Merrick walked to the large wooden table that was at the center of the main room, and Cade followed. They took seats across from each other, and for several moments, the only sound in the room was the crackling fire. Gwen had left the room, but Roland was still standing near the front door, and Cade noticed that he seemed unsure of what to do. Cade made eye contact with his friend, and then flicked his eyes to an empty chair, hoping that his hint was clear. Roland moved to the table and sat. Cade’s eyes returned to Merrick, and a tired look had settled on his scarred face.

“So, let’s talk,” Cade said, breaking the impasse.

Merrick exhaled a long breath, perhaps to steel himself for the task ahead.

“Where do you want me to start?” Merrick asked.

“Tell me about my parents.”

“Aidan and Bethany were both channelers. I didn’t know your mother that well, but I was a man-at-arms for your father for many years.”

“What do you mean by man-at-arms?”

“There is a division of the legions that works with the channelers, and I was a part of it. I was under the command of your father initially, but after five years, we were more like equals. He and I were friends, and came to be like family.”

“Why did you not know my mother?”

“We left the legions at the same time, and he went to the capital city, Ferros. I went home to Tavos. When he came to me with you, your mother had already passed.”

Cade felt a sharp pain in his stomach, like a knife wound, with the mention of his mother’s death. Something inside his mind made a connection to that event, but it was shrouded from his conscious memory.

“Why did you take me in? Why did my father leave me with you?”

“I took you in because I owed Aidan my life more times than I could count. He asked for me to care for his son, and I agreed. He did not tell me where he was goin’; only that he was in danger and that you would be as well.”

Cade felt the anger starting to build inside of his chest, like a tangible ball of fire in his heart.

“Did he tell you to keep me from knowin’ who and what I am?” he asked, gritting his teeth against the swelling rage inside of him.

“Yes. He told me that when the time was right, I was to tell you everythin’ I knew. I am also to give you somethin’ from him.”

Cade’s boiling rage reduced to a simmer upon hearing the last of Merrick’s words.

“Somethin’ from him? Like what?”

“A small wooden box. I do not know what it contains, but he left it with the instructions to keep you from magic for as long as possible, and to keep you safe from those who would seek you out if they knew of your bloodline.”

Cade felt the anger in him cooling rapidly as his thirst to know more of his past grew.

“Where is it?”

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“I buried it in the western forest. The black cliff that overlooks the small creek has an old pine growing near its lip. I hid it in the earth on the north side of that tree. It is where he and I last talked before he left. It’s where he gave me the box.”

Cade felt a strange twisting sensation in his stomach. He often went to that cliff to be alone and think. He had always felt comfortable and at peace there, and his father’s legacy to him was right under his feet. He stood up quickly, the chair almost toppling behind him.

“I have to go there. I have to see what it contains.”

Roland, who had remained silent during the entire exchange, stood up as well.

“I’ll go with you,” he said.

“No,” Merrick replied quickly. “This is for Cade alone.”

Roland looked at his father, a reply on his lips, but Merrick cut him off with a sharp glare. Roland nodded once and sat back down. Cade left the table and walked to the front door. He hadn’t gotten around to taking off his jacket or his weapons, so he only needed to pull on his heavy cloak to be ready to leave. He reached for the door latch and hesitated, not knowing if he was fully prepared for what lay ahead. He felt a nudge at his leg, and looked down to see the yellow-green eyes of Zaka staring up at him. He felt a small smile touch his lips.

“I’m sorry for everythin’,” Merrick’s voice said from behind him.

Cade half turned so that he could see the man who had raised him.

“You didn’t deserve to be deceived all of these years,” Merrick continued, “but I hope you understand that I did it for a good reason.”

“You did as my father asked. I do understand, but I cannot forgive you right now.”

Without waiting for a response, Cade opened the door and stepped out into the lightly falling snow with Zaka by his side. He shut the door, and the cold night settled in around him. He released a heavy breath, blowing plumes of heavy fog from his mouth, and felt prepared to set off into the forest. It would not take long to reach the old pine and the answers that hid in the ground at its base.

Cade followed Zaka through the tall pine trees along a path he knew by heart. They had begun the trek in the inky blackness of cloud covered night, but a bright half-moon broke through as they neared the cliffs. The escarpment of black rock was just a small cliff of stone above the mountain fed creek, but upon a part of it sat a sentinel pine tree. He had spent many hours leaned against that tree, never knowing the secret that the ground was hiding.

Zaka stood to the side and allowed Cade to cross the final span first. As he approached the tree, he noticed that his hands were trembling, and his heart was hammering a furious beat in his chest. He fell to his knees at the base of the tree, and placed his gloved hand on the rough bark of the trunk to steady himself. He cleared the snow from the ground on the north side of the tree, and tested the soil beneath with his fingers. The dirt was frozen, and resisted his attempts to claw it up by hand. He reached for his dirk, but before he could unsheathe it, Zaka came around and stood on the cleared area. The wolf sniffed at the ground tentatively for several moments, and then he began furiously pawing at the dirt. Zaka ripped the frozen ground up in chunks, and Cade waited for the appearance of what waited below.

Zaka had dug a hole about two feet deep before creeping back, and lying down. The wolf stared at Cade with an expectant look, and then cocked his head to the side inquisitively. Cade leaned forward so that he could see into the hole, and at the bottom was a partially uncovered wooden box. He reached in, and worked the box loose from the dirt and brought it into the moonlight.

The box was as long as his hand and about as wide. It had no ornamentation or designs and was made of simple finished oak. The sliding lid had no latches or locks that he could see. The box felt light, and he felt something rattling inside. Cade realized that this box was the first tangible thing of his parents that he had ever had. His father had once held this box in this place so many years ago. His fingers stroked the lid, and he realized he had a decision to make. His heritage and his past lay inside. His life would never be the same, and he had to decide to either accept his blood and history, or run from it. He could throw the box back in the hole and never follow that path.

Doubt and confusion warred inside of him with his desire to know who he really was. Could he really live up to his parents? He had lived so long without magic; maybe he would be like a wild animal, never knowing how to control himself. What if he hurt people? What if he did more harm than good? He felt the box starting to slip from his grasp, and he gripped it tighter. A sense of calm and clarity came over him, and he knew in that instant in his heart that he could not live without reading his father’s words.

He opened the box.