Catching Feelings

Chapter Thirty-Five: Just Be You

Chapter Thrity Five: Just Be You

Malum claps his hands together dramatically, a bored expression appearing on his face. "Excellent entrance, guys, I really do have to give it to you; didn't think you were stupid enough to come."

"You've got to be kidding me," Aidenn says, a faraway look in his eyes. It was almost as if he was thinking of something beyond this moment.

"Nope," Malum says, "no joke. The legend that's been torturing you and your families since before you were even born is standing right in front of you."

Aidenn glowers at him, "killing people doesn't make you a legend."

Malum's eyes graze over Aidenn's face before laughing, "Neither does leaving for two months. Had you thought you were top notch; leaving your family and friends behind to welcome a fate that was never really yours to accept? Look at you now Aidenn, you're no hero; your absence created a lot more problems than it solved. The clues you found when you were gone aren't going to help you now, and they didn't stop your sister from hating you any less."

All of a sudden, a feeling that Malum and I weren't the only ones with history hit me.

It was almost as if my father knew something about Aidenn that no one else did.

But what?

I didn't really see how it mattered, because was the thing with Malum, his words were always true.

He had a beautiful way of turning your weaknesses against you. His words cut deeper than a knife and he was always right.

Because despite what she says, Aislinn still hates her brother for what he did.

The way he just left her behind made her feel vulnerability that she never felt before.

Aislinn looks at my father in disgust, moving closing to her brother in uncertainty, despite everything that they had been through together; they were still rock solid when it counted most.

Malum's head turns towards Derek who is standing beside the twins and scoffs loudly, "look who also decided to join the party."

He looks past Derek, "and you brought Auntie Adela, what a surprise! It's really good to see you, dear. I would ask how my library is doing, but I think we already know the answer."

I stare at him and then back at Adela.

His head turns in my direction, "What is it with kids these days? All of you are extremely slow. See, I linked my library to dear sweet Adela here so if she chose not to take care of it, she would die right along with it."

He shrugs, "I needed someone to take care of my library and Adela seemed like the perfect person to do it."

I shoot Derek a pleading look, and in a second, he's running across the huge field towards me, In Libro Caeli suddenly appearing in his arms as he reaches my side.

I sigh, my stomach starting to grow with nerves.

Malum wanted the book and I had been able to stall him when it wasn't around, but now it was right in front of me and there was no doubt in my mind that he wouldn't come for it.

Malum didn't care how he got the book, life and death didn't make a difference to him; what was important was that In Libro Caeli was in his possession and he would stop at nothing to get it.

My father switches his gaze from Adela to me and Derek, paying no attention to the twins who are slowly advancing towards us as well.

Adela nods her head at me, thanking me for buying her some time, although I'm not really sure what she needed, or why she was even here. She couldn't help us; she was nothing but a mortal librarian with a dead sister.