"Yurei has always...been planning to...get revenge the...moment he finds...him."
"How come you know that we have Aroon, and Yurei doesn't?" Jasper asked, he had previously asked Tacito for a car ride, away from Yurei's watch.
He was going to ask about Garrick, but Jasper was surprised when Tacito on his own, revealed that he already knew Aroon was Ned's current assistant.
What was more surprising, was the fact that Tacito was hiding what he knew, from his own mate, Yurei.
Yurei was oblivious to all of this, for over half a century, if not more, he didn't know that Tacito was aware of Ned's secret.
"I knew that... from day one...but I chose...not to tell...Yurei.
You don't know...how he despises...Aroon... everyone else does... except for Ned...and maybe me." Tacito answered the question, he had no intention to lie or hide anything, or else he wouldn't be driving his car with Jasper by his side, in the passenger seat.
"Even You?...So you knew all along it was Aroon? what about when he's shape-shifting?"
Tacito slightly pointed at his pair of red eyes "My red eyes... are naturally enchanted...they can see...what the normal...eye couldn't see.
Aroon can never...fool those Born...to dark magic...itself."
"Born to dark magic? anyhow, you kept what you knew to yourself, why? You don't hate Aroon?"
"That's not important...Ned has been...tricking Yurei through...all these years.
If Yurei founds...out... he might come...after Ned too...and maybe after... everyone's that's involved."
"How the fuck are you that psycho's mate?! this is beyond my capacity of understanding."
"Yurei...is good person...if the whole... trap party thing...never happened he... would probably be...a much better... person."
"Yeah right Taci, good people don't seek mindless revenge...they seek answers, Justice."
"Don't...pretend that you...wouldn't do the... same as him."
"Pretend? I'm nothing like him! look at you and how terrified you are of that Asshole, Tacito!
It's obvious Yurei is a piece of shit, I bet he's abusive to you and you won't even realize it because you're mates."
"Don't talk about Yurei that way...You...Better...shut...up." Tacito responded, pressing harder on the gas pedal, there was a sudden shift in his soft voice, and it took Jasper by surprise.
As he sped down, "Tacito stop the car! what are you doing! you're speeding too much! please!" Jasper begged him as he held on tightly to his seatbelt.
Jasper knew Tacito suffered from Sudden fits of rage, but Jasper almost didn't believe it because of how soft spoken and quiet Tacito was most of time during the ride.
Ignoring the pleading young man in his passenger seat, the car kept on speeding down the vacant dark road, it was just them Driving in the dead of night, they haven't seen another car in at least a half hour.
"TACITO! YOU'RE SCARING ME STOP! OK I'M SORRY I WON'T BAD MOUTH YOUR FUCKING BOYFRIEND AGAIN! JUST STOP! PLEEEEEASE!"
Lost in his anger, "WHEN WILL MY...FUCKING MISERY END!...WHY DO PEOPLE... HAVE TO KEEP... SUFFERING AROUND ME!" Tacito screamed while slamming his hand onto the steering wheel over and over.
Although he could easily find a way out of the car using magic at least, Jasper was petrified, so taken back by Tacito's behavior, he was unable to move or think anymore.
Those Madly glaring red eyes combined with Tacito's sudden screaming, paralyzed Jasper's entire body.
The only thing he can do now, was to talk him out of his rage, "I know you had enough! everyone had enough, but this isn't a way to deal with it! please for the love of anything that has worth to you...stop the car Tacito! let us talk like normal civilized people! Please!"
It didn't work, Tacito wouldn't stop, in fact the speed reached it's maximum level, further scaring Jasper into his seat.
In a final desperate attempt to calm Tacito, Jasper screamed the very first thing that came next onto his mind, he believed that name would get into Tacito's heated head rather quickly, "FERNANDO! FERNANDO HE'S BACK...YOUR FUCKING MOTHER IS BACK!"
In a split second, The white-haired young man was Hitting the breaks as hard as he could, Tacito finally put an end to this unexpected action movie scene, and the sudden impact from hitting the brakes would've sent Jasper flying out of his seat if it wasn't for how tight he was clutching his seatbelt.
And As if Tacito didn't nearly just give Jasper a heart attack, "What?" he asked with A surprise tone, a single word question.
"Tell me first for FUCK SAKE! why are you protecting Aroon in the first place?! And why are you helping me?!" Jasper countered Tacito's question now that he calmed down, he was still terrified of Tacito but jasper was now angry too, and wanted nothing but the truth.
"Don't...change...the subject."
"If what happened is actually as it Seemed, Aroon is supposedly your birth mother's killer... Fernando's killer, so why are you secretly helping Aroon by concealing his exitance?!"
Biting his lips, "You won't be...able to understand...this."
"Try me, I know you're not the type to lie for no reason, I promise I'll trust anything that'll come out of your mouth, if you tell me just what you know Tacito."
"Actually it was...the other way... around." Tacito pulled the words desperately out of his mouth.
"What?" it was Jasper's turn to ask a single word question.
" Aroon didn't kill... Mother...i mean Fernando...Aroon didn't kill...my birth mother.
the one that...died that day...was Aroon himself."
Jasper sat there blinking, absolutely baffled by this new information.
Did he hear this correctly?
"Let me get this straight... the one who died when you were five years old in the forest, was Aroon?! is this what you said?"
Gritting his teeth, Tacito wasn't happy making this confession, " Yes...from that moment...on...everytime anyone saw... Aroon...they were actually..."
"Seeing Fernando..." Jasper finished the sentence, "Fuck." he added.
"I know that... it sounds unbelievable...but it's true."
"But Tacito that means, your tongue...Oh no for fuck sake don't tell me!"
Nodding despite how he wished he wouldn't, "That was mother's...work...a part of...the act..
Mother didn't know...weather I saw... him or not ... when he switched...bodies with Aroon... before murdering him...but he still...took some precautions... just in case."
"But why didn't you tell Muriel?! why did you hide that shit back in Derora?" Jasper asked again, his ears still questioning whether he was hearing things correctly.
"There was some...sort of a...memory loss spell...casted on me...it wore off...after My father...killed what he... thought was Aroon."
"Tacito, I don't know what to comment anymore."
in one deep breath "I remembered something...
The ceremony day... Yurei and I...were playing with... father...when I saw...whom I thought..was Aroon and...i realized something...was off then."
"Why the hell give birth to a child you'd fucking torture?!"
"i know i...was never meant...to be born...it was a...miracle...I wasn't killed...until that day...I must've been...useful to him... somehow."
"I'm sorry you went through all of this without anyone noticing."
"After the party...I was angry...especially at Yurei...because I didn't...want to survive...when other innocent...people died because...of mot-...Fernando." Tacito responded again, his voice like his lips quivered, Tacito harboured this guilt for so long, it took the smile off of his face for years.
" I... can't...even...call him...mother... it's making me...feel sick."
...Some time later...
"This is beyond fucked up!" Jasper spoke up, finally breaking the silence that fallen onto them, after Tacito parked the car on the side of the road.
"I am sorry...for the pain...this has caused...all of you." Tacito responded, he was on the verge of crying this time.
Jasper slowly and gently patting his shoulder, "Don't apologize for what you haven't done."
"But I kept... sitting on that...fact."
"Your fear isn't entirely unfounded Tacito, and I absolutely support the idea of your boyfriend not knowing...no offense to him."
The two were watching the sunrise together in the car, Jasper didn't Know what to do with the new information, who to tell and who To not tell aside from Yurei.
"No matter what... happens... don't come any... closer to Fernando."
"I don't think that's possible, Fernando is back haunting my mom, I can't just ignore him."
"Fernando...He has a...habit of preying...on heartbroken desperate... people like him."
"Thanks for the warning, I'll keep it in mind."
...Meanwhile...
"Oh shit finally! I thought I killed you!" Jade took a deep breath, relief washed over her face as Garrick finally woke up.
"Jade! where am I? what happened?"
"You're in a hospital, don't worry they said you don't seem to be in any danger, it was the fatigue what mostly got you.
Though they still need to do some check up and tests on you, before allowing you back in training."
Wincing in pain, "Ugh! my head is hurting like hell! what is this?!" Garrick said as he tried sitting on his hospital bed.
"it's normal you just woke up, it's pretty early anyways! so just try to go back to sleep, Rick." Jade replied while covering him again with the bed sheets.
Much to her surprise, it seemed like Garrick didn't remember what happened before his hospitalization.
"is it me or this room...is a bit luxurious for a hospital room."
"Yeah, it's a private hospital, I got you a room just for you."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Suddenly the door to the room swung open, and a smiling beautiful Black woman walked in.
From her white coat, stethoscope around her shoulders and pearly white smile, Jade recognized her as one of the doctors she has seen when she got into the hospital earlier.
" I hope Mister Delun here, is feeling much better than the state he was brought in."
"You're doctor...who again?"
"Shannon, Doctor Molly Shannon...can I have a private word with you Miss Valentino? outside." The doctor demanded while still smiling.
Jade felt uneasy, especially when she heard this thought coming out of the supposed doctor.
[Follow me outside the hospital...Now Jade!]
Assuring Garrick that she'll be back soon, Jade followed the woman outside, the doctor took them then to a part of the hospital where no one but them was occupying.
The whole time as they walked, Jade was unable to hear through the doctor's thoughts, why she was asked to follow her.
The violet-haired girl walked the entire time, clutching the hidden knife she carried behind her back, waiting for any suspicious move to be made, so she'd strike.
[Drop the knife, it is me you idiot.]
"Huh?" Jade's eyes went wide open as she saw Doctor Shannon's body slowly changing forms, in mere seconds it was Aroon's standing in front of her, instead of the doctor.
"For fuck SAKE AROON! stop impersonating people!"
"Angry you were unable to see through my cover? If there is anyone that should be angry at the very moment...it will be Me, and your mother once he knows."
"Don't! we don't have to tell Mother about this!"
"About the fact that you landed poor Mister Delun into the hospital, because you did not listen to my advice on never casting dangerous spells on people, when your mana is not even stable."
"Alright I admit I fucked up...but you're not here just for Me Aroon, are you? I would've noticed if that was the case."
"Fernando is here, he has been stalking Mister Delun, as expected."
" I'm sorry WHAT?!"
"Your mother placed me in charge of tailing that troublemaker, he has been staying near the academy since your arrival."