Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

When out of nowhere Reuben pointed a gun at my dad, I stood in front of him.

"Lower your gun, Reuben." I said.

His eyes found mine and I saw a hint of guilt in it.

"Get aside Athaliah."

I still didn't move from my position.

We stared at each other, no one wanted to back down until Aldric appeared and put his hands on Reuben's shoulders.

"Calm down." Aldric said.

"I can't calm down when this man here wants to take away our sister." Reuben shouted.

"Geez! Relax. No need to yell. My ears are sensitive." I exclaimed.

Dad chuckled.

"With due respect, you don't have any power to take Athaliah from us. She is under my guardianship." Adric said, turning towards dad, his voice stern.

I scoffed.

"If I want to go with him, I can. You cannot stop me." I said, directly looking at Aldric

"Why would you do that?" Kaelen said, his voice came out a little sad and it looked like he was on the verge of crying.

"Don't tell me you are about to cry." I said.

And here comes the water works.

Kaelen cried.

Like literally cried.

His hands clasp together, squeezing tightly as if trying to hold everything inside, but it's clear that the dam has broken. The tears come now in steady succession, not in the violent eruption of an uncontrollable cry, but in the silent flow of someone who has been carrying too much for too long.

"Please don't leave me again." he said in between his sobs. He came towards me slowly, his steps faltering.

My chest tightened and my heart lurched. No words came out of my mouth. I didn't know that Kaelen would have such a reaction for my leaving.

For a moment, I stood there, fighting the urge to turn back and walk away, to cling to the hard shell of indifference I had built around myself. But the sound of his grief pulls at something inside me—something softer, something I thought I had buried long ago.

"Oh, poor boy, come here." Dad said, forwarding his hands. He always considered them as his children.

Once I nodded at him, he wasted no time hugging dad. Dad looked at him, his expression unreadable at first, but as Kaelen collapses into his arms, the facade of strength broke. Dad's hands, once steady and firm, now tremble slightly as he wraps Kaelen in a tight, protective hug.

I looked away when suddenly Kaelen pulled me as well.

"I don't want you to leave." he said while hugging the life out of us.

"Okay I can't breathe now." I exclaimed, trying to push Kaelen off of me.

Keyword: trying.

He didn't budge.

After a moment too long, he broke the hug. He held both my hands in his own and said,

"Please tell me you won't leave me again."

I sighed, sadness tugging at my heart and said,

"It was just a statement. I am not leaving."

Not yet.

"Promise."

I smiled a little and hooked his pinky finger with mine and sealed it by touching our thumbs together.

"Pinky promise."

He smiled and wiped his tears by hand. We used to do this when we were kids. Promising our pinkies and sealing it with our thumbs.

"If you are not here to take our sister away then why are you here?" Zephyrus asked in a rude tone.

I was about to tell him to watch his tone when dad spoke,

"I don't need a reason to visit my daughter." He continued with his furrowed eyebrows, "However, I would like to speak with her, alone."

I knew it was something serious. Or else dad wouldn't have taken such a huge risk of coming to the Italian territory.

"Let me show you my room." I said, gesturing him to follow me.

I saw hesitation in Adric's eyes. Like he doesn't want to be alone with dad. Too bad. My dad means to harm to me. But he didn't say anything.

However, Zephyrus could not keep his thoughts to himself and whispered to me,

"If you feel any danger, just shout or break a vase or something. Rest we will see."

I rolled my eyes at his words.

"My dad is not the one I need to be feared of." I said and led the way to my room, dad following me.

After closing the door, I took a seat on my bed. Dad sat on the sofa near the window, looking outside.

"What is it dad?" I asked, seeing the gloomy look on his face.

"Your mother misses her children."

I sighed and said, "I will visit her in 2 days."

"But I know that is not the thing you came here for, is it?" I continued.

"I got an intel."

"About?"

"There is someone. Someone who you need to be careful from."

I furrowed my brow and said, "What do you mean?"

"You know after coming out of his cave, he is not going to stay still. He will try to trap you again."

I sighed.

"Dad, tell me something that I don't know. I knew the risks before I exposed myself."

"That is the thing, junior. He knows that you are not stupid enough to expose yourself as Athaliah Kensington again."

I know where he is going with this conversation.

"What was the intel, dad?"

He looked at me and said the words that I had already heard before.

"With grins and gleams, they all appear bright, Yet in their smiles, there hides a fright. Beneath the cheer, a truth does creep, A secret so dark, it's hard to keep. Look close at each, they wear a mask, For in this place, no truth will last."

I remember the words clearly.

"You forgot me very soon, Purple."

"Sorry, do I know you?"

"This conversation about you knowing me is for another day. Tonight, I am here to merely rely on a message to you."

"Which is?"

"With grins and gleams, they all appear bright, Yet in their smiles, there hides a fright. Beneath the cheer, a truth does creep, A secret so dark, it's hard to keep. Look close at each, they wear a mask, For in this place, no truth will last."

"Athaliah" Dad's voice brought me back to the present from the memories of a certain grey eyed.

"Do you know what that means?" dad asked.

"There is a mole." I replied, feeling my anger rising.

"Who gave you this message?"

"I caught a man lurking around me when I went to a cafe. He told me that someone paid him to say these words to me. He was wearing a school uniform and might be a year or two younger than you. He was scared for his life. So, I let him go"

I was about to say something when dad spoke again,

"I know. And I already checked his background. He is clean."

I turned towards window and said,

"This message clearly states that I need to be careful of the ones who are close to me. But the question is why would Scythe help me?"

"Scythe? How did he got into this conversation?" Dad asked, looking confused.

"A few days ago, he met me in a club. He uttered those exact words."

"And you didn't bother telling me this?" Dad asked.

"I forgot. There was so much going on at that time that it slipped from my mind."

"Athaliah, you need to be careful. We are in a world where everything can turn upside down with our one mistake." Dad came towards me and patted my head.

"I will be more careful dad. But before that, I need to meet Scythe. I need to know his intentions."

"Be careful junior. He is not the one to be taken lightly."

I nodded.

———🌸———

It has been two days since dad came to Kensington mansion. And all these days went by me searching for a certain grey eyed. Hades is working to find him. And I know, even if he is in hell, Hades will find him.

"Are you fucking homeless?"

I looked up and saw Zeus standing in front of me. His expression clearly says he is irritated. I don't know why he would ask such a ridiculous question in the school hallway.

"Any reason why you are asking such a ridiculous question?"

"I told you to text me when you reach home. That was on Friday. Three days ago. I didn't get your text. So, does this mean you are homeless?" he said waving his phone in front of me.

"I forgot." I sidestepped him and started walking towards the lunchroom.

Since the incident with Tyler, I have been sitting with Zeus in the cafeteria. Nobody has messed with me.

Yet.

Zeus went to bring our lunch. He has been doing that ever since.

"I don't know but I guess we have new enemies." He said, bringing our lunch to our table.

"Who?"

"The Instigators."

He sat on the opposite side of me and tilted his head to the side and said,

"Look over there. Those three are the Kensington brothers. Remember I told you about them. They are staring me or more like glaring at me ever since we started having our lunch together."

I internally rolled my eyes. They just won't let me live in peace.

"You see the one wearing black jacket, he is Reuben. He is worst of all."

"Just ignore them." I said.

I was halfway through my lunch when I felt a presence of someone behind me. I looked at my side and saw all the Kensington brothers are seated there. However, their eyes show more anger now.

Confused, I turned back and saw the one I was finding.

Those eyes.

Grey. Whiskey. Clouded.

———🌸———

Here is the next chapter guys.

I sincerely apologize for the delay. I am caught up in some things.

However, if there is another delay or any message from my side, I will post it on my profile,

Thank you for your patience.

Please vote and comment how you like it.

Also, comment your thoughts on what is going to happen now.