Page 167 of The Midnight Order
The box sits on a table in the back corner. Its lone presence gives the room an eerie and foreboding vibe.
There’s a desk lamp to the left of the box, and Corvin clicks it on, pulling out a wooden chair for me to sit on before doing the same for himself.
For a moment, we stare at the box.
The brown stain on the lid seems to grow—breathe even—as I stare at it.
Corvin opens his mouth to say something I’m sure is uplifting and encouraging, but I swear I can’t take another word of encouragement.
I sit forward, cutting off his words, and rip the lid off.
There.
The Band-Aid is off.
Leaning over, I find the file that reads ‘Birth Record’ still sitting there.
Moving my gaze to the file behind it, I run over the next one.
Letter of Custody.
Custody?
Turning toward Corvin, I bid him to grab and open the file with a pleading look. But, of course, he’s not in my mind to know which one I’m eyeballing.
“Are we going in order, then?” he asks softly.
I nod. “I think we should.”
“Alright, then.” He grabs the very file that makes my heart race harder in my chest and opens it.
His eyes scan over a few papers before he hands them to me. “I think you’re going to want to read this in private.”
He stands, but I quickly grasp onto his wrist. “Don’t leave.” My eyes lock on his. “Please.”
He slowly sits, nodding.
There are several documents at the front. One is just a paper with a bunch of legal jargon of the time, claiming Soliel Dormund as my legal guardian. The other is the petition to change my last name to Dormund.
The paper behind it, however, catches my breath in the back of my throat. Tears prick my eyes as I run over the hand-scrawled name at the bottom.
Edith Tenebris
“Edith,” I breathe, running my fingertip over it. “My mother?”
“One would presume. Yes. She’s the one who also signed the document, signing your custody over to Soliel.
My heart sounds like a whomping in my ears as Corvin takes the file from me, leaving me with only the note from my mother.
Her name conjures no memory, but knowing I came fromsomewherehas me eager to learn more.
To know it all.
31 August1520
Dearest Soliel,
You are my oldest and dearest friend. As such, you are the only one I can trust. He is coming for her. You and I both know it. Her blood is owed to him, and I can’t let him have it, no matter what I promised initially. She’s my only child.
