Page 98 of Pet: Torment

Celise is a master of her craft and the only person besides himself that my father trusts with my training. She was around long before my father’s reign, and I am sure she will still be here after.

I turn away from the sound of her voice, content to run away when I feel a snag on my foot. I cry out, collapsing in the tall grass just as Celise appears next to me, snatching me up.

“Found you!” she says, laughing at the shock on my face.

“But how?” I ask, my disappointment evident.

She raises a brow.

“You may be a prodigy, but you are still only a child. Your body still releases its own type of energy that even you cannot sense,” she says.

I huff in irritation, pushing out of her arms, and she laughs, lowering me to the ground.

“Where did you learn to do that anyway? Masking your energy is still a very advanced technique. You shouldn’t be able to do it just yet,” she says.

“Father taught me,” I say.

She chuckles, crossing her arms. “Of course he did. That’s enough training for today. Come, I’m sure your father wants to see you before he has to leave for the conversion,”she says, holding her hand out to me.I glare at her hand, my stomach twisting in unease. I ignore it, moving past her to the palace. I don’t miss her soft chuckle, however, as she follows closely behind me.

“You should be proud, Kuron. He is showing promise beyond his years. He’s even surpassed you when you were a child his age,” Celise says to my father.

He stands silently behind his desk, his attention remaining on our home world beyond the glass wall that allows him the view.

“I had no doubt he would be. Remus will be a powerful ruler someday. He may even be able to bring us back into the light,” he says, turning to face me.

“And how is Me’Rite adjusting to the news?” Celise asks.

I tune out their conversation as they move on to speaking about my mother. I’ve rarely seen her lately, but Celise is constantly worried about her, as is my father for some reason. But they say words that I don’t know the meaning of, and so I drift into thinking about other things. I don’t know why Celise is always so concerned about my mother. She hates Celise. She is mean to her and never misses an opportunity to humiliate or insult her.

My mother is generally not a nice individual. But my father says it is a good opportunity to learn patience. My mother only needs time, is what he always says, but I can’t understand what that means.

Time for what?

It’s become second nature for me to avoid her most of the time. Lately, I can’t remember a day when she looked at me without anger or resentment in her gaze.

“I wish you the best on the conversion, Kuron. We all do,” Celise says, pulling me from my thoughts. My father nods, and Celise bows to my father, then to me, before leaving the room.My father doesn’t waste a minute as he turns to me, pride in his eyes.

“Did you really manage to mask yourself today?” he asks.

I slowly nod, pushing down the disappointment I feel with myself for not being able to control it fully.My father senses my disappointment, however, laughing as he approaches, kneeling to my height to speak. He holds his hand out in front of me, the air rippling and twisting with power I cannot sense yet, but I can see.

“You are still only a child, Remus. You have not matured into a pure energy being. When that day comes, you will be unstoppable,” he says, grinning.

My eyes widen in excitement, and my father stands.

“Come. Let us visit your mother. I’m sure she’ll be excited to hear of your progress.”

I doubt she will be. My progress is just another reason for her to despise me. But I am not one to question my father. So, I follow him to my mother, hoping she is in a better mood today than she has been lately.

“Remus…wake up, my love.”

I slowly open my eyes, blinking rapidly to pull the sleep from them. I am exhausted. Today, more so than usual, seeing as I used power that my body isn’t yet ready for.

“Wha—”

“Shhh, quiet,” my mother says, holding her fingers to her lips. Her tone confuses me as I rub the sleep from my eyes. I shift my attention to my window. It’s nighttime. But she doesn’t seem concerned in the least as she gently pulls me out of bed.

My mother hasn’t bothered visiting me, let alone touching me. But she pulls me along sweetly from my bedroom. The palace is empty, more than likely because everyone has gone to watch the conversion take place. But as we pass my parents’ room, I hesitate, pulling against my mother to go see my father.