89
89
3RD POV.
An orchestra plays in the background. The music reaches each person’s ears with such melody that it hypnotizes the brain into thinking that as it tunes softly and slowly, time is also moving in such accordance.
On the head seat, did Kade adjust himself, staring ahead. His calm mind is relaxed to see how things will turn out tonight, and he’s ready to accept any truth, as he doesn’t want to be fooled anymore.
Kieran, on the other hand, has his jaw resting on his palm as he stares down at the table. His mind is a battlefield, and he’s baffled at all that is happening. He still doesn’t want to believe that even a fragment of it could be right, but he’s got no choice, and he can only wonder how much he’d be heartbroken if things turned out the other way.
Lastly, Kyle, who’s already had too much to drink, won’t think of anything, and he’s still craving more. He hasn’t got much going for him in his thoughts. He’s just looking at different possibilities.
Then, a loud creak reaches them, and they all watch as Jared walks majestically into the room, bowing lightly at the triplets before he takes his seat opposite Kade with a bright smile on his face.
“Your mood is very high-spirited tonight, uncle.” Kade begins, and the music stops at once.
A second later, an almost inaudible guitar plays in the background. “Of course, Nephew. Why not? We are to eat like family tonight, so I’m happy.”
“And that’s all?” Kyle jumps in, which makes Kade frown. They had planned on Kade doing most of the talking since he knows best when it comes to interrogating a person without even their own knowledge of it.
“I beg your pardon.” Jared asks, to which Kade scoffs.
“Kyle has had too much to drink tonight, uncle, so forgive him.”
“And I brought a personal alcoholic wine. I’d like to gift it out for such a special night.”
Kade squints his eyes just then as Jared urges them to bring their cups close. The maids help with that while Kyle collects the rest of the bottle and drinks more.
Kieran is glaring at him, but Kyle won’t give the hint.
Kade focuses back on their uncle as he takes a sip, and he swiftly catches the smile that appears on Jared’s lips when the three of them take a sip. But in the next second, the smile has disappeared, as though it never came up there.
“So, you said you wanted to end the witch. Am I right?”
Kade nods his head. “Of course, uncle, and we require your help.”
“Of course, and I shall be more than happy to really help out on this case. But then, I’ve got a question of my own.” While Jared asks, Kyle is already slurring at the effect of the alcohol.
By the way, the triplets have their connection turned on, so their minds are linked, but since Kyle has faded out due to the alcohol, Kyle and Kieran are communicating, and Kade is calming him not to do anything rash.
“Yes, uncle.” Kade picks up an apple to eat from his dish, waiting for his uncle to speak up.
“Why the sudden change? Just yesterday, you were head over heels for the girl. I am almost stunned by your change of personality.” Jared narrows his eyes at Kade and Kieran since they are the only ones left with the right senses.
Kade scoffs. “It doesn’t take a real man long to know he’s been enchanted. We just had to sit ourselves down, and the truth came to us, right, Kieran?”
Kieran nods. “Yes.”
“And then we realized that our mother died, and we didn’t even punish the witch. The kingdom almost fell because of her. Everything changed between us, uncle, the moment she arrived. We used to be so close and listen to you. We are sorry. All that made us realize how stupid we’ve been.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Exactly. You’ve been very stupid.” Jared says with a snicker, and the brothers join. Kyle is still not paying attention. His head hangs as he slides up and down on the chair, unable to keep himself steady for long. “And to end this girl, we must kill her.”
“But we don’t have anything that we can use against her. She’s powerful now.”
“You’d be surprised by how much I can help if you just ask me how you can do it. I have weapons strong enough to render a witch useless, but only for some time before she is killed.”
Kade raises his brows. “Wow. And how do we get them to work? The weapons, I mean.” He questions further.
“I’ll do that. I have the skills better than anyone. I don’t need any of you to kill a witch by myself. As it is, I’d be rather off succeeding better if I had done this sooner.” Jared finishes with a chuckle, which raises curiosity in Kade.
“Done what?” Kieran asks, sharing the same amount of overwhelming curiosity, too.
Suddenly, Kyle spits out blood, and Jared smiles. “Done with us?” Kade asks questions, and Jared’s smile lessens momentarily.
“You poisoned the wine; Uncle and Kyle had too much to drink, so he’s getting affected first. It’s so surprising how I never thought you’d go through with it, yet you did.”
Jared laughs. “Well, you know better. In a few minutes, you’d be meeting with your mother.”
“Why did you do this?”
Jared slams his hands onto the table. “You’re going to die soon, so I have no reason to hide anything anymore.” He pauses and answers Kade’s question. “The throne was mine to begin with. Your grandfather started this war. He disassembled this family the moment he gave the crown to your mother. I’m simply collecting what is mine back.” Jared sounds so fine, like he isn’t killing the nephews he has been helping their mother raise since childhood.
“How could you betray us this much, uncle?” Kieran sounds very betrayed. He stares at his uncle in disgust. “To hell with Uncle to even begin with. Why the fuck would you do this?”
His voice has risen, and he stands up, stomping over to Jared. And Jared, on the other end, sits down with comfortability. He isn’t even moved, and that’s because he knows he can’t be hurt. Kieran grabs him by his shirt, but he’s too weak to pull Jared up from his seat, much less hit him in the face, as he really wants to.
“I’m sorry, nephew. I had to do this. I may have no other choice, so you can’t blame me for wanting to kill you.”
Jared is chuckling at the brothers as they weaken. Kade did not even bother to fight back because this is all he wanted to hear. But little does he know that there’s more truth to be uprooted. However, at least now he knows that his uncle isn’t the exact person they really think he is from the onset.
Kade is still surprised that Jared did all he did. Why he hasn’t just killed them from childhood rather than helping in training them to become the evil beings that they are now.
Kyle is already weakened, and his head dropped onto the table. He’s lost his consciousness.
“You’re the real evil.” Kade speaks, but his voice is only a whisper. He couldn’t bring himself to express himself the way he actually wanted to. The poison has settled deep into his body, and he’s spitting out blood in each cough every now and then, unable to stop.
The burn in their hearts, weakening them with the seconds that pass, isn’t enough pain to overcome the pain of betrayal as they watch their uncle continue eating with a grin on his face, a bright one at that.
“This is your end, triplets. Sleep well.” Jared says.
The music suddenly heightens, filling the air at the same time, Kaya walks into the room, having opened the door with great force with her magic. Her eyes are glowing, and her powers are radiating all through her body.
“No, this is your end, Jared.”