Chapter 15 - Chapter 14: The Hensleys

Groaning, Jack stirred awake to find himself back in his bed. The familiar ache that had plagued his lungs and ribs was gone, replaced by a dull throb that intensified with every movement. The laceration on his leg felt smooth, a testament to the healers' swift work. Despite the absence of pain, a profound exhaustion clung to him, a heavy cloak wrapped around his thoughts.He stretched, a series of creaks echoing in his stiff muscles. How long had he been out? The question lingered in his mind as he attempted to rise, only to find his legs weak and uncooperative. A wave of dizziness washed over him, forcing him to clutch at the wall for support.The door creaked open, revealing Patrick's concerned face. "Master Jack," he greeted, his voice laced with relief. "Water and food on their way. Try not to exert yourself."With a nod of thanks, Jack lowered himself back onto the bed. The blood pounded in his ears, a counterpoint to the unsettling silence after Patrick's departure.A rustle announced Sophie's arrival. Before Jack could speak, she was enveloping him in a fierce hug, her sobs muffled against his shoulder. Her embrace spoke volumes of the worry etched on her face, the telltale shadows beneath her eyes betraying sleepless nights."Mom," he murmured, squeezing her back gently. "It's alright. Just some exhaustion."Sophie pulled away, her gaze burning into his. "Exhaustion?" Her voice trembled as she spoke. "You were hanging by a thread, Jack. The teachers brought you straight to the Medical Center. What in the world were they thinking?"Jack's heart lurched. At death's door? Was it that serious? A disoriented memory flickered - him collapsing during the training, the encroaching darkness. "Really?" he croaked, his voice hoarse. "I thought I knew my limits...""Useless, the whole lot of them," Sophie muttered, her anger evident in the taut lines of her face. "Letting a Caverwraith get that close? Unforgivable!"The name sent a shiver down Jack's spine. Caverwraiths - elusive creatures of shadow and malice, rumored to drain the life force from their victims. A sense of dread coiled in his stomach. How close had he come?Noticing her rising panic, Jack wrapped his arms around her again. He couldn't bear the thought of another Harper falling ill.Abraham entered then, his face mirroring Sophie's worry. Deep circles shadowed his eyes, and his usually vibrant demeanor was subdued. "Sophie, my love," he said gently, "let's not upset Jack further. He needs his rest."Sophie shot him a look, the anger simmering just beneath the surface. "If you say so," she grumbled. "I'll go help Edward prepare some food." With a final worried glance at Jack, she swept out of the room.Abraham chuckled softly, wiping a hand down his face. He pulled a chair to the bedside and sat. "How are you feeling, son?"Jack leaned back against the pillows, exhaustion pulling at him. "More drained than I expected," he admitted. "How long was I out?"Abraham's smile faltered. "Just as you returned from your training, this happened. It felt like an eternity - almost a full week." A flicker of pain crossed his face. "Your mother… well, she held up strong when you first woke up, but this whole ordeal has taken its toll on her."Jack felt a pang of guilt. "Did she just leave to… cry?"Abraham chuckled, a sound laced with sadness. "Perhaps. But mostly, it's the anger that's eating at her."Abraham hesitated, searching for the right words. Worry gnawed at him – would Jack be able to handle this? But seeing the newfound maturity in his son's eyes, he took a deep breath."Patrick received a free pass," Jack stated, his voice firm. "No punishment, right, Father?"Abraham offered a grudging nod. "The school claimed it was a childish prank. Even the mayor turned a blind eye, refusing to investigate.""And Professor Meinhard?""The old man isn't faring any better," Abraham sighed, rubbing his temples. "Everyone blames him, and he wouldn't dream of abandoning the Hensleys after this."Edward placed a water jug on the bedside table. Jack poured them both a glass, the cool liquid easing the tension that had coiled in Abraham's gut."Did the teachers ever find what Patrick used to disrupt the barrier?" Jack inquired."By the time they arrived," Abraham explained, "their focus was entirely on rescuing you from the Cavernwraith.""And when they returned to the students?""Everything was gone," Abraham confirmed, frustration lacing his voice. "Even the recording devices in Lavia Garden were sabotaged. All I know comes from the Horvath and Zorzi boys. They visit you daily, you know."Jack fell silent, replaying the events in his mind. Abraham watched the sunlight dance with the birds outside the window, a stark contrast to the turmoil within."If that were all," Jack finally said, his voice steady, "you wouldn't need this secrecy. Someone's backing the Hensleys, aren't they?"Abraham's jaw tightened, a flicker of pride in his eyes. Jack had grasped the situation as quickly as he'd hoped."Indeed," Abraham confirmed. "A House's standing often depends on its patrons. A year ago, the Hensleys somehow acquired a contract rightfully ours, and they've been chipping away at our influence ever since."Jack rose and walked to the window, allowing the sunlight to bathe his face. He needed clarity. Abraham remained silent, observing his son, gauging his capabilities.After a thoughtful pause, Jack spoke."A Divine power?"Abraham clenched his fists, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders."That was my fear, but why?"Jack understood the question. Divine intervention was far beyond their reach. Such power shouldn't be entangled in the affairs of lesser Houses."Because the Harper disruption was a distraction," Jack said, his voice cutting through the tension. "The real target was me."Abraham's brow furrowed. He'd always believed Jack's misshapen form was to disturb the Harpers, never considering his son as the primary target."Patrick was a pawn," Jack continued. "He didn't understand the purpose of the disruptor. He wanted to threaten me, not kill me. He lacks the cunning to orchestrate such an elaborate scheme. Perhaps his father was involved, but Arnold Hensley wouldn't take such a risk without a guaranteed escape route."Jack drained his drink, pressing against the window to stretch his legs."A Divine's power is unfathomable," Abraham said, "but for a Grand Divine, it's absolute. Flavius Corvus's influence can force even the most powerful to hesitate, as if their next move might seal their fate. No one can help Arnold overcome this; only an equal force can stand against him."No one possessed the power or audacity to orchestrate such a sophisticated assassination attempt on a Corvus child, let alone cover it up, except perhaps another Divine. Moreover, the action was a blatant challenge, a public humiliation aimed at Meinhard Honingman, a lesser Corvus."Someone wants to test the bear's tolerance," Jack continued, his voice low. "The outcasts were the first targets, a way to gauge the empire's foremost powerhouse. They likely want the Corvus to retaliate, to create a pretext for further aggression – slander, extortion, or worse. Unresponsive silence paints them as weak, but a counterattack would only escalate the situation."Jack's gaze remained steady, his composure a stark contrast to Abraham's growing unease. His recently awakened child, though still loving, seemed strangely distant."Could all this turmoil," Abraham ventured, "be a sign of internal conflict within the Corvus house?"Jack's mind flickered to the forbidden faction within his family, and the one who tolerated its existence – the Emperor himself, Anton Ovidus."Best case," he said, "this is just a minor annoyance to them. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.""And worst case?" Abraham pressed, worry etching lines on his face.Jack's voice grew heavy. "Someone, maybe a group, wants the Corvus name erased from the empire's memory."Abraham pursed his lips, grappling with Jack's words. While linking a single incident to such a grand conclusion seemed far-fetched, Jack wouldn't have dwelled on it if the city's leaders hadn't turned a blind eye when the Harper Guild, enraged by the second-ranking merchant house, targeted the Corvus.The minor powers, once relatively carefree, were now consumed by a stifling vigilance. One wrong move, a single misstep, could bring the wrath of a Divine crashing down upon them. The Hensleys, by defying a giant, had emerged unscathed. This could only mean one thing: the giant was being restrained by another of its kind.Jack closed his eyes, his head pounding from the relentless thoughts. One crucial piece remained elusive: why would an abandoned child like him draw the ire of the Corvus?He turned, placing a comforting hand on Abraham's shoulder. "Don't fret, Father. These are just my speculations."Abraham's smile was strained, a flicker of worry in his eyes. He'd been in the merchant trade long enough to understand the treacherous games of power. As improbable as Jack's predictions might seem, they weren't entirely out of the realm of possibility.For Jack, while concerned about the Corvus, a different threat loomed larger. If they dared target him, the Harper Guild wouldn't stand a chance.