The silence of the late hours aided the sound of the summer cicadas reverberate from the outside into the Kandas' villa. The night breeze of the season ruffled the pine needles and the sound it played pierced through the window pane of the bedroom where two 15-year-old girls laid in bed.
The events of the day have tired her out, but Emerald was keeping herself awake as she wanted to hear her sister's stories. Though there is nothing else to know about Jade's check-ups and procedures, what Emy was interested in was her sister's 'peeking' tendencies. This nature of Jade's ability is different from the gift that summoners have.
Jade's abilities to read the thoughts of anyone can be compared to the inherent disposition of a living being's breathing. Though Jade was learning to control her ability of 'not to randomly read thoughts', there are times that thoughts seem to escape from its owner and rush towards Jade's senses. At first Jade found it amusing to hear random secrets but as time goes by, she found some of these thoughts distasteful.
Their parents noticed this ability of the youngest twin when she was still a child. Jade would answer their internal questions and even ask questions regarding to what the adults were thinking. At this point of time, Ziron took Emerald, who has shown a potential to be a summoner, to the main house of Kandas to be trained. Their parents thought that if the Elder who is hungry for power knew of Jade's ability and its potential, Jade would be on the same state as Emerald and with her health constitution, Sardon and his wife might lose one of the twins.
So Sardon kept Jade's ability hidden from others, except for his wife and Emerald. On the other hand, Emerald was curious on how Jade 'peeks', so Jade taught her twin the basics and it took time before Emy had the ability too, not that accurate as Jade's though. Ironically, Jade is the only one who knows of Emy's new found ability.
'We'll keep it a secret' a 13 year old Jade whispered to Emerald while they were practicing.
'Why?' Emy said, 'we're twins. We are expected to be alike.'
Jade shook her head, 'Never show all your aces to the enemy, that is how you win.'
Emerald chuckled and agreed before commenting, 'You peek to much on adults sis, you're starting to sound like them!'
"Are you asleep already?" Jade asked her sister who laid beside her.
"Almost" Emy said while yawning, "are you still bothered by what Papa said?"
Jade nodded.
"I didn't know that Grandfather and Elder Anton had another sibling. Papa nor grandfather mentioned it before." Emy sighed, "A grandson from a woman who ran away with her lover, then was disowned by her rich father ha?"
Emy laughed, "Sounds like a cliché love story!". The comment and her sister's sweet laughter made Jade smile wryly.
"Sounds suspicious" Jaded critiqued.
Emy's laughter stopped and she looked to listen to Jade, who seriously explained, "As Papa said, the Council of the Elders will be in a week's time. That prompted one of our competitors to make a move on you. What if this Dmitry is not an ally at all and is a spy, more so now that he claims to be a long lost Kandas. Don't you find it too much of a coincidence?"
"Hmmm..you have a point. I tried to peek at him you know, but I'm not as good as you."
"I see. For now, we can't do anything but let that man help you. Maybe if I meet him, I can peek at him. But you have to be cautious alright?"
Jade did not hear any reply, "Emy?". Emy's shoulder was gently nudged but she was already asleep upon which Jade let out a big sigh.
The truth is, Jade met the man. Not personally though. Jade has a little secret that she alone knows. She hid it because of the same reason their parents had, she still wants to live long as much as she can. Besides 'one must not show his aces to his enemies.'
Jade does not only hear thoughts, but she can see them. Jade noticed that she is able to 'see thoughts' after recovering from her third heart surgery. If she willed it and focuses, she can see the memory of one person as if she was watching a silent movie. That is how she met the man.
A while ago when Emerald asked who Dmitry was, she saw in a flash the physique of the man. Dmitry held Emy's hand and gave back her phone. The young man gave a charming smile. But the smile, in Jade's opinion was not a friendly one. There was something in his eyes that did not sit well with Jade.
The second one was with the memory of her Papa. The memory's setting was on an unfamiliar restaurant where only her Papa, Ziron and Dmitry was. Ziron held the young man's shoulder and based on the gestures, Ziron was introducing him to Sardon. Sardon looked surprised but took Dmitry's hand to shake.
'Again that smile,' Jade observed.
But the most compelling memory she saw was from her grandfather which she witnessed this afternoon while Ziron was in his study and was talking over the phone. She did not mean to spy, but her grandfather's angry voice woke her up from her nap. Whenever her grandfather was angry it was either regarding business or his incompetent family members and thus, she claimed it is her right to know what it is about.
" Are they dead?...good keep them that way…It's up to you…yes do what is necessary to make that bitch spill everything…okay I'll send another chauffer to pick you up…alright after that call me and let's meet."
Jade notice the subtle change in her grandfather's tone as the conversation over the phone continue, "Thank you as well, Dmitry…"
At the mention of the name, a rapid succession of memories filtered Jade's eyes: A woman with a black hair tied into a bun, a green stone pendant stood out on her fair and smooth neck and tears falling from her eyes as she knelt as if begging from an old man who had gray beard while a young lad who was behind the old man looked away with a clenched fist; A ravine, where the light from a full moon, presented an unconscious man laying in a pool of blood; Lastly, a boy who was walking towards a man who spread his arms to give the boy a hug. Up close the boy had fair skin which reflected the gleam of his right ear stud earing and his pupils were a familiar deep black that was like Emy's.
Remembering all these visions made Jade fully awake. She sighed knowing that curiosity and suspicion will keep her awake all night. She woke from the bed and walked towards the windowpane. She opened the curtain and the light from the halfmoon pierced the glass and a ray of light made a path for her.
Jade gave a heavy sigh as she started contemplating, 'Selena and Godfrey, a dead man and the long-lost grandson'.