Total pages in book: 254
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 240032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1200(@200wpm)___ 960(@250wpm)___ 800(@300wpm)
Like I wouldn’t have done the same, but I could be a hypocrite and ignore that.
“I know that you’re upset with me,” my biological uncle started almost somberly. “I’m also aware I have no right to scold you—”
“Scold me?” I cut him off.
Franklin nodded, his old and young features strained. “Yes. Scold you. But I blame myself, and your… donors… so I’ll refrain.”
“What exactly did I do?” I asked, rubbing up and down my arms, still so cold.
“My child, despite your parentage, you are not immortal,” he chided me, giving me a stern look that made me think of my mom. “You aren’t long-lived either. Only those of us who were around during the fall of the Great Meteor are. Magic isn’t kind enough to give our children long lives for whatever reason. And contrary to whatever you may have heard, we do not have 9 lives. If you were to drown, you were to drown. Your magic is death, not reanimation.”
I blinked at him.
Just when I thought Agnes’s and Henri’s behaviors were going to be the most stunning part of my day, here went freaking Franklin. “I had a feeling, but thank you for confirming that?” I muttered, not sure how to respond to him. He sounded so… aggravated.
Then he continued giving me that no-nonsense expression that was one I’d gotten dozens of times from my mom. “Your donors might not deserve anything from you, and I respect and understand that, but I didn’t make or agree with their choices.” He paused. “You’ve just come into my life. I would like to get to know you, Nina, but I can’t do that if you put your life at risk.”
This ancient man had been worried about me?
“I couldn’t let anything happen to the kids,” I replied, carefully.
Franklin looked at me for a long while before sighing, his body almost deflating a little. “You must get that from your parents, because you don’t get that from my side.”
“I’m sure I do. My parents are wonderful,” I agreed.
Neither one of us said anything. He watched me, and I watched him, trying to find signs in him that might show some kind of physical connection. My skin had more brown in it, and my nose was a little sharper than his. If my guess was correct, my hair was darker.
I couldn’t see the resemblance strongly.
Our eye colors were kind of similar, if I had to pick something.
“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” he rushed out. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to have a relationship with me, but it would bring me great joy.” His hand went to his opposite wrist, where he usually wore his bracelets, and he rubbed at them absently over his shirt. “It would mean quite a bit to me,” he added quietly. Even hopefully?
I was too easy. “I understand why you didn’t say anything until you knew for sure, but I don’t get why you waited to tell me, Franklin. It had been weeks since you got back.”
The older man made a face that seemed regretful—not a whole lot, but some. I could give him the benefit of the doubt. “I was worried that once you knew, you might leave. When you mentioned your parents when you first arrived, how you didn’t know them, there was clear detachment on your face.” He rubbed his hands together. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you. At my age, you would think I would know everything, but that’s not the case.” He huffed.
“I was angry thinking that they didn’t give a crap. My biological parents,” I told him. “But I don’t care about either of them enough to be resentful.” I bit the inside of my cheek. “That resentful.”
He nodded.
“And I do have a lot of questions, not about them, but in general… Uncle Frankie.” I looked him dead in the eye for a second before smiling a little.
The older man’s mouth pinched.
“Or is Uncle H-y-p-n-o-s better?” I whispered.
He ticked his head to the side, this funny, relaxed expression coming over his face that I’d never seen before. “I prefer we kept the latter between us. An old man needs to have some secrets.” Something powerful moved in his eyes. “It would be an honor to acknowledge you as my niece when you’re ready. That’s not something I’m unwilling to share.”
For the third time, my eyes watered, and I nodded. “That would be nice.” I hesitated. “Maybe in the future?”
The way his eyes lit up would stay with me for a long time.
“Will you tell me one day how old you really are? Or tell me about the meteor and how that happened?” I asked.
The elder took a step forward and held out his hand, palm up. An olive branch if I’d ever seen one. A step forward too, in a way.