I packed all my belongings into my luggage. We were going to move to somewhere I didn’t even know. It might be the place which would be safer than living in this town but I couldn’t stop wondering about that new place. Would it be safe for me? I just want to run away from here, because there was no reason of staying anymore. I lost my best friend because of a guy and I had no one else anymore except for my grandfather and Taehyung.

I peeked out from window and saw how busy my grandfather’s men moving our stuffs into a van. We decided to left all of the furniture as my grandfather said, his house in Gottfried has everything that we need later. I just agreed to him because I didn’t have any right to object, anymore, even to my own self. I just followed everything that my grandfather had already planned for me.

I searched for Grove Academy on Google but I didn’t find any information about the school. The name of the school is somewhat odd and creepy. It didn’t sound wrong if I stated the school as a haunted place or an academy of ghost. Sighing in frustration, I turned off my laptop. I dragged my legs and lazily walked out from my room; heading to my mom’s room. For the past few weeks and even for now, I didn’t have the urge to peek in her room, and I kept on avoiding the said place. I couldn’t bring myself to check on her belongings and the memories in the room yet again; I peeked in just a little; imagining she was sleeping soundly on the bed.

I turned the doorknob and much to my own surprise, her clothes were all over the floor and it looked like someone had barged into her room to search for something. We had never put our steps here ever since she died and this was beyond everything I had expected it to be. Knowing my mom, she would never leave her room untidy and this was something far from her own likings.

My eyes wandered around the room and something caught my eyes.

A letter which was on the nightstand that had me to shuffle over and quickly took it. It smelled like a dead rose or rather smelled like death, I could tell.

The curiosity was growing inside me, surging with so much power that made me unfold the said letter and the note was making my eyes widen by their own.

BE CAREFUL, WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR DAUGHTER.

I wanted to just crumple it and throw it into the trash bin but no, this was something I needed to keep only to myself maybe just for today then I folded back the letter—putting it in my pocket. I would show it to grandfather later. It might be a key to know more about everything that confusing me, even I; myself didn’t really know what in the world actually happened to my family, my own self either.

I took several clothes belonged to my mom in the closet, which it would be things I kept as the last memory I had with my mom—scurried to the door and I closed the door behind me.

I will miss you mom.

This was my last night here.

The journey was incredibly long and I fell asleep several times on Taehyung’s shoulder. I knew he was smiling secretly while playing with my hair—I felt guilty owing to the fact he has feelings for me and he was my servant—and Shadow hunters should not fall in love with his master. Well, I’m now starting to learn how to accept this as one of my fate and yes, my secret life. That moment when I left my old house—I knew I should do this. I really wanted to know who killed my mother—as for my father, I already know, it was my people’s fault. Ops! Did I just address them as ‘my people’?

The car drove by Anthony, one of my grandfather’s chauffeurs, crossed a bridge into a wooded area, past rocky streams and the occasional log cabin. My legs stuck to the leather seat as I gazed out the window. The thickets of trees, which normally would have looked pretty, now only seemed dark and forbidding.

Finally, the car slowed, Anthony made a turn and took a right side. At the end was a big white mansion surrounded by acres and acres of perfectly groomed lawns. We parked in front of a marble fountain. Off to the right, two men in blood red uniforms were crouched beneath a rosebush with spades and garden clippers.

I was in awe, looking at the house and its surroundings. It was like a dream comes true. I was always dreaming of living in big mansion and enjoy my life like there’s no tomorrow—but I guessed I wasn’t here to enjoy. I came all the way to find my mom’s killer. I know it has something that is hidden which no one could really explain along with mother’s death. I had only seen houses this big on television, which I assumed had been filmed somewhere in French countryside or the English moors. Never had I believed that they existed in here, or even more incredibly, that my grandfather owned one.

The foreign feeling I was having right then was like I just stepped in the world which far from reality. I could tell everything seemed too surreal yet I was blinking my eyes rapidly and as I tapped on my chin I could still feel my index finger was a bit sticky probably because of the sweat, yes, my hand got sweaty yet I did not know why.

                “Miss Winters.” Anthony greeted me politely as he opened the passenger’s door. I flashed a small smile at him before bringing myself out from the car and my jaw was still dropping, I couldn’t believe it.

                “This is our house.” My grandfather said as he stood next to me and Taehyung also got out from the car only to stand next to me, I was sandwiched by the two persons I love, yet I couldn’t bring myself happier than when I was still a kid, because my life had been utterly complicated since my mother’s death until now.

                “Ours?”

                “Yes, ours. Come, your Aunt Teressa is waiting for you for dinner.”

The front door opened into a large hall with checkered floors and heavy light fixtures. Thick drapes framed the windows; letting hazy light filled the room. Two staircases broke off on either side of the hall and led up to the east and west wings, demarcated by a compass rose engraved in the wall between them. On the wall, there was a big clock, its brass pendulum swinging languidly.

I walked past the living room to dining hall and I saw a family picture. I stopped for a while, eyeing the picture. There was grandfather, Aunt Teressa and that man—the weird man in my dreams. Speak of him, I never dreamt about him these days—and somehow, I missed him. The weird man.

                “That’s your father.” Taehyung said. I looked upon Taehyung and tried for a smile yet it came out as a smirk plastered on my lips. He patted my head and took me by hand to the dining hall.

                “How long did you work for this family?”

                “For hundred and fifty years I guess? I am the longest. There are lots of shadow hunters working for Winters, but I’m the longest.” He emphasized.

                “What? Hundred fifty? Oh my god.” I remarked.

                “Why? I look very young huh?” he laughed lightly. “I’m hundred sixty eight years old this year.”

                “That’s amazing. You don’t look like hundred sixty eight years old, at all.” I blurted out my thoughts. “Well, it’s incredible.”

He laughed and released my hand as he bow to Aunt Teressa. Teressa quirked a smile at me and ran to me—while greeting me with open arms. “Oh my de