A/N:
I'm sorry I didn't update last week, and I know excuses don't fix anything. To make it up, I will publish two chapters this week! So prepare yourselves! :D

Additionally, vote, comment and share! I will make a happy dance each time you do so! ^^

P.s. At the start of this chapter we're still in Mirith's hotel room. Happy reading! ;)
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"I'm still curious about one thing. No, two things." Since I never got an answer.

"You can ask me," Nathan encouraged and stretched out his arms next to me; on the soft bed.

I slurped from the cold coffee and began with the main reason why my life turned upside down.
"Why did you tinker with my brain?"

After a long hesitation and few deep breaths, he finally unraveled the secret.
"You tried to kill me."

What?!! "Excuse me, I think I didn't catch it quite right. Can you repeat it?" Disbelief dripping from my face. Me, killing? It doesn't fit together!

"I know it's hard to take in, but this isn't the entire story. Moreover I don't want it all falling down on your shoulders. Let's give it a rest. I'll give you time to process."

Oh, believe me it's already going down.

"No, no, it's alright. I can handle it. Tell me," I insisted, dying to know.

"Okay. How do I say this. Three weeks ago I was looking for David," he began narrating.

"Why?" He actually knows my dad's name. What is his relationship with my dad; with me?

"I had an urgent business. We were going to meet up at your home," he slowly articulated.

So he's close enough to know where we live...
"What would be this urgent for you to rush over to us?" I calmed down, already affected by his soothing tone.

"My brother disappeared."

My eyes widened, a tickle bit astonished that he divulged this much. "Then you should have contacted the police."

"I used a rare spell and replayed the last seconds when he was in our house. In these seconds he was heading over to see your dad. I asked David about it, but he had no clue. So I decided to discuss this matter face to face."

"My dad...Where is he?" I questioned, afraid for the answer I already knew.

"He also disappeared, but he left something I couldn't miss. A twig that wielded a message."

Definitely something my old man would do. The twig was my practice partner, one that would never float; never do as I wish. For years it experienced how incompetent I was in magic. It witnessed my desperate looks, my burst outs at dad, but it also witnessed my perseverance, our make ups.

My eyes averted from the ground to Nathan, a signal that he had to go on.

"Nathan, I'm afraid I don't have much time. Take care of my daughter, I will distract them."

"That's what David's message contained. For his sake and mine's I searched for you all day and night." He scratched his neck, obviously exposing he was nervous for what to come. He had no reason, I was way more fretful.

He rambled on, "But when I finally encountered you, you were like a rogue slayer on a rampage. You had a bat in your hands and you looked possessed."

"How on earth... " I muttered.

"I highly suspect it had something to do with magic."

My voice vibrated with anxiety, "Did I kill people?" The last word softly like a stroke of wind.

He heaved a sigh. "I don't know."

My eyes stared at the dried blood on my hands. It can't be that this is evidence of the victims I'd created, can it?
I was going to vomit again, so I sprinted to the bathroom. RIP another spotless toilet.

Nathan stood patiently at ten feet from me, holding a glass of water. An offer I gratefully took.

"You're okay?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice. The cold water refreshed my burning throat as I washed away the remnants of my puke.

"Want some medicine? Because seriously it's the second time. Someone would think you're pregnant." he laughed showing his dimples. A laugh you would never grow tired of.

I sucker punched him on his chest. "I hope no kid would have you as a father, because your humour is terrible." Even worse than Gordon's.

"Hey it was not that bad?"

"And I thought you were humourless, while in fact you just suck at it." I roffled. He looked offended, guess nobody said that to him before.

Then a flicker of joy in his eyes gave away it was an act. "You're not the first one to say so." He chuckled. "Killian used to point out that weakness all the time."

Hmm... Killian, the name rang some bells. Where have I heard that before?

"But seriously, it didn't suck to the extent you would take away my rights to parenting, did it?" He clearly couldn't get over it.

"Maybe I exaggerated a tiny bit." My thumb and index finger showing the amount.

"Didn't you have another question?" He reminded me.

"Yes, indeed." I would have forgotten with the revelation of the big secret. "Who are you, Nathan?" What role did you have in my life?

Our private chitchat ended when Gordon showed that he's alive and kicking as well.

Nathan let him in and forgot answering or was he avoiding the topic?

The first thing Gordon said was, "Oh it smells here like rotten eggs. What died in here?"

He walked inwards. His eyes met not-so-fresh-looking me and he waved as a greet.

I waved back. Probably not that good of an idea, because he inched back. So this happens when I'm not ignoring him.

"Please tell me you hunted down mosquitos. Oh, never mind they'll most likely freeze to little ice cubes here in the clouds."

Oh shoot; stupid me, silly me. How could I forget! I hurriedly washed away the blood.

"Just leave," I commanded.

Gordon wanted to protest, but Nathan pushed him towards the door.

"Whatever happened with the dream, we'll figure out. We're going to the city, so meet us in the lobby in twenty minutes," Nathan ordered. I caught a last glimpse of his face before the wooden door clicked close.

☆......................................................................................................☆

"I never imagined there would be a city in worlds biggest betting place," I said in awe. We were strolling through a market in the central city of Cloudpark.

"Really? Weird, it's just the same as casino's in a hotel, like Las Vegas many years ago. But the whole gambling system stopped functioning due to the invasion of magic," Gordon, the expert answered.

I stopped following them, captivated at a fruit stall. Nathan impatiently glared at me. So there was no time for this either.
"As you wish," I muttered voiceless and laid down the apple.

I continued the talk with Gordon, "I see... So the city is basically for addicts like you, Gordon?" My comment let Nathan snort in amusement.

"What? That's not it. There are also people who just wanted to escape their lives, earth. You know, ex-convicts, wanted people, aimless wanderers..."

"I understand why ex-convicts and wanted people would come here." There's no magic, no tracking down. What Nathan did is an exception.
"But still what's so good about this place?"

"Simple. They don't charge you for living in this cloud-city if you build your own house or get a passed down house. No taxes, no rents, an ideal living place. You only have to fulfil one condition," Gordon replied with traces of a proud citizen.

"And that is?"

"Your coin-reserve may not empty."

It made sense, when comparing with a hotel/casino, you'll also leave or be kicked out if your money dried up.

"So that's why you went to change for extra coins," I said to Nathan.

"Safety measures," Nathan affirmed.

"Give me some too!" I demanded.

"Why? Half of it is already noted under your face. Or you don't trust me?"

"I trust you, I really do. But can't you just regard it as my way of safety measures?"

Nathan grabbed my hand and let exactly five coins tingle on my palm. "I'm keeping the rest."

"Good," I responded, satisfied to have at least some kind of power; money power.

"Ehh guys... Men in grey, two o'clock," Gordon reported, ready for a run or better a fly.

Nathan also took out his board from the backpack. Without hesitation I took place behind him. There were five of them and three of us, minus Gordon and me. What's left? Oh boy, where is that team Nathan mentioned?!