Chapter 9

Hours have passed and I stayed in the kitchen of the mansion helping the servants prepare meals. Before dark, we are already done in the kitchen. Rosemary is giving instructions to the other servants in the living room. I decided to stroll around the mansion while waiting for the arrival of my grandparents. I was walking around the garden when I heard the horn of the car. I bet it's already them. I excitedly walk my feet towards the front yard. Silhouettes of the familiar figure were standing on the porch of the mansion. Rosemary and the other servants greeted them. They started to take their baggage inside. The old man smiled widely when he took a glimpse of me going their way. 

"Akira!" They know my real name. 

"Grandpa! Grandma!"

I hugged and kissed them on their cheeks. 

"I'm so happy to see you back!"

"So are we, my dear." My grandma said merrily. 

"Look at you, you're all grown up!" Grandpa said while looking at me up and down. He was smiling, but I can sense sorrow in his eyes. 

"Adele would have been as big as you are now if..."

Grandma cut his words shortly. "Stop that, Manuel. We've just arrived, maybe we can talk about that later."

The old man sighed and laughed weakly. 

"That's right Grandpa, besides I have good news regarding that matter. But maybe, we should get inside first."

A hint of hope glowed in his eyes after hearing what I've said. My grandma also turned to me with twinkling eyes. She was about to say something when a car beeped and parked. A man in his usual dark and dominant aura stepped out of it and walked in our direction. 

"Marco, my son!" He said excitedly. Grandpa opened his arms widely to welcome and hug him.

"Dad, Aunt Betty! Glad to see both of you!" Uncle Marco hugged him back. He also reached for Grandma while glancing at me.

"We're not waiting for anyone else, are we?" He chuckled. 

"No, we were just waiting for you," I answered him with a grin. 

"We can now get inside, then." He grinned back sarcastically. We are not into each other ever since.

Grandpa cleared his throat and walked ahead hand in hand with grandma. Uncle Marco and I exchanged displeased looks before getting inside. 

Dinner time. 

"Marco, when are you planning to get married?" 

Uncle Marco almost spits out his food when Grandpa asked him that. His face turned red as tomatoes. He reached for his glass and drank an ample amount of water.  My shoulders are moving up and down from holding back my laughter. I glanced at him with a mocking smile. His brows are furrowed while he's wiping his mouth. If stares can kill I would be dead by now as his eyes were piercing at me. I heard grandma's soft chuckle. 

"You're at the right age now, Marco. You should find someone to marry." Grandpa continued persuading him. 

"I'm working on that, Dad. Haven't Akira, mentioned to you about the progress of Adele's case?" He schemed to change the topic.

My grandparents' faces lit up. They both looked at me with excited expressions. 

"How's the case been going on, Akira?" It's grandma who asked. 

I sipped water from my glass and wiped my mouth before speaking. 

"Lucas told me that they have found the woman who allegedly kidnapped Adele. However, they are digging deeper to validate the information. We only have two possible results, which could be positive or negative. I'm hoping for the first one."

"This case has been taking so long. Why don't we hire a new detective? It seems that they are incapable of the job." Uncle Marco suggested. 

"That's not needed. Lucas is the one with whom Dad Martin trusted this job. Besides, they always have presented progress about the case." I said defending Lucas' side. 

"Always reporting progress? Then why did it take this long!? It's been a decade, for Pete's sake!" Uncle Marco said in clenching teeth. 

"Because someone is hindering them from doing their job easier," I said casually.

"Whose this someone you are referring to? Is this someone the same as the one who stops Lucas from reporting to me?" He gritted his teeth while giving me a harsh look.

"Aren't you the mighty Marco Brown? Why don't you investigate it yourself?" I answered him in a silly way.

"Stop it the both of you. There's no point in arguing." Grandpa scolded us.

"Sorry for misbehaving grandpa. I just don't want to get rid of Lucas from this job. He's been working on this for so long. I know how much effort he is giving just to find Adele."

"I understand. Before going here, we and your grandma decided to hire another detective to do the job. We appreciate Lucas for rendering us his truthful services for all these years. But, I guess your Uncle Marco is right." 

Grandpa is taking his son's side. That's okay with me. Perhaps, having more men to work on this might be a big help. I'm still willing to hire Lucas, though. I just can't accept that Uncle Marco won over me. I'm getting pissed off while reading his mind. He's rejoicing this time. Thankfully, I can't read something malicious in his mind about Adele's disappearance, or I would strangle him to death. His eyes are bright now as if winning against me is as exulting as winning in the Olympics. I wouldn't allow him to enjoy his winning to the extreme, so I used my telekinetic power and moved the glass full of water. The water spilled on the table and run in his direction. Everything was quick so he was not able to escape from the flowing water. 

"Shit!" He blurted out.

He's got wet pants now. Thanks to me. I even want to move his chair up in the air but that would scare my grandparents and the servants attending us. 

Rosemary was attentive. She gave Uncle Marco a tissue right away. He wiped his pants embarrassingly. He's still so handsome even on his furrowed brows.

"You better get changed," Grandma told him motherly.

He glanced at me angrily before leaving the dining room. I waved my palms at him with a teasing grin. Of course, it's only the two of us who see it.

I read him cursing me in his mind before leaving the dining room.

*****

Here I am again in my small house in New Land after the night that I stayed with my grandparents in the Brown's mansion. It has been three days since I came back home. Grandma wanted me to stay with them but I had to refuse. I have been used to living alone and having them with me will not be as comfortable as being alone. As much as possible, I don't want to live with anyone else. I'm scared of being attached to them the way I did with Martin and Margarette because it hurts like hell. It was difficult for me to start my life when they died. From then on, I promised myself to always have a space between me and anybody so I wouldn't have a chance of building an attachment to them.

I am sitting in the branch of the tallest tree in the middle and highest part of the forest. I comfortably rest my back at the rough bark of the tree with my right arms extending on top of my bent right knee while my left hand is busy with the apple that I am munching as my eyes are enjoying the stunning view of the place. My left leg is hanging down, swinging leisurely. The sound of the leaves gliding with one another as the wind blows them gives me an exceptional peace. The crystal clear water of the river from afar is soothing to the eyes. The chirping of the birds is like music to my ears and I'm loving everything around me. This is my favorite spot in my place. I usually teleport here whenever I am free. I just had finish one project last night and I thought of giving myself time. I didn't bring anything with me aside from the apple that I am eating. My phone is at my house few kilometers away from where I sit. I don't need to worry if someone calls or sends me a message. Anyway, I will hear it ring even this far. I'll just teleport back home if I need to. Well, who cares if I left my phone there? No one knows my contact number other than my clients, and Lucas. I throw the core of the apple into the bushy part down the tree. Something moved there. It catches my curiosity and so I climb down through the branches and made my way into the ground. Something is there and I just don't know what it is. However, nothing to worry about it, I can't perceive any threat from it.

"What's in there?" 

I get near it at a slow pace and carefully brush the twigs of the shrub to the side to see what's in there. My eyes twinkle upon seeing a white kitten. It's fearfully lying down as if trying to elude from a presumed predator. It mewls and moves backward, inserting itself into the edge of the bushes.

I'm trying to touch it but it raises its paw to scratch me. It's not permitting me to. 

"Hey, it's okay. I won't hurt you." 

I reach for it but before I could touch it, the back of my palm is already scratched by its claws. It wrinkles my nose to the pricking sensation on my skin.

"Don't you know that I also have claws?" 

In an instant, my nails have turned into claws. I show it to the cat and talk like it can understand me. 

"Here, look. See? We are somewhat alike. We both have claws. I won't hurt you, I promise." 

I don't know if I am just hallucinating or what, but I've seen a glow in its eyes. The glow faded instantly. The kitten meows and goes near me. It brushes its tiny body against my legs while I squat. It purrs smoothly this time.

"Wow, and now you're befriending me after you scratched my hand. But it's okay. Come here."

I carry it using my two hands, raise and position it face to face with me. Now, I can see its beautiful eyes. 

"You are pretty. Your fur is smooth and shiny. But, why are you so tiny? Are you not eating well?"

I examine it from side to side, up and down, and front and back. It doesn't have any wound or injury. The only problem with it is just being skinny. It is clean. It doesn't look like an astray cat. I caress its fur and hug it in my chest.

"Do you have anywhere to live? 

It keeps purring as I talk to it. 

"If you haven't anywhere else to stay, I'll just bring you..."

"It's coming with me." 

A man comes out from the thick bushes behind me. I turn briskly facing him. He wears a shiny black cloak. Some strand of his long black hair is spreading across his flawless, handsome face. His brows are thick, beneath it is a set of two deep, brown eyes. The cat meows jump off my arms and runs towards the man who bends down to carry it in his arm. He pats its head and looks at me. 

"So, the kitten is yours?" 

"It is." His husky voice reaches my ears with an unusual vibration. The man is not human. He may be one of the kinds that Hunter was talking about. That's maybe the reason why I wasn't able to detect his presence. Well, I don't know for it's not likely what happened when I first met Hunter seven years ago. Hunter and I both detected each other's presence among the crowds in New Land when I was in high school. 

"You don't seem to fit as its owner. Looking at the kitten gives me an impression that you don't know anything about petting." I say with eyes doubting him.

He looks at the kitten which is leaning peacefully on his chest and chuckles. 

"Uhm, you mean it's thin and skinny?" 

I didn't answer him. I just follow my sight when he unhurriedly sits down on the healthy grasses of the earth. He is now facing me with a grin making my brows raise. 

"I found Melissa just two days ago. I don't think I am the one responsible for its weakness and thinness."

His lips are moving but I can not hear him talk. I am focusing on reading his mind but I can't read anything. I can't get into his mind and it confuses me. I get back to my senses when he stands in front of me, waving his hand on my face. 

"Are you alright? Your mind seems to wander."

He laughs at me teasingly while I stare at him blankly.

"Hey, I know I am good-looking but please don't be so shocked at my attractiveness." 

He laughs shamelessly. I furrow my brows and clear my throat. I also move backward before speaking and giving him a disgusted look. 

"It's true that you are handsome. It is likewise true that you are thick-skinned." 

I teleport back home not wanting to hear his reply. I don't have any idea what happens to him after I vanished in front of him. I try to feel his aura from home but couldn't do so. This is odd. It's the first time that I'm not able to sense someone as I used to before, even miles away from me. I can even talk to Hunter from my home to his using the mind link. Remembering Hunter's name, I quickly teleported to his grocery store.

"Goodness sake Akira!" Hunter exclaims when I appear in front of him. I startled him but it's good that he called me by my name and not Lady Amara. 

"Sorry for surprising you. Am I not disturbing you?" 

"No, not really. It must be an important matter that brought you here. You are not  being careful and just appeared out of nowhere without thinking who could see you." 

He gives me a litany motioning his hand in one direction. I am a bit surprised to see a teenager standing behind me. She was stunned by what she just witnessed.

"Y-You just appeared from nowhere. How did you do that? What are you?" 

"You don't suppose to see it," I tell her lazily.

"But I saw it!" She exclaims excitedly. She seems to enjoy her little discovery.

"Make her forget," Hunter instructs me.

"Okay. Forget what you saw young lady. Go home and remember you didn't see anything extraordinary today."

My eyes are sparkling with a reddish glow as I say those words. The teenage girl repeats what I say and follows. She goes out of the store without any hint of what she saw.

I turn to face Hunter after the girl left. He is waiting for me to say what I am here for.

"There's a man about my age in the forest. He is one of us."

I told him everything that happened in the forest and he is paying attention to every detail I tell him.

"If you were not able to detect his presence, that only means he is as powerful as you are.  He could also be more powerful."

"How could you say so?" 

I ask him eagerly. I want to know more. Hunter is always patient in explaining to me since we became friends. 

"You are Lady Amara..."

"Forget about that. Explain it to me without mentioning that name." 

.

.

.

In the forest.

The man was astonished at the sight he had witnessed. He couldn't believe what his eyes have seen. He is certain that he saw her vanished in front of him. As far as he knows, only Ehtrehtians with royal blood can teleport. Could it be her? Was the woman he had just to talked to, the one he is looking for? He isn't expecting this to be this easy. The corner of his lips twitched as the cornea of his eyes narrowed like that of a cat. He turned to the kitten and said, "Melissa, I think we are getting near to finding the key." The cat meowed and its eyes glowed with gray lights.