(Rigel)

"I don’t feel sorry for you. As a father, you should have protected your family, not sent them away. What evidence do you have that they truly are your family?" I am not buying his sob story. If I had been in his place, I would have fought for my family, not abandoned them.

"You stand corrected, I should have done more." He presses the central ruby of the necklace he has just taken off around his neck.

Small, whirring sounds, like machinery at work, erupt from his necklace as it slides away the upper covering, revealing something below.

He extends the necklace towards Alnilam and we collect it from him, taking a closer look. I lean in.

It’s an old photograph, taken from some old camera we used to have. There are four people in the picture. He is standing alongside a woman whom I remember is Amaia’s mother.

She is holding a few-month-old baby which has to be Amaia. Those chubby cheeks I can never forget. Such an adorable baby she was. And in front of Xamian stands Aziel. He has to be around six or seven years old.

"That’s Amaia." Lovingly, I touch her face with my index finger. "I met her as a baby," I tell my brother and he gives a rare smile seeing her little self.

"Cute since the beginning." I reflect his smile.

"Yes!"

"They are my family. I am not lying. I can give you a sample for DNA testing if you still don’t believe me," Xamian says with a sigh.

Alnilam returns the necklace to him. "We believe you. What can you offer us to stop Istrale and my parents? They are under Istrale’s control and we are going to go to war with both of them," my brother asks, straightpoint.

Xamian doesn’t appear surprised at the information that my father and Alnilam’s mother are involved with Istrale. It means he already knows.

"I will fight alongside you, and so will my army. This time I won’t hold back. Now that I know both my children are alive and safe. I am going to help you end Istrale’s monopoly. This world needs to be a safe place for our people and children."

"You better not go back on your word," I warn him.

Xamian places his hand on his heart.

"I won’t, you have my word." He pauses. "But I would like to meet Amaia. Have a word with her and explain."

"I don’t think she is ready yet to speak with you or even forgive. You basically abandoned her, all her life." Alnilam leans back in the chair and crosses his hands.

"Can both of you convince her?" He requests, almost pleading with us.

"We will speak to her but we will never push her. She will come to you if or when she wishes."

Xamian’s understanding but curious eyes remain fixed on me.

"I don’t mean to be rude but it was the news of your death that changed King Orion and gave the final verdict for annihilation of the Fae people."

His words bring back horrible memories, the ones I am trying to forget but can’t.

"It was a false operation. My brother was kidnapped and we just got him back. It’s a long story, but that’s all you need to know for now. Please keep this information confidential and contained to yourself. We don’t want it to be spreading to our enemies," Alnilam sternly says.

He nods at us. "You can trust me. My children are with you, I have no reason to betray you."

"You better," I answer, standing up. There is a restlessness in my shadows as if something is wrong.

Maybe it’s because we are in a new place and can’t sense Amaia due to the distance between us.

Alnilam follows. "We are done here."

"Stay and have lunch. I insist," he requests, standing up. Man carries the grace of a Fae King and I can see where Amaia received her fineness. She is a princess after all.

"We have places to be. Next time, maybe."

"Where are you headed?" He asks.

"Fudaria. We are going to have a word with Hathial Kane," Alnilam answers. "Do you have any idea if they have any portal points where we can land?"

"They actually do but you will have to be careful. Hathial doesn’t like intruders. My ring will take you there, it’s connected with the portal point." Xamian points to the ring on Alnilam’s finger.

"We will be. I think he will listen to me since he was the only one who didn’t vote against me," Alnilam tauntingly says.

Guiltily Xamian’s eyes waver to where Alnilam’s hair should have been, thinking they are gone, not knowing his daughter has already restored it.

"I apologise but I had to act like I’m on their side. Still do."

"I understand but I won’t be so friendly if at the required time you don’t choose the right side. Not only me but Amaia will never forgive you."

Xamian seems to understand the gravity of the situation, as his face hardens into a serious expression.

"My children I have already lost once. Not again."

Both of us hope he remains as determined on the battlefield too once we go to war with Istrale and not back down.

"We have to go." Alnilam nods at him and steps forward so he can wave his ring and open the portal to Fudaria. I stay behind him, the restlessness of my shadows I sense. They are not very keen on visiting another unknown place.

The portal opens. "Good luck, if anyone will agree to be on our side, it’s Hathial," Xamian says from behind us as we cross over from his kingdom into Fudaria.

I know he loved my mother and she might have married him if she weren’t mated to my father. What is left to see is how he is going to receive us and react to the news of my mother being alive.