The Real You

33. The Real You

Skylar

"Are we going to talk about the weather?' I asked after we have walked for a while and none of them was actually speaking.

"No" Dexter chuckled, "Of course, not"

"You are going to send me away?" Alex surprised us with the question, "You know I am a Scriba. And now...I've become something worse. I will understand if you don't want me around"

Dexter sighed and looked up at the sky, "What we become is in our hands. You are undoubtedly very powerful. But how you use that power is up to you. And I trust you to take the right decision"

"What is a Scriba?" I asked. I was very curious ever since I heard the term.

Alex explained patiently, "I can make others' powers my own. Let's say, Victoria can summon fire. If I am around her for a while, I can do that too. I kind of absorb everyone's powers."

"Wow" And I meant it, "That is why you can do everything!"

"Not everything" Alex laughed, "I cannot summon the shadows"

"Why?" I frowned.

"I don't know" Alex sounded sincere, "I tried but that has been out of my syllabus."

"They aren't very friendly. You are missing nothing" Dexter assured him.

"Why do you trust me?" Alex asked his predecessor.

"Why do you like me?" Dexter answered the question with a question. 

Alex did not answer that immediately. They walked in silence. And I started examining the creepers twining around the barks of trees. There were a few insects singing the tunes that only their kind understood. I rubbed my arms, not because I was cold - more like nervous and curious.

"People told me you are a very just man" Alex said, "When I was with the wolves, they always had something to say about you. Surprisingly, all of it was good. I imagined how you'd look, your walk, the way you will speak - when I escaped and reached the human realm...you were more than I had imagined"

"They told you I am handsome?" Dexter joked.

Alex smiled softly, "Of course. Thank God, the females there don't lust on vampires"

We all laughed at that.

Dexter was the first one to stop smiling, "I am not as noble as everyone thinks"

"No, you are!" I said, "You are perfect!"

"Thank You, Skylar. But no, I have my own weaknesses too" 

Alex frowned and looked up at Dexter. Even I stared at him in disbelief. What does he mean? 

"I always knew what Dylan did" This made me and Alex stop abruptly.

Dexter didn't stop speaking though, "I knew she contacted the wolves, she shook hands with the witch and even when I knew she was planning to bring a dead son back to life, I did nothing. I love her, Alex"

Alex glared at the ground but did not speak.

"I told her to not do it. These kinds of things always have consequences. There is a famous saying in our circles - When someone dies, he can never live again. That might not mean anything unless you dig deep into the message it is trying to convey. Even if she brings Noah back to life, he will not be the same. He will never really live. I knew it! But after losing our daughter and not being able to conceive for a while, Dylan was obsessed with our second born"

We listened to him.

"I am the King, after all" Dexter laughed dryly, "I knew what she was doing. Sasha did everything to help her. At first, they asked the wolves to keep Noah safe. We didn't even name him then. We were looking for the 'ideal' name. Dylan wanted everything to be perfect for him. I let it go...I thought she will come around. But when the witches attacked Noah, he died. That was a big blow that Dylan couldn't handle. You should have seen her"