"A witch. A female wizard is called a witch. But no, she's not. I typically try to avoid using it around her." Edwin took the teapot off the table and placed it back on the stove then cleared the plates into a large basin sink. "She never developed the gift. Must take after her mother more than me, but she is likely better off as having power like this tends to attract more trouble and attention than it's worth."
I grabbed the sugar bowl and cream from the table, following Edwin's example, then swiped the crumbs off the table into my hand and brushed them into the garbage."But there's still one thing that doesn't make any sense. If the original curse was triggered because of my father's vanity, what would have triggered it this time? He's not the same person he was before. He’s kind, gracious, and altruistic. Plus, it sounds as though this time is worse. That last time he was still more man than monster, when now he barely knows who he is."
"That is a good question. Unfortunately, until I find a way to lift this curse there will be no way of knowing how it came back."
I took the rest of the dishes and placed them in the sink. Above the basin, a large window faced the edge of the cliff. Dark clouds rolled on the horizon.
"Do you think it might have something to do with the other bad things happening around the world? That maybe somehow the same dark magic was released back into the air and is stirring up all the old curses?”
Edwin stroked his chin and tapped his index finger against his lips. The darks of his eyes darted back and forth as if he were running through a list of options and checking them off in his mind. "Perhaps. Or perhaps we shouldn't jump to the end of the world quite yet. The answer may be simpler than we think."
I paced around the small kitchen then rested my arm on the counter, staring out into the distance again. Maybe Edwin was right, and we'd all been trying too hard. Maybe we just needed to calm down and figure it out? Or maybe, he wasn't as powerful as he thought he was and his arrogance would waste whatever time my father had left? Either way, the urgency of the situation seemed to ramp up even in this tranquil place. Something had changed. An energy sparked and the only way to snuff it would be to finish the puzzle before the hourglass ran empty. A mystical chess game waiting for me to make the next move. If only I knew what it was.
"So, have I answered all of your questions?”
I snapped out of my thoughts and returned to the table. I sat face-to-face with Edwin, one question still looming heavy in my mind. "Am I really adopted?"
His face lit up, a beaming smile crested his lips as if he'd finally made it to the main event. "Absolutely."
I hung my head to my chest. "Are you sure? You said you'd already left the castle before the curse was broken, is it possible you don't remember as clearly as you say?”
“Just because your father wasn't speaking to me doesn't mean I didn't still have my sources on the ground. News of a baby boy abandoned on the castle doorstep travels very fast in certain circles. Besides, what would be the point of lying to you about this? I have nothing to lose or anything to gain at this point."
"Then where did I come from? I'm sure I must have parents somewhere, and how come I look just like my mother and father?"
Edwin shrugged. "I can't say much for the appearance, maybe since your mother is a simple commoner you share a similar look with the other common city folk. But who you are and where you come from is a mystery I have yet to solve. No one saw anyone coming or going from the castle that night. Nothing appeared unusual about the basket you were left in. It's as if you appeared out of thin air at the exact right place and time. Besides, what's better to smooth over a rough patch in the kingdom than a lavish wedding and a male heir."
The weight of the truth bore down on my ribs and crushed my lungs. The taste of the Jasmine tea burned in my throat as it threatened to return. I wasn't really an Aldric. My parents weren't my parents, and at least a handful of people at the castle had helped them lie to me for eighteen years. The betrayal squirmed and twisted through my stomach as if I'd swallowed the lie and let it grow into a full-sized demon now struggling to claw its way out.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask them yourself. You live in a kingdom of secrets, dear prince. You’d be wise to learn that truth now.”
I grabbed my forehead and rubbed my temples, a sharp pain stinging behind my eyes. "I think I should go. Thank you for everything."
I thrust the chair back and started for the exit, the world spinning and hazy.
Edwin’s chair screeched across the floor as he flew to his feet and grabbed tight on my right bicep. "You can't just leave."
"And why not?" I stared Edwin down, but his expression wasn't harsh as I would've expected. The fight faded from his snarl and was replaced by a wide-eyed, gaping mouth stare. He ripped his hand from my skin and staggered back, falling into his chair without taking his eyes off of me.
"What are you trying to pull with me, boy?"
I shook my head, the fog of confusion getting thicker by the second. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't mess with me. I felt it, coursing through you. Who sent you here?"
"Veda. Veda sent me to talk to you, but what are you babbling about? Felt what?"
He held up his hands, palms apart like
