Unredeemable (#Wattys2016) [On Hold]

Secrets

Christmas was a busy affair. Unlike the humans I knew, the shadows sure loves bonding with family and friends. Rafal got a lot of visitors. Some came in bearing gifts while some simply dropped by to have a cheerful conversation.
On Christmas eve, Rafal informed me that only a few Shaliv's knew about my presence at Umbra. They thought that the shadow's would be aghast, if they knew that a human was living amongst them. Hence it was decided that my presence would be kept as a secret. I did not mind that though. So when Christmas arrived, I tried to be as invisible as possible. Mostly keeping to my room, writing. Bianca would keep me company at times, but not for long. She would either get too bored watching me write, or I would get tired of her chatter and hush her away. Anyway she preferred socializing, a lot. Not that I didn't. It's just that, if I could chose between socializing and some alone time, socializing wouldn't be my first choice.

Guest's kept pouring in for a couple of days after Christmas. The only time I greeted a guest was when Zsofia paid us a visit. She got me a box of her homemade fudge and chocolate cookies, which were simply exquisite. Erramun however couldn't join us. He was supposedly running some errands for the king.

By the end of the week Ingrida looked exhausted and Bianca pretended to look exhausted. Rafal looked tensed, but masked it well with his silly jokes. As for me, I missed my home. My mom. I longed to see her, to assure her that I was fine, and alive. Christmas was her favorite time of the year. She used to say that, the Christmas spirit made her forget everything bad that has ever happened to her. I still remember the Christmas when I was five. It was when I asked her about my dad for the first time. I wanted to know who he was? and why wasn't he around ever? She had hesitated for a second, before telling me that my dad was busy saving the world. She said he was a hero, and I could meet him only when I grew up to be a brave young man. I remember thinking that I had the coolest dad in the whole universe. That night before going to bed, I went up to the window in my room to look at the moon. I used to do that a lot. As a child the moon had always fascinated me. That particular night, the sky was clear. Only a few stars managed to shine through the blanket of darkness. The full moon however, stuck out like a sore thumb. It had never looked so bright before, it was simply beautiful. Admiring it for a while, I said a silent prayer, asking the moon to brighten up the way for my dad at night. How else was he to save the world in the dark?

Just when I was about to fall asleep, I thought I saw someone in my room. A tall man in a gray cloak, stood besides my bed. The moonlight streaming in through my window, made his cloak glitter. It looked like the light of the moon, was sewn finely into his cloak. I couldn't see his face, but his eyes were captivating. They were the greenest eyes I had ever seen. They almost glowed in the dark, but in spite of the glow, his eyes looked sad. Almost as if, he just lost something that was very precious to him. Before I could ask him the reason for his sadness, my heavy eyelids closed shut, and I drifted away into a dreamland of my own. That man looked so real that I expected him to be there when I woke up. The next morning, I was disappointed to find out that it was actually just a dream. There wasn't any man in my room, but tucked neatly under my pillow was a book. A book I had never seen before. It was Alice in Wonderland. A story about a girl who somehow finds her way into another world. Opening the book, I noticed a little note scribbled at the bottom of the first page.

"Don't just read it, live it."

That was the first time I read about a world unlike my own. That book helped me discover my love for reading. It was also the reason why most of my books spoke about another world. It still sits on the top shelf of my library at home. Alice in Wonderland was and will always be my favorite. For several years I believed that, the book was a gift from Santa Claus, until I stopped believing in Santa. After that I never really thought much about how that book landed in my room, simply because I couldn't explain it.

A week before the new year arrived, Rafal was summoned by the king again. This time however, he did not return until dusk arrived. Without acknowledging anyone, he went straight to his room and locked himself in, until dinner.

It was unusually quiet during dinner. Rafal looked lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't his usual cheerful self today. Even Ingrida just picked at her food. Bianca must have sensed the tension too. She was quiet the whole time, which for some reason made me uncomfortable.

Frowning at their strange behavior, I decided to break the silence.

"Ok everyone, what's wrong? I can practically feel the tension, so don't even try to deny it." I looked at Ingrida who was ready to assure me that everything was going well. She let out a sigh, turning towards Rafal for help. He just shook his head. Placing his hands on his lap, he looked up to meet my eyes. "I am not gonna deny that something is going on, but I can not tell you about it. I am not in the position to do so. I must wait for further orders from the king." His gaze instantly dropped when he mentioned the king. He was definitely hiding something. I looked back at Ingrida, her eyes had softened and for a brief second they held a look of sympathy, before she averted her gaze.

"Has something happened because of me? Did I cause something that has got you all so worried?" I asked, already knowing the answer to my questions. Zsofia had warned me that I wasn't safe here at Umbra. Something much more dangerous than my earthly enemy was after me. Had I put Rafal and his family in danger by living with them?

" I am sorry son, but I can not answer your questions now. Please do understand, something's are best left unsaid. At least until the time arrives." he pleaded. There was something horribly wrong going on. I could feel it in my gut. Rafal knew what was happening, and it definitely involved me. I wasn't going to let him keep me in the dark. I had to know what's happening. Placing my hands on the table top, I leaned forward, "I know something is wrong, and I know it involves me. I need to know what is it." I demanded, but he gave me no answer. I stood up, my temper flaring at his reluctance. "What's the point in keeping it as a secret, instead of warning me about it?" Ingrida flinched visibly at my tone. I immediately regretted my sudden outburst. "I am only trying to protect you Abell, we all are. There are things you wouldn't understand. These are things best left untouched, at least until the time is right." He said gravely.

"I have heard that before Rafal, and I am tired. Tired and homesick. This isn't my home, this isn't my life. I want to know why was I brought here? I want to know why am I still here? Why can't I go home? I need answers, and I need them now. If you don't give them to me I shall find them on my own" I turned on my heels, marching up to the door. Opening it, I came face to face with a man. His hand was frozen midway in the air, probably about to knock at the door. Looking at his attire I realized that he was a soldier. He cleared his throat once before taking a rigid posture. "The king has asked for your presence." He announced, looking straight ahead.

I heard Rafal sign behind me. "Alright, I'll be there in a...." "Not you chief healer, the king asked to meet the human."

Me?

I realized I had said that out loud when the soldier simply nodded.

"But it's too early, it isn't the time." Rafal sounded alarmed. The soldier did not respond to that, he simply looked ahead. I was confused, I had not once visited the palace before, nor was I ever summoned. Why now?

What could a king possibly want from me?

A/N
Another update. *whoop whoop*
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