Every smile.
Every kiss.
Every "I love you."
Every promise.
Every stolen moment.
Every whispered lie.
It had all been part of the mission.
I knew that now.
But I never expected it to end like this.
With him breaking me long before he ever tried to kill me.
He made me jump into a vat of acid just to prove my loyalty.
Somehow…
I survived.
My family didn't.
And every second since, I've wondered if I should have been the one who died instead.
Kaden slowly opened his eyes to see Carter and lola in front of him. As everything began to set in he sat up quickly
" Where are mom and dad?" He asked, looking at Lola and Carter as they teared up again.
Kaden ignored them, and got up quickly, having to take a second before he walked downstairs. The metallic smell hit him before the blood did. It coated the back of his throat. Crimson footprints stretched across the hardwood floor, disappearing into the kitchen.
" no"he said as continued walking down the stairs.
Kaden examined the scene of the crime, his sight being drawn straight to his mother who had been drained of all of her blood but no fang puncture wounds could be found . He ran straight to her grabbing her wrist, her hand was still warm. He tried to feel a pulse but his hands were shaking so much he couldn't get a good read on if it was his own pulse or hers but he knew the answer.
He brushed the hair away from her face " mom you can't die I still need you"he said shaking her trying to wake her up .
"We should get to the hospital, maybe they can save her?she can't be gone"he said to Carter and Lola "she's supposed to be here for everything, she didn't get to walk us down the aisle on our wedding days"he said looking at Lola eyes bloodshot red from crying.
Carter and Lola rushed to Kaden's side hugged him tightly
"Kaden-"Lola said, trying to keep it together for him.
"Don't you dare say it!We just became a family again"he said he couldn't believe the person he loved most was gone. Not only that but his father was nowhere to be seen.
Kaden looked up at Carter and lola" I need to get the Medallion to Victoria before someone else gets hurt " he told Carter giving Lola a reassuring look.
As they helped him up to his room and helped him through the portal with his bag with the medallion still in it. Barry was so preoccupied explaining everything and hurting him that he never actually took it.
" Stay here " He demanded as they neared the portal to the vampire world.
He limped inside as he neared the castle he breathed in slowly. He opened the door as everyone watched him walk to the Queens meeting room where she was accompanied by the vampire council. The council stood up abruptly as Kaden entered
" Calm down I am not here for you " he turned and death stared at the queen
" I'm here for her" he said as he walked towards her throne. She looked at the council
" Leave us" she demanded as they nodded at her and left.
Victoria looked him up and down.
"You survived."
"Barely."
"That's disappointing."
Kaden clenched his fists.
"The antidote."
She smiled.
"No greeting?"
"The antidote."
Victoria caught the medallion with one hand, turning it over thoughtfully before slipping it into the folds of her cloak. A satisfied smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Well done," she said. "I knew you wouldn't disappoint me."
Kaden said nothing. He uncorked the vial she'd thrown him moments earlier and drank the antidote in one swallow. Warmth spread through his body almost instantly, chasing away the burning pain that had clung to every nerve. His breathing steadied, but the anger simmering beneath the surface only grew hotter.
Victoria watched him with quiet amusement.
"I look forward to working with you again, Kaden."
He met her gaze, his expression unreadable.
"I figured it out."
One of her eyebrows lifted.
"Barry," Kaden continued. "You sent him on the same mission. Not because you needed the medallion…"
He took a slow step closer.
"…but because you wanted to see what I'd do."
For the first time since he'd entered the throne room, Victoria's smile widened.
"I'm impressed," she admitted. "Most people never realize they're being tested."
"So I was an experiment."
"No." She folded her hands in her lap. "An investment."
Silence stretched between them.
"I underestimated you," Victoria said at last. "Power is common. Intelligence is not. It seems you possess both."
Kaden forced himself to nod, though every instinct screamed at him to wrap his hands around her throat.
"Stand by," Victoria ordered. "I'll be in touch when your next assignment is ready."
"Of course," Kaden replied.
He bowed just enough to satisfy her before turning toward the doors.
By the time he stepped through the portal, a plan had already begun to take shape.
One day, you'll be alone.
And when that day comes… I'll make you pay for everything you've done.
The portal closed behind him with a dull crack.
The silence of his bedroom swallowed him whole.
For a long moment, Kaden simply stood there.
His hands were clean now. The antidote had stopped the poison from killing him.
None of it mattered.
His mother was dead.
His father was gone.
He had all the power he'd ever dreamed of, yet he hadn't been able to save the two people who had spent their entire lives protecting him.
His knees gave out.
He collapsed onto the floor, a broken sob escaping his lips before he could stop it.
"Mom…"
The word echoed through the empty room.
No answer came
The weight of everything finally crashed down on him.
His mother was dead.
His father was missing.
Barry had betrayed him.
And he had been powerless to stop any of it.
Kaden's knees hit the floor as another sob tore through his chest. His breathing became ragged, each inhale shorter than the last. The air around him suddenly turned heavy.
The bedroom trembled.
At first it was almost imperceptible—a picture frame rattling against the wall, the dresser vibrating beneath the mirror.
Then the shaking grew stronger.
Books tumbled from the shelves. The bedframe groaned. Cracks splintered across the ceiling.
"No…" Kaden whispered, clutching his head. "Stop…"
But his powers weren't listening anymore.
The walls quaked violently as icy wind burst through the room, swirling around him. Frost crawled across the windows while sparks danced from the light fixtures overhead.
Kaden threw his head back and screamed.
It wasn't just a scream.
It was grief.
It was rage.
It was every ounce of heartbreak he'd tried to bury.
The sound exploded through the house like a shockwave.
Every window shattered at once.
The force ripped doors from their hinges and sent glass raining onto the floor below.
Across town, streetlights flickered before dying completely. Homes went dark one after another until the entire town was swallowed by silence.
Then everything stopped.
Kaden collapsed forward, shaking uncontrollably.
Footsteps thundered up the stairs.
"Kaden!" Carter shouted.
Carter and Lola rushed into the destroyed room without a second thought. Ignoring the shattered glass beneath their feet, they dropped to their knees beside him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"I'm so sorry," Carter whispered, her voice breaking.
Kaden didn't answer.
The warmth that had once filled his eyes was gone. In its place was something far more frightening—raw grief wrapped in anger.
Neither of them realized that the blackout stretching across the town was only the beginning. Whatever Kaden had unleashed had reached far beyond the walls of the house.
They would discover the consequences soon enough.
But he couldn't think about that right now he had to focus on the task at hand.
Cleaning up the mess Barry had made.
Lola and Carter both stood up, Carter extending a hand to him" Go well take care of this"she said
Kaden hesitates.
"I can't leave her."
Lola gently takes his hand.
"You aren't leaving her. You're just taking five minutes. Mom wouldn't want you standing here covered in blood."
Kaden quietly closed the bathroom door behind him and locked it
As we walked over to the shower he caught his reflection in the mirror and barely recognized the person staring back.
His clothes were soaked with dried blood.
His mother's blood.
His own.
He couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.
His knees nearly gave out.
With trembling hands, he peeled off his jacket, then his shirt. The fabric clung to him as if it didn't want to let go. Every piece of clothing hit the floor with a dull, wet thud.
He turned the shower on as hot as it would go.
Steam slowly filled the room.
Kaden stepped beneath the water.
At first, nothing happened.
Then thin streams of crimson began swirling around his feet before disappearing down the drain.
He stared at them.
I'm washing away the last piece of her.
The thought hit him so hard he doubled over.
A sob escaped before he could stop it.
He scrubbed harder.
And harder.
As though he could erase the last twenty-four hours.
As though he could wash away Barry's hands.
The lies.
The kiss.
The acid.
His mother's blood.
None of it disappeared.
Not really.
His breathing became uneven.
His chest tightened until every breath hurt.
He slid slowly down the tiled wall, hugging his knees against his chest as the hot water poured over him.
"I tried…" he whispered.
His voice cracked.
"I tried to save you."
The words echoed through the empty bathroom.
No answer came.
He buried his face in his arms and cried harder than he ever had in his life.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe hours.
Time didn't seem to exist anymore.
Eventually, the water began to run cold.
Only then did Kaden force himself to stand.
His eyes were red.
His body ached.
The blood was gone.
The pain wasn't
The water had long since turned cold.
Kaden shut off the shower and stood there for a moment, staring at the drain where the last traces of crimson had disappeared. His body was clean.
He didn't feel any lighter.
Drying himself off felt mechanical, like someone else was moving his body for him. He pulled on a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans before taking one last look in the mirror.
The blood was gone.
The haunted look in his eyes wasn't.
A knock at the bathroom door broke the silence.
"Kaden?" Carter's voice was gentle. "The police are here."
He closed his eyes for a second, forcing a slow breath into his lungs.
"Okay," he answered, though his voice barely sounded like his own.
When he opened the door, Carter's expression softened. She looked like she wanted to hug him again, but instead she simply rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Lola's downstairs," she said quietly. "Remember we are telling them them it looks like a home invasion. Just stick to the story."
Kaden nodded.
"Ready?"
No.
He wasn't ready to see strangers carrying his mother's body out of the house.
He wasn't ready to answer questions about the worst day of his life.
He wasn't ready to lie.
But he followed Carter downstairs anyway.
As he reaches the bottom of the stairs, he hears tires crunching on the driveway, flashing red and blue lights spill through the broken windows, and an officer knocks on the front door.
Kaden walked to the door opening it for the officer letting him and his team in. They examined the scene and one said to another "It's strange. We found enough blood to suggest multiple victims…"
He looked down at the report.
"…but only one body."
The officer paused then walked over to the kids
" Who found the body?"he asked softly
Lola glanced at him "I did "
He nodded "do you know who could've done this?"he asked
Kaden knew exactly who "could've done his"but that would out the existence of vampires to the town and they had to stick to the story
The main officer just before they could respond walked over"We'll need formal statements," the detective said gently. "But not tonight. You've both been through enough."
Kaden nodded, grateful he didn't have to say another word.
"We'll have someone contact you tomorrow."
As the coroner wheeled his mother's body toward the front door, Kaden looked away.
The officer crouched slightly so he was closer to Kaden and Lola.
"I'm so sorry you're going through this."
He looked toward the front door where crime scene investigators were still working.
"Unfortunately, we're going to have to keep the house secured while we process everything. Do you have somewhere safe where you can stay for a few nights?"
Carter cleared her throat. As the officer got the hint and stepped away for a second so they could talk.
"Actually… my parents bought me a house before they moved out of state."
Everyone turned toward her.
"They were planning to give it to me after graduation, but they left me a key in case of emergencies." She looked at Kaden and Lola. "This definitely counts as an emergency."
"There's more than enough room for all of us."
"Barry is still out there," Kaden said quietly.
His voice was steady, but the fear behind it was unmistakable.
"If he comes back… he knows this house. He knows where we sleep."
He looked at Lola.
"We can't stay here."
The detective gave them a sympathetic nod before stepping outside to speak with one of the crime scene investigators.
Silence settled over the house.
For a long moment, no one moved.
Kaden stared at the living room, now littered with evidence markers and the footprints of strangers. Just hours ago, his mother had been alive. Now her home had become a crime scene.
It didn't feel like home anymore.
Carter broke the silence.
"We should pack before it gets any later."
Kaden nodded absently.
"Just take what you need for now," she continued softly. "We can always come back for the rest when the police are finished."
He swallowed the lump in his throat.
If we ever come back.
"Ten minutes?" Carter asked, looking between him and Lola.
Lola wiped at her eyes. "Ten minutes."
Without another word, they headed upstairs.
Kaden stepped into his bedroom and quietly closed the door behind him.
The room was exactly as he'd left it that morning.
His bed was unmade.
His backpack still rested against his desk.
A hoodie his mother had folded for him the night before was draped over the chair.
He picked it up slowly, pressing it against his chest.
It still smelled faintly like her perfume.
His composure cracked.
Kaden opened his closet but couldn't bring himself to reach for anything.
Every shirt hanging there had been washed by his mother.
Every book on his shelf reminded him of conversations they'd shared.
Every corner of the room felt haunted by a life that no longer existed.
He finally grabbed a duffel bag and began stuffing clothes into it without looking, unable to bear the memories each item carried.
Kaden zipped his duffel bag shut and took one last look around his room.
Everything was exactly where it had always been.
Yet nothing would ever feel the same again.
Taking a shaky breath, he slung the bag over his shoulder and stepped into the hallway.
Across the hall, Lola's bedroom door stood open.
She knelt on the floor beside an open suitcase, carefully wrapping framed family photos in one of her sweaters. Every so often she'd stop, wipe away another tear, and continue packing in silence.
Further down the hall, Carter moved from room to room with quiet determination. She tucked phone chargers, toiletries, medications, and important documents into a backpack, making sure they had everything they'd need for the next few days. Every now and then, she'd glance toward Kaden and Lola, silently checking that they were okay.
"Almost ready?" Carter asked softly.
Lola nodded, zipping her suitcase closed.
"Yeah."
Kaden adjusted the strap on his duffel bag. "Me too."
None of them spoke as they made their way downstairs.
The front door stood open, and the last of the crime scene investigators were carrying equipment back to their vans. Yellow evidence markers still dotted the living room, and strips of crime scene tape fluttered in the evening breeze.
The detective looked up as the three of them entered the foyer.
"All set?" he asked.
Kaden glanced around the house one last time.
It had been filled with laughter that morning.
Now it was filled with strangers.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "We're ready."
Kaden rested his hand on the doorknob and looked back over his shoulder.
For the briefest moment, he expected to hear his mother's voice.
"Don't forget your jacket."
The house answered with silence.
He swallowed hard and stepped outside.
The drive was almost painfully quiet.
None of them had the strength to fill the silence. The only sounds were the hum of the engine and the occasional sniffle from the back seat. Kaden rested his forehead against the cool window, watching familiar streets disappear behind them.
Every mile felt like another step away from the life he'd had that morning.
After nearly twenty minutes, Carter slowed the car in front of a tall wrought-iron gate. She rolled down her window and typed a code into the keypad.
With a soft mechanical hum, the gates slowly swung open.
Beyond them sat a beautiful two-story home surrounded by towering oak trees. Warm lights glowed through the windows, giving the house an inviting warmth that felt almost out of place after the nightmare they'd just escaped.
"Wow…" Kaden whispered, barely recognizing his own voice.
Carter offered a small, sad smile.
"My parents always called it my graduation gift." She glanced toward the house. "I just never imagined moving in like this."
No one answered.
She parked in the driveway, and the three of them climbed out, each carrying only the bags they'd managed to pack in ten hurried minutes.
Carter unlocked the front door and stepped inside first.
"Make yourselves at home," she said softly, though the words felt strange to all of them.
The house was beautiful. Hardwood floors stretched throughout the first floor, and sunlight still lingered through the large windows despite the fading evening. Everything was neat, untouched… almost too perfect.
It didn't feel like home.
It felt borrowed.
Carter showed them around before leading them upstairs.
"There are plenty of empty bedrooms," she said. "Take whichever ones you want."
Lola chose the room directly across from the staircase.
Kaden wandered farther down the hallway before stopping outside a bedroom with dark wooden doors.
Inside stood an antique four-poster bed that nearly reached the ceiling. A fireplace sat beneath a large painting, and a full-length mirror rested in one corner of the room. When he opened it, he realized it concealed a hidden jewelry cabinet.
Under any other circumstances, he would've loved it.
"This one's fine," he murmured.
He set his duffel bag on the bed and slowly began unpacking.
A few shirts.
A handful of books.
His toothbrush.
Nothing felt important anymore.
He folded another shirt into the dresser before stopping halfway through the motion.
His hands wouldn't stop shaking.
The room was silent.
Too silent.
Every quiet moment reminded him of what was missing.
His mother's laugh.
Her voice calling everyone downstairs for dinner.
The way she'd knock once before opening his bedroom door anyway.
He squeezed the fabric in his hands until his knuckles turned white.
He would never hear those sounds again.
And for the first time since she'd died…
That truth finally felt real.
Kaden lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands.
For the first time all day, there was nothing demanding his attention.
No police.
No portals.
No queens.
No monsters.
Just silence.
And somehow, the silence hurt the most.
His thoughts drifted back to Victoria.
The smug smile on her face.
The satisfaction in her voice.
Stand by for further instructions.
Kaden clenched his jaw.
Not for long.
He didn't know exactly how he was going to make her pay. He hadn't thought that far ahead.
He only knew one thing.
She would have to be alone.
Away from the council.
Away from anyone who could protect her.
When that day came…
She would answer everything.
A knock on the bedroom door shattered his thoughts.
"Kaden?" Carter called softly. "Lola found your mom's will."
His heart sank.
They gathered around the dining room table in silence.
The envelope had already been opened.
Kaden recognized his mother's handwriting immediately.
His throat tightened.
Lola slid the papers toward him.
"She wanted you to read it."
Kaden nodded and began reading.
Most of the estate would be divided equally between him and Lola.
But there were a few things their mother had chosen herself.
Every one of her books…
belonged to Kaden.
Along with several pieces of jewelry she'd always promised he could have one day.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth despite everything.
She knew him.
She knew those were the things he'd treasure most.
The last page caught his attention.
The summer house in the Stockholm Archipelago.
Left equally to him and Lola.
Kaden closed his eyes.
That house had always felt untouched by the rest of the world.
Summers spent swimming.
Bonfires by the lake.
Late nights playing cards while his parents laughed in the kitchen.
Nothing bad had ever happened there.
He'd spent years imagining starting his adult life there after graduation.
Now…
He wasn't even sure he could bring himself to go back.
He folded the will carefully before placing it back inside the envelope.
His mother was gone.
The funeral needed planning.
Barry was still free.
His father was still missing.
Every problem felt impossible.
He couldn't solve them all.
So he started with the only thing he could.
walked back upstairs, retrieved the stack of family journals he'd rescued from the townhouse, and spread them across his desk.
If there was any clue about Barry…
About his father…
About what his family had been hiding…
It would be in these pages.
Hours slipped by unnoticed.
Outside, the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.
Kaden rubbed his tired eyes before glancing at the clock.
He hadn't heard a sound from Lola in hours.
Worry settled in his chest.
He crossed the hallway and knocked gently.
The door slowly creaked open.
He found Lola sitting on the floor beside her bed, clutching one of their mother's sweaters against her chest.
She looked up at him.
Neither of them said a word.
They didn't need to.
Kaden crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her.
They held each other while the grief neither of them could put into words spilled out in quiet sobs.
Eventually, the tears stopped.
Exhaustion settled over both of them.
"Try to get some sleep," Kaden whispered.
Lola nodded weakly.
He closed her bedroom door behind him and returned to his own.
The house was quiet once more.
Too quiet.
Kaden caught his reflection in the full-length mirror.
He stopped walking.
The stranger staring back at him had his face…
But not his eyes.
This is the worst day of my life.
Mom's gone.
Dad's missing.
And it's all because of me.
If I'd never met Barry… if I'd never fallen for him… Mom would still be alive. Dad would still be here. We'd still be at home pretending everything was normal.
Instead, I fell in love with a monster.
How?
How did someone like him make me feel so safe?
Was any of it real?
The smiles. The kisses. The way he'd look at me like I was the only person in the world.
Or was I just another mission? Another target?
If I have powers… does he?
Did he use them on me?
Or was I really that blind?
God… I'm such an idiot.
I gave my heart to the first person who asked for it… and he used it to destroy my family.
I don't want to think anymore.
I just want one night where everything stops hurting.
Kaden forced himself to look away from the mirror.
"Not tonight," he whispered.
He couldn't keep replaying every mistake he'd made.
Exhaustion finally won.
He changed into a pair of sweatpants, crawled beneath the blankets, and stared at the ceiling until his eyes slowly drifted shut.
Sleep offered him no mercy.
He was back in the house.
The metallic scent of blood filled the air.
His mother reached out to him from across the room, her hands stained crimson.
"Kaden…"
He tried to run to her, but his feet wouldn't move.
Barry stepped out of the shadows behind her.
The same smile.
The same eyes Kaden had once fallen in love with.
Only now they were empty.
"You chose me," Barry said softly.
Then he drove a blade into his mother's back.
"No!"
Kaden screamed as she collapsed to the floor.
Barry looked up at him and smiled.
"You're next."
Kaden jolted upright, gasping for air.
His chest burned as he struggled to breathe.
He looked frantically around the room.
Empty.
Just a nightmare.
He dragged a trembling hand down his face before glancing toward the mirror.
Barry stood behind him.
Kaden spun around—
No one.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
Then another voice broke through the panic.
"Kaden!"
His vision blurred.
Hands grabbed his shoulders.
For a split second he thought Barry had found him again.
Then the room came into focus.
Lola.
Carter.
Both of them looked terrified.
"What… happened?" Kaden managed between ragged breaths.
Neither of them answered immediately.
He looked around.
Ice coated the walls.
Frost covered the windows.
His blankets had frozen solid around him.
The bedroom door hung open, its hinges encased in thick sheets of ice.
"What the…?"
Carter swallowed hard.
"You were screaming for your mom."
She glanced around the destroyed room.
"The whole house started shaking."
Lola nodded.
"We tried to get to you, but the door…" Her voice cracked. "It froze shut."
Kaden stared at his shaking hands.
The ice slowly began to melt beneath his fingertips.
Tears blurred his vision.
"What's happening to me?" he whispered.
His voice sounded so small.
Lola wrapped her arms around him without hesitation.
"We don't know," she admitted.
"But we're going to figure it out."
"Together," Carter added.
For the first time since his mother died…
Kaden let himself believe he wasn't completely alone.
That night became the first of many sleepless nights.
The days that followed blurred together in a haze of police interviews, phone calls, funeral arrangements, and unanswered questions. Every morning Kaden woke hoping it had all been a nightmare.
Every morning reality proved otherwise.
Barry was still missing.
His father was still gone.
And no amount of grief could stop time from moving forward.
Two weeks later…
Grief doesn't get easier.
It just gets quieter.
The first few days after my mom died felt like drowning. Every breath hurt. Every room reminded me of her. Every time the phone rang, part of me still hoped it would be Dad telling me everything was going to be okay.
It never was.
It's been two months since I became a vampire.
Two weeks since Barry destroyed my family.
Two weeks since my mother was murdered.
Two weeks since my father disappeared.
Today, we bury her
Kaddn stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the leather jacket that had belonged to his mom.
She used to joke that he stole it more often than she wore it.
Now…
It smelled faintly like her perfume.
Kaden wasn't ready for that to fade.
Around his neck hung the ruby pendant she'd bought for him before he was even born. His initials were engraved on the back. Lola wore the matching ring on her finger.
She'd planned to give them to them on their next birthday.
Instead…
They wore them to her funeral.
Kaden took one last steadying breath before leaving his room.
The scent of fresh coffee and baked pastries drifted up from downstairs, mingling with the quiet murmur of voices. Family members moved through the kitchen and dining room, setting out trays of food for the brunch that would follow the service. No one spoke above a whisper, as though raising their voices might somehow disturb the memory of the woman they had all come to mourn.
As Kaden reached the bottom of the stairs, conversations faded.
One by one, relatives looked up at him.
Some offered small, sympathetic smiles.
Others simply wrapped him in silent hugs.
No words felt big enough for a loss like this.
His grandmother stepped forward and gently cupped his face before pulling him into a tight embrace.
"You look so much like her," she whispered.
Kaden's composure nearly broke.
When she stepped back, her eyes settled on the ruby necklace resting against his chest. A faint smile touched her lips.
"I remember the day your mother picked out that necklace… and Lola's ring," she said softly. "It was only a week before the two of you were born."
Kaden glanced down at the pendant, running his thumb over the engraved initials on the back.
"She told me she'd had a dream," his grandmother continued. "She saw you and Lola all grown up, still living in the townhouse. Your children were playing together in the backyard, laughing the same way you two did."
She smiled through her tears.
"It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever shared with me."
She reached up and gently adjusted the necklace around his neck.
"And when I held you both for the first time…" she whispered, "…I believed every word of it."
Kaden felt tears sting his eyes.
"Your mother had a gift," his grandmother said. "She saw the good in people long before anyone else did."
She squeezed his hand.
"And I believe she passed that gift on to both of you."
For a moment, Kaden couldn't speak.
His throat felt too tight.
Finally, he managed to whisper, "I'll find the man who did this."
His voice grew steadier.
"I'll make him answer for what he took from us."
His grandmother searched his face for a long moment before nodding.
"I know you will."
She kissed his forehead.
"But don't lose yourself trying."
Those words lingered in Kaden's mind as the funeral director quietly announced it was time to leave.
The room fell silent.
One by one, everyone gathered their coats and made their way toward the front door.
Kaden glanced once around the house.
Then he followed his family outside.
minister stepped away from the podium.
"Lola Carrington."
Lola walked to the front, taking a shaky breath as she unfolded a small piece of paper. Her voice trembled through nearly every sentence, but somehow she found the strength to smile while telling stories about their mother's kindness, her terrible singing, and the way she somehow made every holiday feel magical.
By the time she finished, there wasn't a dry eye in the chapel.
Kaden wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she returned to her seat.
"You did great," he whispered.
She nodded, wiping away another tear.
The minister looked toward Kaden.
"Kaden Carrington."
His name echoed through the chapel.
For a moment…
He couldn't move.
Every pair of eyes turned toward him.
His grandmother gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Carter smiled through her tears and nodded.
You can do this.
Kaden rose to his feet.
The walk to the podium felt impossibly long.
He unfolded the speech he'd spent the last two weeks writing.
His hands shook so badly the paper rattled.
He looked down at the words.
Then out at the hundreds of people gathered to celebrate his mother's life.
He took one slow breath.
Most people knew my mom as the person who never stopped smiling.
They knew the woman who remembered birthdays, baked too many cookies, and somehow always knew when something was wrong before anyone else did.
I knew all of that too.
But I also knew the woman who stayed up all night helping me study for exams because she refused to let me fail.
The woman who believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself.
She never tried to make me into someone else.
She just loved me exactly as I was."
The last thing I ever wanted was for today to happen.
I thought I'd have decades before I'd have to stand here.
I thought she'd be sitting in the front row when I graduated.
I thought she'd meet my children someday.
I thought she'd embarrass me at my wedding."
"I don't know how I'm supposed to live in a world without you.
But I promise you this.
I'll protect Lola.
I'll find Dad.
And I will find the man who took you from us.
I love you, Mom.
Always."
Kaden folded the paper with trembling hands.
"I love you, Mom," he whispered. "I always will."
He stepped away from the podium, unable to hold back the tears any longer.
The chapel remained silent.
No one moved.
The only sound was the quiet sobbing that echoed through the pews.
After a long moment, the minister stood and gently placed a hand on Kaden's shoulder.
"Thank you," he said softly. "That was beautiful."
Kaden nodded, unable to speak, and returned to his seat beside Lola. She reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly as he sat down.
The minister stepped back to the front of the chapel.
"Today, we remember not only a life that ended too soon, but a life that touched everyone fortunate enough to know her."
He offered one final prayer as family and friends bowed their heads.
When he finished, the organ began to play one of Kaden's mother's favorite songs.
The pallbearers slowly rose from their seats and walked toward the casket.
The service was over.
One by one, everyone stood.
The casket was lifted onto the pallbearers' shoulders.
Kaden felt his chest tighten as he watched it move toward the chapel doors.
This was it.
The last time he'd see his mother inside the place where everyone had gathered to celebrate her life.
He wasn't ready to say goodbye.
But goodbye had come anyway.
The chapel remained silent.
Even after Kaden returned to his seat beside Lola, no one spoke. The only sounds were muffled sobs and the quiet sniffles of family and friends wiping away tears.
The minister allowed the silence to linger before stepping back to the front.
"Thank you, Kaden," he said softly. "Your mother would have been incredibly proud."
He bowed his head.
"Would everyone please join me in one final prayer?"
Heads lowered throughout the chapel.
Kaden closed his eyes but couldn't bring himself to pray.
He had asked for his mother to be spared.
No one had answered.
As the prayer came to an end, the organ began to play one of his mother's favorite songs.
The pallbearers stepped forward, lifting the casket with practiced care.
Kaden watched them carry her toward the chapel doors.
Every instinct told him to stop them.
To tell them they had the wrong person.
That she was supposed to come home.
Instead…
He followed.
The afternoon air was cool as everyone gathered around the open grave.
White lilies surrounded the polished oak casket. Her favorite flower and the scent of his favorite perfume that she would wear.
Kaden barely heard the minister's final words.
His eyes never left the coffin.
This was really happening.
His mother wasn't coming home.
One by one, family members stepped forward, placing white roses on top of the casket.
When it was Kaden's turn, he knelt beside it.
He rested his hand against the smooth wood for a long moment.
"I miss you already," he whispered.
Then he placed his rose beside Lola's.
The service ended quietly.
Friends embraced one another.
Stories were shared through tears and tired smiles.
Some remembered her laugh.
Others remembered her generosity.
Every memory made Kaden smile…
And hurt all over again.
As the afternoon faded into evening, cars slowly disappeared from the cemetery until only family remained.
By the time they returned to Carter's house, exhaustion had settled over everyone.
Relatives hugged Kaden and Lola one last time before beginning the long drive home.
Their grandmother lingered the longest.
She kissed each of them on the forehead.
"There's something waiting in your rooms," she said with a gentle smile.
"I think your mother would've wanted you to have it today."
Before Kaden could ask what she meant, she was gone.
As the last of the guests pulled out of the driveway, silence settled over the house once again.
The laughter and stories that had filled the afternoon faded with them, leaving behind only the weight of everything that had been lost.
Kaden stood in the foyer for a long moment, staring out the front window.
This morning had begun with saying goodbye.
Somehow…
That hurt even more than the day she'd died.
"You should get some rest," Carter said quietly.
Kaden nodded, though he had no intention of sleeping.
"I'll be upstairs."
His footsteps echoed through the hallway as he climbed the stairs.
When he opened his bedroom door, something immediately caught his attention.
A neatly wrapped box sat in the center of his bed.
Beside it rested a handwritten note.
For my beautiful grandson.
Your mother wanted you to have these one day.
I think today is that day.
Love, Grandma
Kaden carefully untied the ribbon, almost afraid that opening the box would somehow make losing his mother feel even more real.
Inside rested a collage of photographs.
His parents dancing in the kitchen.
Holding newborn Kaden and Lola.
Summers in Stockholm.
Christmas mornings.
Birthdays.
Ordinary moments.
The kind that never seems important until they're all you have left.
He gently unfolded the tissue paper, revealing a charm bracelet that immediately caught his eye. Two small birthstones, one for each of his parents, hung from the silver chain. Resting beside it was the key to their townhouse. Kaden picked it up, turning it over in his hand. It wasn't just a key anymore—it was the last doorway to the life he'd lost.
Kaden sat the photographs on his nightstand and lay back on the bed.
He stared at the ceiling until his eyes slowly drifted shut.
Sleep came quickly.
It never lasted.
He woke to the sound of pages turning.
His heart skipped.
The room was empty.
Kaden moved to the edge of his bed, the charm bracelet still wrapped around his wrist.
He ran his thumb over the two small stones, one representing his mother and one representing his father.
For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine that everything was different.
That his mother would walk through the door.
That his father would be right behind her.
That none of this had ever happened.
But the silence always brought him back.
They were gone.
And he wasn't ready to accept that.
His eyes drifted toward the stack of books he'd brought from the townhouse.
He had spent hours searching through them, looking for anything that could explain Barry, his powers, or what had happened to his family.
He never expected to find something that could give him a chance to see her again.
One book sat open on his desk.
He didn't remember opening it.
The pages were filled with old handwriting and symbols he didn't recognize. Most of it was impossible to understand, but one section caught his attention.
A ritual to communicate with the spirits of those who have passed.
Kaden stared at the words for a long time.
He knew there were risks.
He knew there were rules he didn't understand.
But none of that mattered.
Not when there was even a chance he could hear her voice again.
He cleared a space on the floor and placed the book in the center.
Around it, he arranged candles in a circle, his hands shaking as he worked.
He placed the picture of his mother beside the book.
Not one of the formal pictures from the funeral.
One from years ago.
One where she was smiling.
One where she looked happy.
"I don't know if this will work," he whispered.
His voice cracked.
"But I have to try."
Kaden sat inside the circle and placed his hands over the open pages.
The words felt foreign on his tongue, but somehow familiar at the same time.
He took a shaky breath and began to read.
"Spiritum matris meae imploro…"
The first few words came out quietly.
Then louder.
"Quaeso, loquere mecum…"
The candles flickered.
The air around him changed.
"…desiderio tui afficior."
The room went completely still.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Kaden's heart sank.
Maybe he was wrong.
Maybe there was no way to bring her back.
Then the flames of the candles stretched upward.
The pages of the book began turning on their own.
The charm bracelet around his wrist grew warm.
Kaden looked down as his feet slowly lifted from the floor.
Fear replaced his desperation.
Something was answering.
The candles flickered once.
Then nothing.
The silence that followed felt worse than before.
Kaden stared at the empty space in front of him.
"No…"
His voice cracked.
"Please don't do this."
He looked down at the picture beside him.
"I just need to hear your voice one more time."
Then he touches the bracelet.
His fingers brushed against the ruby charm hanging from his wrist.
The one thing his mother had left him.
The one thing that still felt like a piece of her.
"Mom…"
A tear slipped down his cheek.
"If you're still out there… please."
The second his fingers closed around the charm, the room changed.
Heat spread through the bracelet, almost like it was waking up.
The two birthstones began to glow.
Kaden froze.
This wasn't the spell responding.
It was the bracelet.
Then reveal the family connection later:
The symbols carved into the bracelet began matching the ones written in the spell book.
The Carrington family crest.
The same magic his mother had carried.
The same magic is now flowing through him.
The room filled with light.
Kaden stopped breathing.
A figure began forming in front of him.
A voice he hadn't heard in two weeks whispered his name.
"Kaden…"
Tears filled his eyes.
"Mom?"