mikrokosmos

6: DREAM BOY TELLS JADE A BEDTIME STORY WHILE SHE'S DREAMING

The rest of the day went by without Justin Hastings explaining his side to Jade because just as he was about to reply, Reverie showed up and pulled her away from him so fast that she feared that her arm would fall off.

Reverie brought her to their unit without even telling her what was going on even when Jade kept on asking her. When they got inside, Grandma Remy looked like she's not expecting them to come. However, once she saw the urgency in her granddaughter's eyes, she knew she finally had to tell Jade the truth.

Jade sat on the couch, panting. She has no idea why Rev brought her there and why both Burroughs were sitting on the couch looking at her; Grandma Remy looked like she's about to say something mind-wracking while Rev looked straight up mad, Jade was actually scared of her best friend right now.

"What's.. happening? Where's Eve, grandma?" Jade asked after looking around the living room.

Rev gave her a tight-lipped smile, "Jade, we have to tell you something."

"What?" Jade chuckled nervously, "Rev, let's go back to school now. We still have classes."

"Reverie," Grandma Remy called her granddaughter, "I assume you brought Lyra Jade here because of that boy you mentioned to me earlier. Am I right?"

Jade's best friend nodded. "I saw him cornering Jade again. That boy may be a soldier in disguise!"

"I'm sorry," Jade said, "what?"

Reverie faced Jade with conviction. "Jade, I know it's hard to believe but... I am Eve."

Jade blinked slowly, not sure if she heard her right. "Rev, that's not funny at all."

"I suppose I have to tell you about us already, seeing that Reverie brought you here in the middle of the day." Grandma Remy shifted from her seat and looked at her straight in the eyes.

"I.. I don't follow, Grandma Remy. What do you mean by 'tell me about you'? And Justin being a soldier in disguise?" The realization hit Jade, her eyes getting bigger as she finally thought of why Remy just pulled her away. "You know about those people from the portal!"

"I should have known that boy's an Empyrean!" Reverie suddenly stood up, bursting out in anger. "He was too suspicious!"

"Reverie, calm down and take a seat. I don't want Jade to feel more uncomfortable with us."

Jade stared at Rev for a long time as she tried to compose herself. Whatever she's saying, she felt a little scared and indeed, uncomfortable. Am I really getting answers now? But Rev and Grandma Remy... they kept such important information about me for a long time, how am I supposed to feel glad about this?

"Lyra Jade, dear," Grandma Remy called to get her attention back at her, and she did, "I have to tell you something about your parents."

"Dad? And you know something about mom? Do you know where she went?"

"I'm afraid so, yes."

Jade looked at Rev, feeling betrayed.

So they knew all along and they didn't even tell me? Dad, the twins, and I have been waiting for mom to come home. I want to know why mom suddenly left us 3 years ago. Hearing this information now just isn't making me feel better.

"Then where is she?" Jade finally asked.

"She's in Empyrea, Jade. Ciel Kingdom, to be exact," Reverie answered her this time, kneeling in front of her like she's hurting too, "The soldiers took her 3 years ago."

"What?!" Jade exclaimed then chuckled nervously, "I don't understand."

"You've probably seen the soldiers recently roaming around our city. They've been capturing Empyreans from all Kingdoms hiding here in your universe, trying to live a normal life without that hypocrite monarchy," Grandma Remy spewed in disgust. The stories Jade's mother and father told her about when she was a kid came flooding her thoughts. That was real? "There is another universe that scientists have yet to discover. A land where magic is possible, supernatural creatures live, and a monarchy that isn't like what the British has."