Page 93 of Dark Angel

Tobias and Josephine look sideways at each other and shrug. “We have no idea. Tessa left with it, and it hasn’t been found since. For all we know, it disappeared along with her body. I know this is a lot for you to take in Kora. Are you all right?” Josephine asks in her motherly voice.

Kora stares down that the plate half eaten in front of her. The sudden wafts of salt, oil and gravy making her feel queasy. She has the blade. Her mother left it for her. How did Clarence find it if nobody else could? How did Tessa leave it for her if she disappeared with it?

Her eyes well with water and she tries blinking her tears away. They don’t let up, so she allows them to flow freely for the second time today. “What about my brother?” she sobs out through cries.

Jordan sits up suddenly as Tobias and Josephine exchange a look of confusion. “Clarence, well, he knew some of what we told him-”

“No,” Kora looks at them, tears dripping down her face as she shakes her head, “I meanColton.”

Both of their faces drop into blank stares. “What about Colton?”

“Is he dead?” Kora questions them.

“Yes dear. He died as an infant. Tessa told us he was ill and needed to be-” She stops, swallowing loudly.

“Was his body buried anywhere?”

“Dear, why are you asking these questions?” Josephine asks with a concerned look.

Kora sobs even louder at the table, her body quivering uncontrollably. “Because I don’t think he died. I think he was taken.” Not being able to keep it inside of herself any longer.

“Taken!” Josephine exclaims.

“By whom?” Tobias asks.

“The Dark Angels.”

Jordan stands from the table, pushing his chair out fast enough that it falls backwards, crashing against the floor. “Kora, you don’t need to do this, not right now.”

She peers up at him through her blurry vision, “I have to know Jordan. If he’s out there, then I need to know so that I can be the one to stop him.”

“Colton is out there?” Tobias repeats, trying to catch up with them. His face volleying between them.

Jordan’s hands come to rest on her shoulders, “You don’t need to do this right now,” he repeats in a gentler tone, “it’s too much for you to take in.”

“I am trying to figure all of this out. Colton has to be part of this, and I can’t let him destroy the world. I won’t let him.” She breathes out, her chest rising and falling quickly.

Valarie remains her seat, her face just as shocked as the rest of them.

Kora’s chest begins to rattle, her heart beating too quickly for her to handle. Hands shaking, she holds her stomach as her breaths become short and fast. The air suddenly feels thick like soup.

?“Kora,” Josephine’s soft voice speaks out, “just breathe.”

“I. Am. Trying.” She says through her wheezes. Her lungs feel as though they’re being wrung out, squeezed until there’s no air left in them. Her inhales get caught in her throat.

Jordan’s hands steady her as Kora continues to wheeze. “You are panicking, Kora.” He tells her, “You need to rest. Your mind needs to rest.”

She knows he’s right, but she doesn’t want to admit it to herself.

“Jordan, perhaps you should take her upstairs.” Tobias says.

With a nod to his father, Jordan guides her away from the dining room and up the stairs to her room for the night.

Her breathing is shallow yet steady when they reach her door. Tears slowing as she hastily wipes them away with the backs of her hands.

“Are you all right?” he asks calmly.

Kora shakes her head at him. “I feel like I don’t know my parents at all. Were they hiding things for the good of everyone, or were they on the dark side? I can’t tell what to believe anymore. Did they lie to me about my own brother? About themselves?”

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