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 Desmond, I want to talk to you about Virgil, she said, trying to think of how to phrase what
she wanted to say. It wasn t like there were gifted schools back then and especially not for
vampires.  I worry he s not normal.
 What do you mean, my love? I know he s oddly blunt and doesn t seem to understand some
things that the others have by his age, but maybe he s just a little slow.
 Yes, I know, but at the same time, his studies show the opposite. He learns at a rapid pace.
He hasn t been focusing like he was and I realized he was bored. He s accelerated way past where
his brothers were at his age. She didn t know how to help me see things in a way I would
understand them. She thought if she was smarter she could explain the world and what I needed to
know in a way I would understand. God, she was so hard on herself!
 So he s smart. That s good news, Father said but then frowned when Mother shook her
head.  Just tell me, Elena. Whatever it is we can figure it out.
 It s almost like he learns things backwards. I don t understand it. Maybe I m not able to
teach him. I think he s special, Desmond. As much as she loved me for who I was and was proud
of me, she worried how my life would be in a harsh world.  I just wish he was normal. I don t
know if I can be what he needs. He s gifted. We have a very gifted son.
 But with that comes something you re worried about? Father figured out. Mother nodded
and sighed.
 Yes, he doesn t see the world as we do. I fret over this. I m proud of him. As his mother I
love the fact that he sees things differently, is special, and his own person, smart and bright. But
also I m scared that others will pick on him or it will hurt his chances of fitting in. It s a hard
world we live in. People fear anything different.
 Like telling Abraham Dragos he wasn t a logical man who didn t appreciate his own people
by saying women couldn t be warriors, Father drawled.  Virgil s right and his logic was
astounding but I could not believe he just started telling the man that.
 I know it was rude for a child to speak to an adult like that but part of me was just trying
not to laugh. Did you see Abraham s face? Mother giggled, shaking her head.  But yes, like that.
I know Virgil still doesn t understand what he did wrong. He just sees we got mad at him for
telling us the truth. Do you see how confusing that can be to a small boy?
 Yes, but we can t just excuse the behavior or he ll make enemies. Abraham was furious.
Whether Virgil is eight or not, I thought Abraham was going to slap him across the room. If I
hadn t been there he might have. Virgil could get hurt and I d never forgive myself. We have to
figure out a way to teach him propriety. It s not right and it s not fair, it s just the way of the
world. I m sorry it s going to make him feel like he s done something wrong or it s his fault but it
will keep him safe.
 But at what cost? Mother whispered.  He s special and gifted. I don t want that crushed
so he can fit the mold of a warrior and what our society says he should be as a child of a founding
family.
 That s for him to decide when he s older, Father said after a few moments.  For now, we
protect him. He can be whoever he wants when he s old enough to understand it all but if we don t
help him now he could damage his future in ways that can t be undone.
 Right because we ever really understand life, Mother drawled.
 Amen to that, Father snickered. He hugged her close and kissed her cheek.
 You thought I was the good kind of special, I whispered as we came back out of the memory.
 Of course I did, she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.  You were my special little
genius who saw the world in his own way. I assumed I failed you. And then it was just no longer an
issue. I thought I m not sure what I did exactly. That was when Gabriel got hurt badly on a mission
and then suddenly you changed. I supposed it was almost losing your brother that made you see the
world differently. I never understood. I am so sorry you ever felt that way.
 Me too, I mumbled, pulling away. I got that I didn t take everything the way it was meant but it
wasn t just that one moment that left me feeling the way I did about my family. There had been
comments over the years from my brothers, calling me abnormal or that I was odd, strange, and about
a dozen other names. I couldn t just let this all go.  I need some air.
 Please don t leave, Virgil. We re sorry, Father said gently as he pulled my mother into his
arms.  I don t know what just happened but I know we love you. We can figure out whatever I m
missing here.
 I m just I need I just want  I stuttered, never having been able to tell my parents no or
hurt them.
 We re just taking a walk outside and getting some fresh air, Mareo said quickly before
leading me to the terrace doors.  We re not leaving. Foma was right there and the moment we were
outside I started shaking with silent sobs.  It s okay, Virgil. Just breathe.
 I don t know how to process this. I want to weep for the boy I was that thought my parents were
so ashamed of me, I whispered as I sank to my knees in the grass.  Riley doesn t like me and I
wonder which of my brothers think that. Hell, it seems the only people who do are the ones who
barely know me. Or maybe they do know me. Caven and Patrick like me.
 We like you, Foma assured me as he rubbed my back.  I think you re amazing. You forgave us
after seeing what happened. Do you know how rare that is? Most would have dragged it out and still
been upset that we wanted to slip a few drinks into you to get you to loosen up.
 What would be the point of that? I shrugged.  I was closed off. I was scared. I understood why
you did it and after seeing how long you looked for me and how desperately you wanted to find me I
feel horrible I made you even have to come up with such a plan.
 As I said, amazing, he whispered as he kissed my cheek.  Tell us what you want, Virgil. Do
you want to live in your new house you talked of in Greece? We would live there with you if you
wanted.
 Really? Now I felt shy. I d been so busy being pissed at them I d not thought of a future with
them.
 We like Caleb, Liam, and Lorcan, but we re not palace people, Mareo admitted with a shrug.
 We were closer to there when we heard of the fae coming over so we decided to help our people.
My family was lost to me a long time ago and Foma was an orphan from a young age. You might not
want to live with your family but I don t think moving away from them right now would be best. This
house is still close, yes?
 Yeah, like ten minutes away, I sighed, leaning into his strong body.  It s all done. I picked out
my furniture and everything. I want to see this thing with Dubois through though. I think there s more
going on than I know.
 How so? Foma asked.
I bit my lower lip, wondering if they d think I was nuts if I admitted what I could barely grasp [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]