I ripped myself free from Guy's arms and raced into the darkness of his cell. Goggles on, I easily found Rupert. He lay on the ground, naked and curled up into a ball. A puddle of blood pooled beneath his body and though they were faint, I could still make out the bruises on his body, particularly his crotch.
“My baby.”
The words slipped from me just as fast as my knees hit the ground beside him. I gently picked up his head and laid him on my lap. My fingers ran through his hair as soft tears rained on his face.
Rupert opened his eyes slowly and coughed a little.
“You shouldn’t be here.” His voice was cold like he was numb but he didn’t push me away. If anything, he got more comfortable on my lap with a tiny movement of his head.
I snorted and flicked his forehead. He winced.
“Do not tell your mother not to visit you in prison. That’s selfish and cruel and we’re working past that.” If only little me could see me now, finger wagging at my son. I always wanted to be a mother. Sure, he’s a supervillain, but he’s doing his time—-there’s hope.
Or maybe I’m just coping…but can you blame me?
“You’re the one who is pregnant. I would think it prudent to not visit the man who has psychologically tortured you for months.” His mouth was set in a hard line as he eyed Guy. Guy stood by the door, just inside so I knew where he was.
Rupert laughed, groaned and held his ribs but chuckled again.
“Something funny?” I asked, my brows knit together.
“Forgive me, heh. I just still find it hilarious that somehow he’s still not spiraling into mental anguish due to his upbringing. Strong resolve or empty head…my money would be on both.”
Guy frowned and shook his head. “Is it weird that my adopted dad is technically my son now? You betcha. Do I care because he’s a shitty human being though? Nope. Besides—I get to do this.” Guy smirked and walked over, leaned down and kissed me like the world was ending.
I moaned—I couldn’t fucking help it. Rupert gagged and slowly rolled off of my lap.
“Disgusting.” Rupert groaned and the corners of his mouth pulled back.
“Mm, what was that son?”
I could hear the steam coming from Rupert's ears and I had to laugh. He brought it on himself, honestly.
“If you two are done.” I cleared my throat. “I’m only here to ask you questions about the capps…although if you told me who hurt you—-”
“Why? So my mommy can run in and save me? Please.” He licked his dry lips, in obvious discomfort over his disheveled state. “Though I will not push you away, I am not a little boy. If the people of the city wish to take out their aggression on me, then I will meet them head on as a man.”
Is it weird to say that I was proud of him? He’s intelligent, I’m sure if he wanted to, he could bust out of here. Yet here he sits, ready to receive judgement. It warms my heart.
“Please wipe that grin off your face, mother. Goddess, have you always been this goofy?” He turned away from me and crossed his arms.
“I don’t know, have you always been this bashful?” Not a little boy, he says, yet he’s so quick to put on a brave face and hide his blush. He turns his whole torso towards the dark and huffs.
Guy can’t help but roll his eyes and shake his head. If only Wyatt were here…it’d be a family moment and—
I shook my head, clearing the ache in my heart away.
Focus, Sapph. People need peace and giving them peace might mean a lighter sentence for Rupert. Besides, Wyatt is a grown man with a grown wolf. He would show up again when he was ready.
“The capps. Is there a way we can make peace between them and the descendants?”
Feeling safe from further embarrassment, Rupert turns back around to address me with a snort.
“I can think of a not-impossible-but-highly-unlikely way to merge the two sides.”
“I’m all ears.”
Rupert paused and scratched the top of his head, leaving me in suspense.
“Well? I don’t have all day and neither do you!” I urged him, snapping my fingers.
“You won’t like what I’m about to tell you.” His tone wasn’t playful or snarky, my two favorite modes. He was serious—more serious than a doctor delivering a cancer diagnosis.
“I’ve dealt with harsh news before.” Tilting my head a bit, he could see the sorrow in my blue eyes. The pain of losing him as a baby would always stay with me. Just another reason why I cling on to these precious moments so often.
“Mother.” Rupert sighed. “What I’m telling you now will change so many things but I need you to swear to me that you will not panic and try to fix everything. Will you do that for me?”
I started to nod but then thought about it. Panicking is my middle name at this point but what other choice did I have?
“I promise.” This had better be worth the price of admission.
One tiny hint of a smile from my boy was all I’d ever hoped for. “Good.”
“Now then, let’s get down to business.” He crossed his legs and motioned towards Guy and myself.
“You two are dragons but you were both made different from the rest of us.” Guy blinked, I’m guessing he hadn’t heard this part of his origin story yet.
“What are you talking about?” He asked, rubbing his chin.
“I am saying that there is a process to create dragons. Not those descended from them, actual dragons. It takes two things. One the special energy of a royal dragon—” he pointed at me, “and a corpse.”
I disliked how morbid this conversation was getting but I swallowed my distaste for now. Still, my head throbbed with a familiar headache.
“You said you adopted me.” Guy folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at Rupert.
“I lied. You were human, just like my mother. I didn’t know your parents but they asked me to help save you. I told them it would cost them something great.”
Guy gulped. His arms dropped. “Wait, no, you could just be lying again.”
Rupert nodded. “I could be. But not about this and not to her.” He nodded towards me. “Your parents were human. They asked me to bring you back to life and I did so with the last remaining life energy of a blue dragon. It was weak but it counted as royal.”
“But wait, what…if you did that then where are my parents?! Why didn’t they come back for me?”
Rupert purses his lips, mouth ticking upward in a frown.
“Because they don’t remember you. Nor do the other two million people that my late spouse tried and failed to bring back to life.” Barbie…I would have a very stern conversation with her when we met again.
Bringing that up made my blood run cold. I still remember the memorial we had for those that fell, the tappers that didn’t make it.
Poor Guy was still processing it all. I reached over and rubbed small circles in his back for comfort.
“Wait.” My head snapped up as pieces started connecting in my head. “Two million souls…she tried to bring them back to life? The same way she brought you back?”
Rupert smiled,”now you’re catching on.”
“Guy.” I whispered. “Do you have a rough estimate of how many capps there are?”
“I…I don’t know. I’m still trying to process the part about my parents not remembering me—and how this fucker hid it from me my whole life!” I felt every ounce of his rage but my touch soothed it back down just enough. Killing Rupert wouldn’t get us the answers we wanted.
“The answer you’re looking for is one million, nine hundred and seventy-four thousand capps, give or take.”
Guys eyes widened. “Nearly two million…”
“Yes!” Rupert hissed with glee. “There it is! That look.” His slow smile was beyond creepy.
“Here’s some more truth: that experiment Barbie released into Cyran City’s water supply, Wyatt’s formula? It didn’t kill them, it merely turned them all into capps upon death!”
The madman that is my son stood up and clapped his hands like he was cheering for a standing ovation.
“You wanted to know where they were and for years I almost told you. They were right on the other side of the wall, Guy!” Rupert laughed with glee.
“No…” Guy dropped to his knees. My hands wrapped around his shoulders.
“That’s right! Your parents are capps! And not just any capps. The two you’ve come to know, Corre and Silla—-Oh I had to experiment on him just to be sure but yes. Those are your parents, Guy Dynamo!”
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter