"Father. You said you'd stay longer this time," I reminded.
Father closed his suitcase and gave me a sad look. "I know Daniel, but I have to go to Distala, Heila, and Winterlyn for business. It's a mandatory trip, no exceptions. I need to do my duty as King. I get you're upset about us not having more family time, but when I come back I'll make up for it," Father promised.
"You said that last time," Michael mumbled, leaning against the wall. I glanced over to see his unimpressed face and the anger in his dark copper eyes. I knew he was just as mad as I.
"Please, sons. I can't deal with this right now," Father complained.
"You promised. Why do you keep breaking them?" I asked.
"Then you want us to promise to not cause Claire trouble, and we get in trouble if we break those promises," Michael added.
Father looked between the both of us. "Sometimes I can't keep promises because of my JOB. My purpose is to serve this realm and the angels in it. I get you're both upset, but that doesn't mean you have to cause Claire trouble as payback for me breaking one silly promise." He looked annoyed at this point.
"Claire's the one who causes problems. We don't do anything!" Michael argued, pushing off the wall and coming to stand next to me. I was practically trembling and tried to steady my breathing so my gift didn't affect anyone but me. Michael placed his hand on my shoulder and massaged it gently.
"Breathe, Daniel," he spoke calmly.
I wasn't going to follow his instructions until I’d finally had the chance to vent about what I was feeling.
"Silly promise? Then why even make one? You always come home and sleep. You never ask what's happening or how we are!" I exclaimed, glaring at Father who frowned.
"Because I'm tired, Daniel. You should understand this by now," he defended.
"Understand? You don't even know what fucking happens here!" I snapped, cursing out of rage. I knew it was bad for an angel to use such words, but why did it matter when Claire and Father weren't following the holy principles, either?
"Daniel! Do NOT swear at me," Father scolded.
"FUCK YOU!" I screamed, then stomped out and ran down the hall into the living room. I noticed Claire humming and staring at the latest pieces of jewelry Father had bought for her from his recent travels and the sight only made me angrier.
I glared at her and opened my mouth to speak, but a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned my glare to Michael who had a stern look on his face.
"Don't. It will just make our lives harder. Come, let's go eat some ice cream in my room?" Michael suggested.
Father walked into the living room and was watching us carefully. Claire snapped out of her happy gaze to stare at us. "Honey? What's the matter? Is Daniel being problematic?" she asked sweetly as she made her eyes wider to look ‘innocent.’
Father turned his gaze and gave her a small smile. "Don't worry, love. You know boys. They go through stages."
"Ah. True. Don't worry. I'll do my motherly duties and give him as much love as I can in your absence. You're going to be late if you don't leave soon," she reminded, pointing to the time.
I clenched my fists and glared at both of them, thinking of all the things I wanted to do in that moment. Love? She didn't love me. She only hurt me and Michael. She was fake. Yes, just like the dictionary said.
Michael tightened his grip on my shoulder.
"Daniel. Let's go," Michael urged.
I turned my glare back to Claire who smiled at me in return, but the false gesture didn't reach her eyes.
"Hypocrite!" I called out, shaking out of Michael’s hold and walking away. I heard Michael sigh before his footsteps followed me.
"Daniel!" Father called out.
I started walking even faster, turning and running up the stairs. I passed my room and went straight into Michael's and hid under the bed. I knew it wouldn't be long before Father came up here and tried to find me.
I cloaked my presence, thankful Michael had shown me the simple skill for emergencies in case Claire went into one of her manic modes.
"Where's your brother?!" Father yelled.
"Don't know. You should be able to sense him," Michael grumbled and I heard his footsteps approach the bed, followed by a loud squeak from the bed which told me he was sitting down.
"Michael," Father warned, but Michael remained silent.
I knew at this stage, Michael didn't give 'a shit,’ as he would say.
"Both of you are lucky I'm going to be late and don’t have time to deal with this!" Father yelled.
"Why? You easily break promises. Don't see why you can't break another one," Michael grumbled.
I heard more loud footsteps and shivered at the sudden thick energy in the air.
"Michael Moore, do not upset me right now!" Father warned.
"If I disappeared, would you even care?" Michael questioned.
The room was silent and my stomach dropped as fear drummed through me. What?
"That has nothing to do with this conversation," Father retorted.
"So you wouldn't care, right? Okay. Safe travels," Michael said and his voice was so cold.
I felt a chill run through me.
"Michael..." Father groaned. "What’s going on?"
"Why? You don't care. No one cares. You're going to be late. Don't break another promise. It's not very 'angel-like' of you," Michael scoffed.
Father sighed and his footsteps faded.
I was about to leave my hiding place, but the back of Michael's foot poked beneath the bed, a cue that told me 'not yet.’
"Honey? Is everything okay? I can talk to Michael and Daniel. I wish they would open up to me," Claire sobbed and I had to roll my eyes.
"Leave them alone. They'll calm down. It's not good to bother either of them when they're upset like that. Let's go downstairs and enjoy a shot or two before I leave," Father offered.
I didn't need to be a genius to hear the compassion in his voice that had been missing when he’d spoken to his own children.
"Okay, honey. I'd love that," Claire cheered, dropping her fake sadness act.
Their footsteps faded and Michael stood up and went to the door, slamming it shut. I poked my head out to see his hand on the door as a large gold magic circle formed and the door locked.
"Michael?"
He turned to face me after finishing the spell. "No one can bother us for a while. I learned it in class." He came back to the bed and lifted up the blanket hiding me. I crawled out and got up to sit on his bed.
He sank into the black sheets which were new, much different than his usual mustard color sheets.
"Michael...are you suicidal?" I asked plainly, unsure how else to bring it up.
Michael blinked in shock and slowly turned to meet my gaze. "Where did you learn about things like that?" he questioned.
"In the medical books. They talk about mental health. If I learned what Claire has maybe...we could fix her? Then she wouldn't hurt us anymore," I revealed, looking away.
Michael was silent and sank into the black sheets. He rolled to his side and turned away from me, leaving my question unanswered.
"Michael?"
"I'm tired. I'm taking a nap. There are books on the table if you want to read," he suggested.
"Will we have ice cream later?" I asked.
He was silent for a few seconds. "Yes."
I rose and walked over to get one of the books on the table that had caught my interest. I returned to sit on Michael's bed, but noticed how still he was.
"Michael?" I whispered, but he didn't reply. I waited for a response for a minute before I gave up and sat on the floor, opened the book and began to read.
All I could do was pray that Marissa would come retrieve us later that evening.
ONE ROTATION LATER...
"UNBELIEVABLE! I'm cursed. I must be to get stuck having to deal with you. You gay bastard!"
I pondered what I should do, observing the loud argument happening in the kitchen between Claire and Michael. Father was due to return tomorrow and Claire was doing everything in her power to push Michael to the edge. He was now officially over said edge and was full on shouting at her.
One part of me wanted to go find Marissa, while another part was scared to take my eyes off Michael who was shaking with rage as he glared at Claire.
"You and your fucked up brother. I'll burn those fucking eyes out!" Claire screamed at him.
"Stop using my brother as your fucking ashtray!" Michael shouted back. He'd made the same demand on countless occasions, but this time he lost control and his gift hit her at full blast. She blinked in shocked and her cigarette fell to the floor.
"You did not just use your controlling shit on me!” she snarled.
"What are you gonna do about it? You're lucky I don't make you cut your hands off," Michael roared and Claire went ballistic, stomping her foot and breaking the first piece of furniture she could get her hands on. Michael didn't look like he cared as he stood his ground.
"Just you wait." Claire rushed out of the room and I made to go in, but Michael looked at me with a stern glare.
"Don't move," he ordered and I froze where I stood. I gawked at him, in complete shock that he used his gift on me, something he hadn't done in cycles.
"I can't afford you getting hurt," Michael announced and waited stoically for whatever punishment awaited.
I have to help him! Azriel, what can I do?
"We need to get Marissa," Azriel instructed but neither of us knew where she was. It was still early in the morning and she could have been anywhere in the castle. I clenched my jaw out of frustration, using my gift to fight off Michael’s initial hold and began running in order to check if I could find Marissa in the living room or near the stairs.
I was just about to rush up the stairs toward the sleep corridors, when I heard a loud crash. I sprinted back and slid to a stop in time to see Michael pinned to the table with Claire’s hand around his throat and a large jug of something in her other hand. I saw the label read ‘BLEACH’ in large blue letters.
Michael was struggling to move and I knew something must have been preventing him from escaping her grasp. I jolted forward without thinking and before I knew what I was doing, I pushed Claire off of Michael with all my might.
Michael gasped as if he was out of breath, falling to the ground and coughing. I turned to glare at Claire who stared at me in shock. I opened my mouth to speak but Claire aimed the jug at me and before I knew it, burning liquid hit my eyes with a force that must have been boosted by magic.
I screamed and tried to stop the onslaught of fluid that continued to strike me. "Fuck! Daniel!" Michael screamed, but the force of the stream coming at me doubled and I lost my balance. I felt something grab onto me but the powerful spray of burning liquid launched my body into the air and I crashed against the wall.
Arms wrapped around me, but the rush of liquid wouldn't stop and I struggled to breathe. I could hear someone's coughs and sputters and I knew Michael was the one holding me. Stop, stop, stop.
I couldn't take it anymore. The liquid was scorching hot and my eyes burned so badly I wanted to scream and cry.
"STOP!" I commanded and let my gift loose at full blast. The intense stream of fiery liquid stopped and Michael and I were left coughing and spitting up the foul stuff. I heard rapid footsteps and then a gasp.
"CLAIRE! What did you do?!" Marissa’s loud voice echoed in the room, but I couldn't concentrate on what was happening. Everywhere hurt and I couldn't open my eyes.
"Daniel!" Michael coughed, placing a hand on my shoulder.
I tensed up at the touch. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" I commanded.
I heard Michael curse. "Daniel. I won't hurt you. We need to check your eyes!"
I heard a hint of his concern but all I could focus on was the pounding in my head and how my eyes stung and my ears rang.
"Serves the little shit right!" Claire snarled and I was on the verge of snapping. It was the first time I truly wanted to hurt her. I wanted to make this woman suffer for my current pain. She deserved the suffering she was putting me through.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?!” Father's loud voice boomed.
"Your Highness! It’s Daniel! We need to check on him, now!" Marissa ordered but I ignored them and curled into a ball, terrified of anything touching me.
"Don't touch him right now!" Michael yelled.
I sobbed and whimpered; my whole body felt numb. Mommy. Help me. Why aren't you here? I'm sorry, please come back. Everything hurts. Make it better.
"Daniel. Please. I won't hurt you. Tell me what's wrong," Michael soothed and I only cried harder.
"Everywhere hurts! My eyes…they won't stop burning. Michael… help!" I begged, pulling back my gift.
"I'm right here. I'm gonna touch you, okay? We'll fix it," Michael whispered reassuringly.
I felt myself get pulled into his arms. I felt dizzy from the lack of oxygen and from the continuous pain that wouldn’t let up.
"Call the healer for Claire," Father ordered and Michael growled.
"Call a healer for THAT BITCH? SHE’S THE ONE WHO HURT DANIEL!"
"ENOUGH!' Marissa’s loud voice practically shook the room. "Attend to your sons, King Moore! Or I swear I'll ensure everyone knows about this incident!" Marissa threatened.
"You dare threaten your King?" Father warned.
I wanted to find out what happened, to hear what Marissa had to say, but the spinning darkness was too much for me and I fell into its depths.
"DANIEL!"