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Acacia/Ciarán - Age 15

Taron walked away that night...

...the night of the end of the year ball. He thoroughly believed that I was giving myself now willingly to Mercury and that there was nothing left to be said between us.

I came home with my parents this past summer, my brother wanting to spend time with his friends and only including me every once and awhile. I would respectfully decline as usual, and that would put us at a more considerable tension than before.

Mercury was odd...acting slightly off while not approaching me or trying to hurt me. I'm thankful for it, but it reminded me of that short time during the school year where I wasn't his focus. It's better that way, but I never know when he's going to switch again or what his motives are.

I hadn't seen Lars or Nimue in awhile and surprisingly...I'd grown to like their unusual presence. If anything, I feel alone and out of place once again. Mom and dads try to offer to spend time with me, but I don't want to.

Marcus is seven now...I can't believe how much he's grown.

He was very proud to tell me that he hasn't been his clumsy self...oh little brother, how wrong you are behind the reasoning you think you're so inept.

Currently, Marcus and I are sitting watching a movie, his greedy hands hogging the bowl of popcorn. I reach across and attempt to grab some when he exclaims, "Hey!"

"You can share," I tease him while coming away from the bowl with a handful of popcorn.

"Little love," dad's voice comes from the open archway leading into the living room. Marcus glances at me, and I look at him.

Marcus states, "You're in trouble, you're in trouble!"

"I didn't do anything!" I laugh while pushing him slightly and he giggles. Standing from the couch, dad's green eyes fall on me, and I quickly compose myself before he nods in the direction of the hallway.

"Can I speak to you for a moment in the library?" He asks, and I'm hesitant at first, but then I slowly nod. He's quiet for the most part, but does ask me, "Are you ready to go back to school soon?"

Shrugging my shoulders, I say, "Yes and no."

"Why not?" He asks while we make our way in the direction of the library.

"Well...I could do all four years in one if I were allowed to, but you all won't let me finish with schooling and are making me socialize," I throw that at him quite hard, but he jokingly shrugs it off.

He reminds me, "You need to socialize...it's good for you to make new friends."

"I have new friends, but I can't visit them," the feeling of dejection settles in as I'm not part of either of their worlds and wouldn't be able to spend time with them. Sinéad and Niamh had their pendants taken away as punishment for the way they acted toward one another.

I only know this because of Aspen talking about it at the summer solstice meeting. Nyx has told me that Fae was learning about her essential royal duties as she would take on her mother's queen position one day.

"One day you won't be restricted by how young you are and you'll be able to make your own choices," dad smiles at me.

Some choices are being made for me despite my age.

After dad opens the library door for me, he allows for me to step inside before him. I love the library because of the warmth and safety I feel among escaping reality to multiple worlds and lives I'd never live. In those books alone I can be whatever I want to be...

In those books...

...there are strong individuals.

Dad motions toward his chessboard, my heart instantly accelerating after the door closes behind him. He chuckles at my obvious tell and asks, "Nervous are we?"

"We haven't played chess in awhile," I respond quietly as I pull out my seat, dad lowering himself down into the one across from me.

"We haven't talked in awhile either...now have we?" He arches a brow, and I immediately feel like I'm kicking into defensive mode. I don't open up anymore; I haven't for over half my life now.

I shake my head and release a small sigh before stating, "I suppose not." I pause for a moment, before asking him, "What is it that you do ruling next to mom?"

Perhaps I believed I'd be lucky, taking him off guard...but this isn't the case because he chuckles and replies, "What is it that you believe I do?"

I've been given hints and signs from Sinéad and Fae, but if I come forth with this information, he's going to pry further. Instead, I shrug my shoulders and say, "Beats me, I figure you're her arm candy since she holds the Queen's title."

Dad laughs loudly at this and winks at me before replying, "You have your mother's mouth, there's no doubt about that," I notice though that he doesn't answer me and merely nods at the chessboard.

I'm white.

I'll go first...

...though I've already made my first move off the chessboard and dad knows it.

The first few moves are smooth, falling back into my comfort zone. Dad takes another of my pawns and then asks, "What is it that you see?"

"I see you," I tilt my head to the side, making my next move as the game plays out.

Dad smirks before continuing with, "We've had this conversation once before-"

I have to stop him there and state, "Correction...you've told me what you wanted me to know once before...not what I need to understand."

He arches a brow; my focus lifts from the chessboard and dad takes one of my rooks. The way he continues to look me over, I know he's analyzing me, and it's showing how I can't keep up both fronts of wanting to win this match, but also evade my dad.

Dad nods and replies, "Fair enough...after all..." I'm looking at my choice and readying myself to move my queen when he continues, "...I can see you haven't taken my warning seriously."

My heart skips a beat, but I quickly breathe out calmly and execute my move...my queen taking his bishop. My gaze lifts to meet with dad's, his eyes staring into mine while I state, "You paint them under lighting shrouded in shadows, but I've not seen the end of the tunnel that darkness leads to."

"You believe just because you can't see the intentions of others that they are to be trusted," dad comments while I'm beginning to see that I've been set up in more ways than one.

Dad brings his queen out from hiding, taking piece after piece while I slowly figure out what's happening. Shaking my head, I glance up at dad and tell him, "I don't understand why you can't just tell me why you don't trust them," I can see the way he's analyzing any further.

Dad arches a brow, the way he looks at me I can see he's also looking right through me. He's quiet for a few moments, taking his time looking at the board and then staring back at me. When the silence goes on for long enough, he states, "You know, you remind me so much of your mother, the way she would always have to know everything, even if knowing everything meant costing the lives of others."

I furrow my brows at him while asking, "How is that even possible...?"

So many questions come to my mind and I see my dad in a whole different light the second he tells me, "everything I've ever done and everything I'll ever do will always be to protect the ones I love even if they don't see what I see," his eyes scan mine once more before he finishes with, " there's so much hidden behind your eyes...Acacia..."

My heart beats fast, debating whether or not I should tell dad. After a few seconds, my lips part and I breathe out, "How do you expect me to be honest with you when you can't be honest with me?"

"Acacia, you truly are of my blood," dad is quiet, his eyes shifting from side to side before he finally tells me, "I've not only seen the spiderwebs creep from the corners of my mind like I know yours does but if you want me to be honest with you the tendrils are new..."

My heart stops dead in my chest, the second those words leave his lips, I know that I'm not alone, that there's much more beneath the surface and that dad is finally telling me what it is I need to understand. The silence between us is so loud it's ringing in my ears.

Dad stares at me hard, almost like he's seeing me in an entirely different light. It's in the next few moments that everything changes between us. When dad tells me, "There was so much research I had to do on my own to understand something that no one else was willing to help me understand, and I see that in you now. I know at times you can feel lost and alone like there's no one else like you in the world," his voice trails off, my own eyes flickering away from his, "I was quick to judge you, that you were the one being manipulated. After everything that I've seen, I didn't want to lose my daughter, but I see now I'm losing you either way."

Very quietly, I breathe out, "You're not losing me," it's a double edge sword the way I say that. I know there's a lot my dad has gone through, and I know he'd never intentionally hurt anyone he loves and cares about.

Dad moves his queen into position, checkmate only a few moves away.

"You told me once before...that the witches and warlocks are dangerous, but to be quite frank and honest with you they're the only ones that have ever shown me that I'm protected," as I say this I see the sadness lingering in my dad's eyes. Breathing in and out deeply, I'm finally able to tell him, "Even though you have been here for me, you haven't been here for me."

I already know I've lost this game...

...his word freezing over me when he states, "Checkmate."

Dad leans back in his chair, his eyes searching me over. I honestly can't tell at this point if he's upset that I lost the match or the reasoning behind why I just lost this chess match with him. When I'm about to say something, dad asks me, "Are you okay?"

There is slight hesitation before I tell him, "I'm not okay...I haven't been okay for a very long time."

Something in his features tells me that he already knows this, yet didn't approach me about it sooner. Not understanding the reasoning behind why he would sit back if he knew something was wrong, I ask him, "If you know I'm not okay...why am I not okay?"

It's a very loaded question...because it offers me an insight into what he's seeing.

Dad breathes out slowly before he says, "I'm not oblivious to the fact that my daughter is hurting...though she won't tell me why," he leans forward this time, resting his elbows down on the small table before continuing with, "I'm not going to fight you tooth and nail on something that you're not willing to tell me yourself. Force is never the answer and even if I wanted to violate your privacy in many ways...I'm not going to do that. I'd rather you see the trust we've already established over these years stay intact than risk you completely shutting me out of your life."

Tears form in my eyes, my heart starting to race fast.

Do I tell him?

"Dad..." my voice trails off, seeing his eyes flicker briefly with something I can't discern. My heart aches, yearning to tell him everything that Mercury has ever done, but I still see those threats lingering over my head.

If something happened to Marcus because I came forth with the truth...

...I'd never forgive myself.

"Acacia?" He furrows his brows when my silence is too long.

I swallow the knot that forms at the edge of my throat, glancing away from him for a moment to collect my thoughts. Breathing out calmly, I direct focus elsewhere and attempt to see just how much that trust between my dad and I remains after all these years. I ask him, "Have you always seen the tendrils?"

Please open up to me...

Dad tilts his head to the side, observing me before saying, "No, but I'm trying to research what it could be," he pauses a moment to glance toward the far end of the library by the fireplace. There are much older books there, ones that belong to him...dad glances back and states, "I've seen the spiderwebs and purple shadows...ever since the day I saw a warlock. He took root in your Uncle Keveon, using him as a beacon to connect to this world as warlocks and witches can only appear more as astral projections. They manipulate and influence others on this plane..." he pauses at this to nod at me, "...that's why I believed Lars was using you to...remain here longer."

"You thought..." I furrow my brows and shake my head, "...that I am Lars' beacon?"

Dad nods to confirm this and continues, "Then I got to thinking...how is it that he's able to stay much longer than his father before him? His father took Kev as a way to remain tied..."

"Lars isn't a shadow," I reply, seeing the way dad continues to open up to me.

"No, he's not..." dad pauses while standing to his feet, "...that's what bothers me the most."

I also rise to my feet and conclude, "Dad...Uncle Keveon is real."

"I know you've seen him," dad sighs and turns away from me, thinking I'm just making this up to comfort him. He waves his hand and reminds me, "Nimue...she told me once that I'd be making a mistake in killing Tresor."

"You know Nimue?" I ask...though I cover my mouth with my hand when dad's eyes land on me.

Dad asks me with hesitation, "How do you know this woman, Acacia?"

"She helps me-"

"Their kind does not help..." dad cuts me off. Slowly, this conversation takes a turn as each time I'd ask him about the witches and warlocks, he would shut me out.

Shaking my head, I try to stir away from this, opting to tell him, "Dad, if Uncle Keveon and Lars' dad, Tresor were connected...did he die along with him?"

"No...Kev was still present long after his death," the hard look sets in on his features.

"Dad, I've touched Uncle Keveon...he's alive, I know he is," I beg my dad to continue talking about this, starting to put pieces together of this massive puzzle.

Dad shakes his head and sighs, "Enough..."

"Nimue, she's helping me...I think she's helping me to save Uncle Keveon!" Perhaps this is the reasoning behind why she's slowly teaching me. Whatever that barrier was that separated Uncle Keveon, and I...it had a similar feeling like the way the spiderwebs surrounded me. It takes a lot for me to focus on this, but maybe I can show my dad, and he'll believe me?

Instead of dad listening to the prospect of saving Uncle Keveon, he snaps, "She's not helping you!"

"Da-"

"Whatever it is she's doing, it's not to help you," dad comes closer to me while I step back behind my chair, wanting to seek safety from the way his presence is shifting.

Tears are in my eyes when I lash right back, "I can do things, dad! I don't know what they are or what it means, but I can use what they have!"

The look on his face drops before he asks, "What are you talking about?"

Shakily, I lift my arms up, drawing my hands closer together while stuttering, "I-I c-can s-sh-show y-you," though the look of skepticism is evident on his face, he doesn't stop me from what I'm doing.

The only problem...

...I don't feel the cold embrace for even a second.

When I move my hands away from one another...nothing happens.

I'm left standing in front of dad while I lower my arms back down to my sides. His eyes narrow on me, and he informs me, "Whatever it is she's making you believe...ignore it. Don't walk down a path that you're not prepared for."

"I'm prepared for NOTHING because of you!" I can't stop the words from flying past my lips, my chest heaving up and down as I glare at him. Dad is quick, moving around the table and chair before grasping my upper arm. Tears form in my eyes when I backtrack, "S-St-Stop."

Dad's eyes pool with blood, the redness setting off something inside my chest. My heart continues to race when he says, "You will not raise your voice at me. You are a child...not an adult, and you will respect those older than you."

"Y-Y-es S-S-Sir, pl-please d-don't pu-punish m-m-me," I cower away in fear, but I soon feel a very sick feeling brew from the pit of my stomach...

...especially when dad asks with wide eyes, "What did you just say?"

💫--To Be Continued--💫
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