery gaze was capable of burning a hole through Principal Rice. Morgan Rice's hands are shaking, or is it me?

Of course, I was stupid when I immediately stated that Viola was the first to start attacking. Zarq hurled deadly at me:

- More on that later!

Now he was going to solve another issue, in fact, then he dragged me here.

"The elders wanted to play with me?" There was a growl in his voice. She was tricked into being brought here. She does not even understand where she got to and what they want to use her for!

Damn it! A chill ran down his back. I've gotten myself into something that's clearly not good.

Director Rice paled slightly.

- Sir, do not misunderstand, the decision was made for practical reasons. It needs to be introduced gradually. It's a delicate question, you know...

- I was against it from the very beginning! Zark slammed his fist on the windowsill, causing Rice to flinch. “Besides, it’s not safe here right now.” The northern ones are becoming impudent, their appetites spread to the lands of all clans.

I shook my head. Maybe I'm having auditory hallucinations? What is it all about?

- Therefore, you need to stabilize your condition, sir. You are our protector and guarantee of the safety of the two clans, - the director continued to stand his ground.

- I said I can do it myself! I don't need a bride." Zark actually growled.

Bride?! Another one? Or… god, not that!

"Hmm," I coughed nervously. Zark and Rice turned to me at the same time. - Small clarification. My fiancé is not... He's not... Who is my fiancé? - somehow framed his thought into a question.

Zark came and stood in front of me. I don't know how he did it, but he straightened his back and now seemed even taller than usual. His arms were still crossed over his chest, and his chocolate eyes frowned at me. Is this some kind of idiotic joke?

- Mr. Zarkar Vargas is your fiancé.

Damn, director, thanks, but I already guessed. My knees shook and I slowly sank into a chair. Well, I have no one to blame. I should have guessed back there, in the forest, when I saw him in the house of the head of the clan, that is, in HIS OWN house! Here's a fool. Shocked by the news, I did not want to ask anything more. Here Director Rice began to fuss:

- Pupils need to hurry to additional sectional classes, the hunting time is close!

I've been sitting on the bed in my dorm room for thirty minutes now, in the pose of a Buddha statue. The light didn't turn on. That was better thought. The empty hostel was silent. All students were busy in sections. My schedule also included a self-defense class. They were probably trying to recoup my aikido class. But whoever was the person who made the schedule, I am sincerely grateful to him for this small gift. I loved aikido very much, and without physical activity I could wither here. They didn’t manage to bring me a sports suit, so today I plunged into my thoughts in saving loneliness.

From the chaos in my head, the details of the picture began to emerge. First, my fiancé was Zark. The head of the clan, who was feared. Second, he has a girlfriend. Now I understood her hostile attitude towards me. Third, fourth, and fifth, I was lied to about my father, Zarq didn't want me to come, and I'm in danger here that I don't know anything about yet. This list can be continued indefinitely. For example, what does “hunt” mean? Animal hunting with a gun? Really, students here are taught such things too ... Another question with the father also remains shrouded in mystery. I shook my head. My temples throbbed. I'll go crazy if I don't find out something about my father soon.

The corridor was filled with voices and the clatter of feet - the girls returned from the sections.

- Baby! - Damian's voice sounded cheerful, despite the late evening.

- Well, how are you there? Fun?

“Even too much,” I replied and smiled tiredly at my friend. - Did you visit your mother?

- Went, of course, everything is in order! He said that you are now in a new school and a new house.

I shed a tear. How I miss my cheerful Domi next to me. He was the only one who constantly supported me after the death of my mother.

- Hey baby, are you crying? If someone hurts you, I will come and kick his ass!

I laughed through my tears. I don't think he has the guts to kick Zarq's ass.

- It's all right, it's out of habit. You'll see, time will pass and I, too, will turn into a rich snob, and you will hate me for it.

"I can never hate you," Damian reassured me.

I tossed and turned in bed that night. Thoughts of his father persistently penetrated his sleep, forcing him to jump up on the bed. I also dreamed that Zark, in the form of a demon with sharp claws and yellow eyes, was chasing me through the forest. Somewhere in the distance, a beast howled. I lay listening to the silence. What's this? The corridor was filled with a barely perceptible rustle of feet. There were many. Am I still sleeping? Must be.

By morning my head was painfully swollen from a half-sleepless night, and I lay in bed until dinner. Aina ran in and brought something to eat. Strictly punished today to lie down and promised herself to inform the director about everything. I nodded my thanks.

I think it was about four o'clock in the afternoon when a pebble clinked against my window. I climbed into a chair and looked out into the street. Under the walls of the hostel stood Tobias. He smiled broadly and waved at me. His smile filled the gray autumn day with light. Suddenly I realized who Toby reminded me so much of. Damian! I happily smiled back. The heaviness in the body evaporated.

Toby signaled them to come down.

- Aina said, are you not feeling well? - the guy held out a bag of fruit. Obviously from the dining room.

- So it was, - I pulled out a tangerine from the bag and began to peel off the peel, - and you decided to feed me so that I would not die of hunger?

We walked slowly along the garden path.

- And then! If you die, then Zark will rip our heads off, - he rolled his eyes in mock horror.

- Ha! I don't think. Sleeps and sees that I hit the road from here.

- You're wrong, - Tobias's smile became enigmatic, - whether he wants to or not, he will protect you. He has no choice.

- What? Why?

- O! Look, you see that window on the second floor? - we caught up with the hostel guys. - My room.

- Toby, you're avoiding the answer!

- Is it? he chuckled.

By the way, how did you know where my room is?

- From Aina.

Why didn't you go through the door?

- She gone crazy?! Toby laughed, and I didn't understand his amusement at all. - Then half of the guys from the school will call me to a fight at once. Boys are not allowed in the women's hostel. Especially single. And even more so, go into the room.

Patrick popped up in my memory, leaving my suitcase at the door without going inside, and almost immediately vanished. What is this ridiculous rule?

“Even girls don’t come to me,” I chuckled, “well, except for Aina. She is cool! Listen, why do the rest of me avoid me?

"Because of Zarq, of course, but also because…" Toby hesitated and looked away.

More secrets?

- And you, it turns out, are not afraid of him? - I became curious.

Toby laughed merrily.

Zark and I are childhood friends. He is a good guy. So, do not offend him, - he pushed me in a friendly way on the shoulder.

Offend a demon (a fitting nickname for such a person!)?! Toby must have been joking badly. But the fact that he is Zark's best friend is very helpful to me. I opened my mouth to bombard the guy with questions. What I wanted most was to find out if he knew anything about my father, or at least where I could find this information. But his classmates called out to him, and, apologizing that he had to go, he ran to the school.

But I didn't want to go to the hostel. I carefully looked around and turned onto the path leading deeper into the garden.

I got to the white house quickly. She didn't know what to say to Zark yet, but she boldly pushed the door open. I was surprised it was closed. Needless to say, not everyone here is so gullible. Or, is it because of me? .. And now what to do, return to the hostel?

Well, no, such a slight obstacle will not stop me when I am determined to find out everything about my father. Drummed on the glass door. Stood at the door for fifteen minutes. The mood deteriorated with every second. I know for sure that they are hiding something from me. And it's annoying. About father? The desire to know the truth overpowered common sense. She never broke into other people's houses, she did not even violate petty laws. And then, like the devil pulled. I resolutely walked around the house. Zark, despite the words about the danger from the unknown “Northern”, apparently was not afraid of anyone. This house is easy to penetrate even for me. No guards, no dogs. She deftly pulled herself up on her hands (thanks to the aikido section) and threw her light body onto the windowsill. She searched all the window latches, first on the first, and then on the second floor and found one open at the top. Looks like it was a bathroom window.

The house was deafened by silence. Zarq is gone, so I'm lucky. I started rummaging through the nightstands and closets. Hands were shaking with excitement. If the demon finds me here, it will surely strangle me with its bare hands. Knowing how everyone is afraid of him, I easily believed in it. Twenty minutes passed. Nothing. I started to panic. Maybe Zark is not aware of my family's affairs at all and I'm looking in the wrong place? With a sigh of regret, she moved back to the bathroom to get out the way she had entered the house. Passing by the fireplace, I braked. Familiar face. The heart skipped a beat. There was a framed photograph above the fireplace. I didn't believe my eyes. From there, my mother looked at me with a joyful smile on her face!

I grabbed the photo with trembling hands. She ran her finger over her figure. Two men were standing next to her. One of them gently hugged her around the waist. It's him? Father? I was annoyed by an incomprehensible red cross drawn with a marker on the man's face right on top of the glass. To get a better look at it, I began to erase the cross with the sleeve of the sweater. The glass cleared, and I began to eagerly look at the man. He was a handsome brunette with piercing blue eyes. I recognized myself in every line of it. It really is him!

His head was spinning with excitement. So this is my father. I leaned against the fireplace and my hand slid clumsily to the side. Trying to keep my balance, I with force rested against one of the decorative panels. Under the weight of the body, the panel fell inward, forming a void. For a couple of minutes I stared blankly at the hole, not understanding what had happened. There was something white in the hole. I reached out cautiously and pulled out a large folder. Inside were papers, newspaper clippings, and medical reports. Something about an accident. The accident happened about thirteen years ago. Due to brake failure, the car crashed into a road pole. The driver and passenger died at the scene. This information meant nothing to me. One of the newspaper clippings featured a photo of the deceased. I grabbed a picture from the fireplace and compared the images.

I felt uncomfortable. The papers did not concern my father. It was all about the second. Perhaps this is Zarq's father? Or brother? Yes, he could be anyone. I hurriedly stuffed everything back into the folder. A slip of paper with a list of names slipped out of his hands. I picked it up and sent it to the rest of the papers. Familiar surname. The hand froze halfway. I took the paper back. Almost all the names on the list were crossed out with the same red marker. That's just in front of one surname was a note. I re-read the inscription several times. Then she tossed the paper away in horror. This word... This surname! The body was pounding, as if from a chill. With shaking hands, I returned the folder to its place, and threw a stupid list there. With difficulty she fitted the panel and rushed out of the house, leaving it the same way. She skinned her arm as she slid off the second-story window. But she didn't feel pain.

I don't remember how I got to the hostel. I woke up only when I was on my bed. An inscription hurriedly made on a piece of paper burned red before my eyes: “Kedano is a murderer.”