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However, he couldn’t bring himself to call Evelyn “Mom”. The bond had died in his heart a long time ago. At least, every time he thought about it, he reminded himself that his only family was his mentor and the other apprentices in Pathfinders Guild.
He had no other family or kin.
Evelyn was still lost in her overwhelming mix of joy and sorrow. She clung to Isaac’s sleeve, her gaze greedy as if she couldn’t seem to get enough of him. Her tears never stopped.
“Can you forgive me, son? I truly didn’t know… I’ve avenged you, I swear. Please, forgive me, won’t you?”
Isaac was silent for a long moment before he finally shook his head.
“Madam Prince, Seraphina is dead. However, he didn’t die in that fire. Not long after he was sent to Gravelstone Peak, he was tortured to death. Reverend Lazarus made him do backbreaking work, and he was beaten and abused. In the end, he was left to die. He was thrown out like garbage and devoured by wolves.”
“That’s impossible!” Evelyn’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You admitted it before, so why are you telling me something different now? You’re still angry at me, aren’t you?”
Isaac pulled his hand back, his expression becoming calm. “I was a novice priest at the temple, the same as him. I was close to him, so I know what happened to him. But I’m not him.”
“Look at your face…”
“Mother!” Zoey’s quick mind seized the moment. “He’s just my brother-in-law’s friend. He’s not my brother-in-law.”
Evelyn looked at Zoey in confusion. But he was Seraphina!
Zoey turned to Isaac. “You should go for now. I’ll come find you in a couple of days.”
“You can’t leave! You can’t!” Evelyn desperately tried to hold onto Isaac, but Isaac had already stood and was walking away.
“Mother.” Zoey gently pressed her hand on Evelyn’s shoulder. “Don’t force it. You know he’s alive. Isn’t that enough? You don’t know what he’s been through, or if he’s holding a grudge. If you feel guilty, make it up to him. Transfer most of the family’s assets to him. With time, he’ll come around, and one day, he’ll let it all go.
“The past can’t be changed, and the dead can’t be brought back to life. But as long as you know he’s alive, even if you don’t acknowledge each other, what’s the problem? Isn’t that better than thinking he was dead?”
Evelyn seemed to snap back to reality. “Right. I will make it up to him. If you’re willing to agree, that would be even better.”
Zoey agreed, of course. In fact, it would be best if everything were given to Isaac.
Zoey glanced at Evelyn, a lingering sense of unease gnawing at her. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the older woman wasn’t telling the whole truth.
Zoey had no intention of allowing Isaac to claim his heritage. He had never known the privileges of the Earl of Silverstone’s family, so why should he bear the burdens of it in the future?
No, he shouldn’t ever have to.
Relief finally washed over Zoey. As long as Isaac didn’t claim the title, there was still hope for the future. He was a member of the Pathfinders Guild, and she trusted them. By passing everything over to Isaac, she ensured that if disaster ever struck, at least the children of the family would have a roof over their heads and food to eat.
After leaving Evelyn, Zoey sought out Caspian and Luna. There had been many things she hadn’t told them before, but now, it was time.
“When Oliver went to the Southern
Frontier,” Zoey began, her voice steady but serious, “I sent some people with him. They report back to me on his situation-who he’s been in contact with, and what he’s done. From what I know so far, he’s become involved with a traitor.
“This woman was innocent, but she foolishly aligned herself with the guilty. Once they make their move, Oliver will be held accountable and we will get dragged into it too.
“I don’t know what will become of our family, but it will definitely be in turmoil. So, I cannot allow Isaac to be brought into this. Remember, Seraphina Prince is dead. The person who came tonight is merely his friend.” Caspian and Luna were stunned, their faces ashen.
“Can we not talk Oliver out of it?” Caspian asked, his voice filled with desperation. “We can ask him to cut ties with whoever it is before it’s too late.”
Zoey’s expression darkened. “I’ve met already tried. had someone warn him, but he refused to listen. That woman, She’s carrying his child now, and he’s obsessed with her.” Just recently, I received a letter from him saying he plans to take her as his rightful wife.”
“What?!” Caspian jumped to his feet, fury evident in his features. “How could he? I’ll go to the Southern Frontier myself and knock some sense into him!”
“Don’t be rash. You can’t go to the Southern Frontier,” Zoey intervened sharply. “Be reasonable. After he sent me a letter about that, I stopped all communication with him. I haven’t sent him any more letters or money.” Caspian and Luna were surprised that Zoey had already thought this through so thoroughly. No wonder she had seemed so troubled lately.
Isaac and Violet walked side by side along the wide street, leading their horses. The night breeze was gentle, clearing away the last remnants of the alcohol from the evening.
“I was impulsive tonight,” Violet admitted with a hint of regret. “I shouldn’t have dragged you there.”
“It’s fine,” Isaac replied.
“What’s going through your mind? Are you planning to acknowledge them?”
“No.” Isaac smiled, his expression becoming noticeably more relaxed. “She invited me and Madam Zoey inside, and talked for a long time. But not once did she ask me how I’ve been these years. Not once did she ask how I was after being taken away. She was just explaining and trying to clear her name.”
“Is that so?”
Isaac ran a hand through his slightly disheveled hair, his carefree demeanor returning.
“I remember my first time leaving the mountain. I was away for a month, and when I came back, Sage Adrian and Sage Everett surrounded me. They asked me a lot of stuff-what I ate, who I met, what inns I stayed at, whether I got into any fights, if anyone tricked me out of money, what sights I saw, among other things.”
“My mentor’s the same,” Violet nodded in agreement. “That’s normal.”
“Exactly,” Isaac chuckled. “I’ve been surrounded by love since I was a child. I’ve always had a family.”
Violet was unsure of how Isaac truly felt, but he seemed alright. “So, you’ve made peace with it?”
Isaac nodded, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Made peace? Yeah, I guess. It’s not all good, but it’s not all bad either. No need for reconciliation, but there’s no reason for hatred either.”
Perhaps Isaac should be moved by the fact that Evelyn had avenged his death by killing David, but he couldn’t bring himself to.
He didn’t have children, but if he did and their lives were on the line, he would do anything to protect them. Even if it meant sending them far away to some place where so-called priests could offer their protection, he would go with them. And if he couldn’t, he would make sure someone trustworthy went in his place.
Yet, Evelyn hadn’t done any of that.
Maybe it was because he had seen too much, but Isaac finally saw through it all. When Caspian had held him, he had felt moved. But after hearing Evelyn’s story, everything became clear.
Evelyn’s maternal love, he realized, had always been for her comfort. It had never been about truly guiding or protecting her child.
In her account, she mentioned how David sought out medical help for him, so she knew about the changing of his medicine.
Did she never question it? Constantly changing his medicine-how could that be reasonable?
She was the one taking care of him. How could she not see?
Isaac didn’t want to assume the worst of her. But if he allowed himself to think that way, he would suspect that, perhaps, she had quietly condoned David’s actions Unfortunately, everything unraveled when Vincent found out. Once Vincent named his heir, Evelyn’s hope of becoming a countess was dashed, and only then did she start to pity her poor son.
Of course, Isaac could never confirm this theory, but it didn’t matter. Whether it was true or not, it no longer mattered. Fate had already sealed their story when the fire had come. Before knowing the truth, he had believed the narrative Adrian had spun for him, holding onto doubt and hope in his heart.