Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Heather & Co., painting warm gold across the sleek glass table where Forsythia sat. The city skyline shimmered beyond, clear and sharp against a flawless blue sky.
"Dad," she asked, her tone gentle but curious, "why did you give me this? What's the story behind it?"
Heather, leaned back in his sofa chair, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "The Heathers," he said, "are the ones who keep that ring safe, you can call us Protectors of the ring. Our family has done so for generations."
He glanced briefly at the bright horizon before continuing. "My father told me that our clan's founding ancestor, the first Heather to hold it, made a promise—an unbreakable one—to someone long ago. Since then, it's been passed down as a legacy. A duty."
Sitting on Forsythia's shoulder, Aldric, looked up, and chirped suddenly, wings flapping, eyes sparkling, "Squeak.. What was the name of that first ancestor of yours?"
Heather's gaze grew distant, as if reaching through centuries of memory. "His name was… Caelric Heather"
The name seemed to hang in the warm, sunlit air. Aldric's expression shifted, a flicker of recognition breaking in his icy blue bird eyes.
"That name," he chirped, flapping his wings, "Squeak.. I know it. He was my junior brother… back when I trained in the sect. We had the same master."
The golden afternoon made the office feel alive, yet the conversation had turned heavy.
Heather and Forsythia sat frozen for a moment, the quiet hum of the city below muffled by the weight of Aldric's words. They had just learned that the ring they were supposed to keep passing on to the next generation until someone worthy unravels the secrets. And the secret the ring was hiding had such relationship with their family.. they had never imagined.
Heather leaned forward, brow furrowed as if piecing together a puzzle. "There must have been a reason for that," he said slowly. "Other than being your junior brother. Someone else have asked him to keep the ring safe… and the ancestor never told anyone what was inside. That either means he himself didn't know… or that he wanted to keep it hidden until you got the chance to get out of the ring."
For a heartbeat, the room felt still. Outside, sunlight reflected in dazzling shards off the surrounding skyscrapers, almost blinding in its intensity.
Aldric's gaze shifted to the light, and a faint, bitter thought flickered his mind. "Only," he said, his voice low, "Squeak.. it took far too long for me to meet the right person who could get me out of it. Squeak.. I finally got out…" He paused, the sunlight catching in his eyes like a spark of something ancient and tired. "But at what cost? Nobody else I knew would be alive after a millennium." sad chirp.
He gave a short, dry laugh, sharp as glass breaking. It was the kind of laugh a man gives when the joke is on himself. Although it was in bird voice, but you could feel the sadness it carried.
Forsythia's eyes softened. "I'm… sorry, Aldric. For everything you went through. But you don't have to feel alone anymore. You have me, my family, my friends—we're all going to be your friends and family now."
She smiled, hoping it might draw him out of that self-mocking gloom.
Aldric turned his head sharply, hiding the faint flush on his fur cheeks. "Tch—stupid little girl, Squeak" he said, faking a gruff anger that fooled no one.
Heather chuckled at the exchange, the sound warm and unguarded. Then, as if remembering something important, he leaned forward. "The reason…" He paused, catching both of their attention. The sunlight framed him in a bright halo, making the moment feel almost ceremonial.
"The reason I gave you the ring," he continued, "is simple. Because to me, you are the next successor of the family business… and the legacy of our ancestors. Even though you haven't awakened your powers yet."
Forsythia felt her chest tighten. The weight of her father's words wrapped around her—equal parts pride and responsibility. She had expected skepticism, perhaps even dismissal, the way her mother so often treated her. Instead, he looked at her with unshaken faith.
"And before I forget," Heather added, his tone shifting, "let me ask you… how did you let out Lord Aldric from the ring, without your powers?"
Forsythia froze. The question cut clean through her relief. Her fingers tightened into a fist, and a knot of nerves twisted in her stomach. She could not give him the whole truth—not if it risked hurting and making him sad.
But she also knew something else: if she let even the smallest detail slip, her father would read the truth with the precision of a blade. He might just go and kill Lucas, no questions asked.
And that's something she wanted to do with her own two hands, but, not before she asked him about everything that she wanted to know. What was the deal between him and her mother. she wanted to know both of their own selfish reasons.
"um.. I.." Forsythia stuttered. The air conditioning was turned on but she somehow felt sweat forming on her back, Aldric saw this and instructed her through telepathy "Squeak, say that you cut your finger while you were cutting apple or something, make something up.. quick.. or are you thinking about telling him the truth? Squeak.. stupid girl.."
Forsythia looked up and met with her father's worried eyes and said "While I was cutting apple last night.. I cut my finger when i was not paying attention and somehow the blood got on the ring.. and then I passed out.. When I woke up in the morning I met the baby bird.. and he explained everything to me."
Heather narrowed his eyes, obviously not believing the whole story his daughter just told him. "Why were you having the apple at night? Didn't you eat dinner?"
***