Chapter 22
Central Plaza, Cornell Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, Year 2050, Planet: Grimoire
During the walk from the restaurant to the dormitory, Grifton had been able to sort out his thoughts into a semblance of an outline. He also acknowledged that he'd known somewhere in the corner of his mind that these crazy kids were blood-related to him. After all, there was the draconic link of heritage. Not only that but he did have some similarities in looks to them. At first, Grifton didn't know what to believe about the blood link to them, but when he realized that he had several characteristics that were confirmation, he didn't deny it any longer.
It took roughly fifteen to twenty minutes for all of them to find a comfortable perch in the room. While they were getting settled, Grifton found reasons for puttering around in the kitchen, getting drinks and plates and other things for the guests.
He heard them commenting about this and that. Mainly they discussed the earlier events that linked their early release from probation directly to the confessions of those gang members.
He shook his head in fascination as he listened to them talking candidly about what happened. Grifton experienced qualms about how to handle such rough-edged gems as his siblings. That was also something he had to come to terms with.
It really was beyond his comprehension of how they managed to be so composed about such roughness. Although now that Grifton thought about it, their upbringing with solely their mother did mirror his experience in the orphanage plus his time on the streets and he shuddered convulsively before sighing in resignation.
Wow, so the gangsters had encountered the Frost and Payne terrors and realized it wasn't worth risking their lives, huh? One of these days, Grifton would have to see them in action and not during the sparring and duels, but out in the wild against monsters and outlaws.
Once he was prepared to start his tale, Grifton settled into the biggest chair. He'd lit a fire since it was often cold inside his chambers. It was something he wasn't comfortable with. Once his shivering subsided, he noticed they all were huddled in blankets as well.
"Still too cold?" Grifton inquired.
When they shook their heads. "this is quite comfortable." Harper told him. "The curling up in blankets is more of a tradition when preparing to listen to an epic tale." A smile of encouragement curled his mouth.
"You could say that this was established by our mother so that we would fall asleep once the tale ended," Daryl explained.
"Although we won't be so rude as to do that and break any rules or curfews," Anara reassured him.
Sherpa offered another viewpoint. "Not only that but we are curious to understand your background a bit better."
Mmm, so far everything he heard made Grifton relax thoroughly. "Thank you. I am still processing what I learned earlier." He admitted with some chagrin.
"Ah, that we're siblings to you?" Holly steepled her fingers and peered at him through them. "I kinda guessed that might be the case from when we first met you."
That surprised Grifton. "Is it the draconic heritage?"
"Nah," This time it was Jennifer. "More like it was the fact that we all got caught in that derelict set of buildings in the abandoned sector of the northwest gate."
Oh, that place. Grifton made a sour face. "Ah, yeah, that wasn't one of my best moments, I have to admit." He'd thrown a fit and begun hollering at them to get out of there before they wrecked the fragile structure.
They all laughed at that recollection.
"Well, it is true that we were still naive fools." Ambrose agreed wryly.
"We were stupid," Sapphire stated baldly. "That is a fact that we aren't able to deny."
"You still do stupid stuff," Grifton said bluntly. "Though I do appreciate the fact that you did your best to keep this place from being torched."
In the end, he'd had to rescue all of them through the usage of some ability or other he hadn't known he possessed, Grifton recalled. "I haven't been able to use that ability ever since then." At least not consciously and that annoyed him to no end.
Sapphire nodded. "Well, we had a stake in keeping this place intact." She shrugged. "Originally we were housed in those other buildings. So, we did lose some stuff that we hadn't managed to transfer over." The resignation in her gaze made Grifton wince.
"Oh, I hadn't known that you were split into different places." Why had he assumed they would group together in one place? Now that was just plain foolish on his part.
Harper smiled at Grifton. "It was an experiment that we wanted to see how well we could handle independent living and not staying with one another." He shrugged. "I'd say it was successful."
Yep, Grifton had to agree with that observation. "So, is regrouping in one place a strain on you all?"
They all looked at each other. "Not really," Anara shook her head. "I find it comforting that we're all together. However, we still will be placed in communal dorm settings. This is just our chance to gather in one place where we feel welcomed before splitting up again."
Huh, that didn't sound convincing at all to Grifton. "I can arrange it so that you take over this set of rooms when I take my leave during the break." He offered. "I don't think it would really be good for you to remain separated. I get the feeling that you're more comfortable hanging out in a group than separated."
They all shrugged. "Well, while we know that that is ideal for us. It isn't so convenient when we have to wake up at different times for conflicting schedules." Harper mentioned wryly. "Though lately, that hasn't been a problem because we're slowly getting shuffled into the same schedules as we approach the date for graduation as well."
Grifton nodded. "Very well, I'll drop the subject and quit stalling." His admission made them all laugh. "So where do you want me to begin?"
There was a low conversation and then a final consensus came out.
"From the time you were brought into the orphanage to the time we met you."
Well, Grifton had expected that, so he nodded in resignation. "Fine, I'll start from there." Maybe it would purge the stifled anger at his birth parents, especially the sire that he shared with them.