Chapter 37. Mourning the Loss

Ivan sat at the counter with a glass of vodka before him. He traced his finger over the mouth of it, reminiscing about everything that had happened so far.

He couldn’t think about Xoe’s death; it would be too painful, but he could think about the little time they spent together and how she made him feel while she still lived. It wouldn’t change reality, but it would make him feel better, even if for a little while.

He had never felt this much pain. The loss of the wise one was one thing, but the loss of Xoe was another.

Today had changed everything, and now he felt fate had robbed him of the sacred things in life. After meeting Xoe, he thought he would experience what the other “normal” Harts experience: being with someone, but he never got the chance.

He wasn’t like the rest of the Harts; he was different, and that made him keep to himself. He was the only human among them. He felt different for a long time, but his siblings did their best to not leave him o