C H A P T E R F O U R

Reno

The Nadarian Coven

I stand looking at the clouds which is now lit by the light of the moon. A moment ago everything was red. The clouds, the moon, and so was the whole sky. No matter how hard I think, it still makes me wonder what the matter was.

I went to get the answer from dad, but all he told me was that someone was already in their way to make things right. Someone? Who would it be? It makes me so anxious that I can’t even sleep. Something is definitely wrong. Someone might be or maybe in danger. I close my eyes lightly and feel the winter breeze. My hairs brushing my cold cheeks, it’s been so long since I had a decent haircut. I take deep breaths as I stand in the balcony.

‘’Reno! You in there?’’ I open my eyes and turn to face the door.

‘’Yes mother. Coming.’’ I welcome her in.

‘’Took you a while to get the door.’’ Mom’s voice is as soft as always.

‘’Did it? I am sorry, I was busy thinking.’’

‘’Thinking what? Is everything alright son?’’

I hesitate.

‘’Yea…yea it is……’’ It’s not. I lie. ‘’Ah you had something to say mother?’’

‘’Well I had something to give you.’’

‘’Something to give? What is it?’’

‘’It’s a letter, I don’t know who send it but it has your name on the outside. It says it’s for you.’’

A letter for me? Who would it be? I wonder. It’s been months since someone send letters to me. The last time I received a letter was from Ethel inviting me to go tiger hunting with him.

‘’Since the letter is for you I thought to not open it. Here take it.’’

‘’Thanks mother.’’ I say, receiving the letter from her hands.

‘’You’re welcome son.’’ She says with a smile on her face. Her blue lips turn into a crescent moon as she smiles.

Soon after she leaves the room I open the letter. She was right, my name was written on the envelope in bold. The handwriting looks familiar. And as I open it, I run my eyes to the end to see the senders name and that’s when the blood in my body starts to rush as fast as it can. After so long finally, the one person who I waited for all this years. My friend and my first love, Catherine Cross.

Dear Reno,

How have you been? I am sorry it took me soo long to ask you this. But things aren’t going right for us here. An evil vampire named Krulisa is awake and she is here to take over the world. I and my sisters are on our way to stop her. But I’m scared Reno, I am so scared. I didn’t tell anyone, but I wanted you to know. What if I can’t make things right. What if everything goes wrong? What if we don’t make it back safe? I am scared. Mom and dad both trust us, and I can’t upset them with my fear. I want to help them. I am writing you this letter because if things go wrong and I don’t return, I want you to know that I loved you and love you. Take care of my mom and dad and take care of yourself. I am sorry for everything that happened between us.

Love, Catherine.

Krulisa. The one who promised she would bring an end to the living ones she rises up again. Why catty and her sisters? I wonder. What are Hector and Victoria up to? How can they let their beloved daughters go fight Krulisa? And father, did he know about this? If he did, why didn’t he tell me? I have so many questions but there’s no one to answer them.

Catherine, she’s scared and still chooses to defeat Krulisa. I can’t let her off alone. I know her sisters are with her, but Krulisa is not a normal vampire. Her army even killed thousands of our kind including my sister, Nala. I remember father telling me that only a few knew what her weakness was and those few are long dead.

I never told Catty about any of this. Both I and Ethel promised to hide about Krulisa from the Cross sisters. I never saw Krulisa, nor did I ever know what happened to her. After Nala died, we left that place and came here on hiding. I remember Ethel told me that even Victoria decided to hide it from her daughters.

Now that I think about it, hiding the fact about Krulisa from the Cross sisters wasn’t a good idea at all. If they had known it before, they could have at least prepared themselves. They could have at least learnt more on using their powers. This doesn’t feel right. Something inside me doesn’t feel right. This is like a suicide mission. Catty I can’t let you go alone. I whisper holding Catty’s letter tight in my chest. If you’re doing this, then let’s do it together. I am coming my love, I am coming for you.

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I call in the servants and ask them to help me cut my hairs. Like I said, it’s been so long since I had a decent haircut. As the boy cuts my hairs, I notice the dark black strands that bounce off my shoulder and finally land on the ground. Catty was right, I had the same hair colour as hers. Raven black. I whisper smiling.

After I am done with the cutting, I stand facing the giant mirror in the bathroom looking at my own reflection. Black hairs, blue eyes, blue lips and my skin look even paler then before. How did catty fall for me? I say to my reflection. She told me there was no one as handsome as me in her eyes. How could someone as beautiful as Catty fall for a blue monster like me. I look down on the floor closing my eyes.

I shouldn’t have left you back then. I whisper to myself. I shouldn’t have let go off your hands while you cried for me to stay and be by your side. I shouldn’t have. Tears roll down my eyes as I think of Catty. She wanted to keep me safe no matter what the situation was. She wanted me by her side till the end. I left her. I made her cry. I was even cruel to not reply to her letters and because of that she stopped writing me letters. Until today.

When father decided to move our coven to a safer place, he made sure that we cut every single tie with the vampires. Including me and Catty. The only vampire he was still in contact with was Hector. We owe Hector and Victoria for everything they have done for us.

I start packing my stuffs, everything I will need to fight Krulisa and her army. My bow and arrow, the knife that father gifted me when I was nine and my swords. I put on my armour suit suite on top of my full sleeved black shirt and then place the two swords behind my back like an ‘X’, the knife inside my brown boots and finally I carry the bow and the arrows in my left arm.

Once I am done I head out and walk down the stairs to the passage that leads to Father’s room. As soon as I arrive the guards open the door and welcome me in.

‘’Lord Raphael, your son is here.’’ The guards say as I stand facing my father.

‘’ I can see that.’’ Father says. His eyes are still gazing at me. Up to down, I am pretty sure he is confused about the outfit.

‘’Leave us alone. My son and me, leave us alone for a while.’’ The guards leave at ones. Father rises from his throne and walks towards me.

‘’Going somewhere?’’ He asks in a calm voice.

‘’I am.’’ I say. ‘’I am going to help them.’’

‘’The Cross Sisters. Isn’t it?’’

I look at him controlling my anger. I walk closer to him.

‘’You knew, DIDN’T YOU?’’ I shout. ‘’And yet you decided to hide like a coward. Why? WHY!’’

‘’YES I DID!’’ He bellows back. ‘’What about them? Where were they when Nala died or when thousands of our kind were killed. Where were they? WHERE!’’

‘’They didn’t know about all this. Even if Hector and Victoria knew, the sisters had no idea about it. You decided to hide it from them. You said it would be better if they didn’t know about any of this. And yet you still blame them?’’ I don’t want to cry, I try to control myself. I close my eyes and take a deep breath walking backwards. ‘’ You promised him. Hector, you promised you would help him if they needed you’’ I open my eyes which are still loaded with tears.

‘’I did, but I can’t.’’ He says turning away from me. His voice is filled with sorrow and sadness.

‘’Why not? Why can’t you? They helped you before. You owe them.’’

‘’I know I owe them. But most of us are already dead. I can’t risk the lives of the few of us left. I promised to protect the Nadarians and I failed.’’

‘’You indeed did. I can’t believe your turning your back on them when they need us. They need our help if Krulisa kills them she will kill us all! Why don’t you understand?’’

‘’Let her come. I will protect both you and your mother. And the rest of us. Because they are my family and you are my son.’’

Finally the tears in my eyes drop to my cheeks.

‘’I regret it.’’

‘’What?’’

‘’Your son. I regret being your son. The son of a coward.’’

‘’RENO!’’

‘’I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY.’’ My shouts echoed inside the room. ‘’I DONT CARE ABOUT ANY OF YOUR TALKS ANY MORE! I AM GOING AND DON’T YOU DARE STOP ME!’’

‘’I lost my daughter, I am not losing you too.’’

‘’You just did. If you’re not going to help, then you just lost your son today.’’

I rub my tears and walk out of the room. I can still hear him screaming my name and asking for me to come back. But it doesn’t matter to me anymore. I need to help Catty. I can’t let her on her own. I think about mom. I know what her answer will be. She will side with father for sure. I am sorry mother. I say as I walk past the main door to the main gate and finally to my horse.

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