Page 54 of Moros

It was black with a red dragon wrapped around it. The head and mouth of the dragon acted as the latch the lock it.

It was empty.

“Okay, I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that this whole thing has something to do with your parents.” Khadri sniffed at a bottle sitting on the bedside table, now covered in dust.

The lamp was a Tiffany.

We entered what looked like a library. The shelves were bare, the desk was empty and the room looked as if there was an attack and it had gotten the brunt of the madness.

“Why is this room like this?” I turned around, trying to see anything.

“I’m not sure.” He used a nail to pull open one of the desk drawers. “Something happened here—it looks as if someone was looking for something and it’s fresh.”

“How do you know?”’

Khadri pointed. “The dust—it’s been disturbed.”

He handed me his phone to take pictures around the room, especially ta safe that sat open. It was magically spotless, which didn’t seem right.

If it had been hanging open all these years, it should have dead bugs, cobwebs, dust.

Someone opened it recently and removed everything that was inside.

Or did they open it and found it bare?

“My parents couldn’t be the ones sending killers after me.” I spoke as we descended the stairs together. “So, what does this mean?”

“It means either someone who knew your parents and their secrets is now after you,” Khadri said. “Or?—”

“Or?”

We stopped at the foot of the staircase and I faced him.

“I don’t?—”

“Khadri. Say it.”

“Or your parents are alive.”

I scoffed.

“My parents aren’t alive.” I shook my head and opened the heavy front doors.

The temperature had fallen but it wasn’t cool enough to do anything for me. A gust of wind sent rain in on me and I squealed, then flailed.

“I used to love the rain.” I sighed.

“Used to?”

I nodded.

“Tell me, Shorty.” Khadri pressed his body to my back. “Have you ever gotten it on in the backseat of a truck?”

I blushed.

“Khadri Weston!”

“Mm?”