Zade was nervous as he walked down the hallway behind his uncle. Today was the D-day, and also the day his parents would end up realizing he's actually alive.
"Are you excited, kid?" Uncle Max threw over his shoulder at a timid looking killian. He had thought the kid would be excited this morning to surprise his family with his presence.
Zade managed a grin as he nodded. "I am, just nervous about the exam." He lied, and his uncle nodded in understanding.
"Don't be nervous, it would alright, and don't focus too hard on it. Try to have fun in the middle to make it memorable as well." His uncle rambled off, and Zade kept nodding till they finally stopped in front of the family room where his family were currently waiting in.
They were waiting for Uncle Max's surprise. He left this room a few minutes ago after asking them to wait, because he had a surprise to reveal to them here.
"Ready?" He said to Zade who gulped emptily before nothing.
In the very next moment, his uncle threw the door open and they both stepped into the room.
The entire family's eyes were on Zade at once, and Zade noticed the moment realization dawned on them. They appeared to have been frozen from shock, and their mouths were hanging open.
The father and the head of the family looked shocked, like he had seen a ghost. For the head of a family, he had no backbone and readily followed whatever decision his wife made. In the novel, this man didn't start to hate this character till his wife asked him to stop treating him like a son when they now have an actual son.
The mother, who fed him the poison two days ago, literally fell out of her seat, her eyes blown wide from sheer disbelief and confusion.
"H- he's not dead?" She managed to whisper.
Max grinned as he spoke. "No, he's not! He said he suddenly woke up and was completely healthy. Isn't he such a miracle child?!" The love was clear in uncle Mac's voice.
His mother's lips thinned as she got to his feet, instantly followed by her husband.
"Why did you keep this away from us then?!" She yelled, and Zade noticed her hands shook a little.
Max frowned, because none of these people looked happy. He had thought they'd be bursting with happiness and excitement after this surprise, but they almost looked… disappointing?
"We wanted to surprise you, it was his idea, but I thought it was pretty cool. Why isn't anyone embracing the kid?"
Max was starting to get a little irritated at this point as he continued. "The kid is participating in this year's annual exam. That's actually why he's dressed up. If no one is gonna embrace him or something, let him leave for the exams right now then."
The parents looked more furious right now, along with their son Cyrus. Cyrus was glaring so hard at Zade, that if looks could kill, he'd be underneath the ground right now.
"What? He'll do no such thing!" The mother bellowed angrily, her veins protruding in her neck from her anger.
Max's frown deepened even more. This was not the reaction he was expecting at all.
"Why?" He asked, folding his arms. He took a glance at Zade and was relieved to see he was crying or something. If he was in Zade's shoes at this age, he might have broken down.
He was an easy crier.
"Because he'll only bring shame to this family's name. He has been disabled for almost a decade, and during those years, he never got any teaching or training. Him attending the exam would only bring us ridicule because he'd end up failing anyway." The mother bit out through gritted teeth.
Zade's heart fell into his stomach at those words.
Max huffed and went to stand beside Zade, getting the urge to shield the child from those words. He was surprised by how cruel his sister sounded.
"I don't know why you sound like that. He won't bring shame to anyone. Just let him participate in the exam, I already enrolled him with your husband's name."
"My decision is final, he won't be participating no matter what! Cyrus is participating this year, he'll make the family proud, we don't need him bringing shame to Cyrus when the exam is going on with his presence. He doesn't have magic to top it all…"
She was still speaking when her brother cut her off. "Heavens, is he not your child too?? I thought you loved him? You were literally crying when you thought he was dead…"
She pursed her lips this time. "I do love him. That's why I'm making him stay back. It's for his own good, brother. Believe me."
Zade has grown more anxious at this point. It felt like he might puke or faint from how nervous he felt.
"Just let him go," Max pressed but his sister shook her head again.
"No, and my decision is final."
"I really want him to participate. It would make him really happy, and I'm certain Cyrus would be happy to be leaving the house with his brother for the first time in so long."
Cyrus shook his head fast. "I won't." He instantly pointed out.
As Max stared between them, he was starting to see things he was blind to before, but now wasn't the time to unpack those.
"Well, he's gonna still participate." Uncle Max affirmed when Zade began to think was almost lost, and again, hope reared its head in his chest like a budding rose.
"It won't be under our name then. If you're so concerned about him, you'll have to register him under your name. You'll also agree to adopt him from us. That way, once he fails the exams and returns a failure, he'll be linked to you and not us. I'm sure you won't want that, brother."
Max only rolled his eyes. "I don't mind him using my name, and as for adopting him, isn't that a little too hasty? He's your first born after all…"
His sister shook her head firmly. "My first born is Cyrus. And that's my ultimatum. If you still want him to participate, agree to enroll him in with your name and also agree to adopt him after the exam."
Zade stopped breathing at this point.
But Max was furious right now. He couldn't believe he was so blind to the fact that these people never loved this kid, and he briefly wondered if that was why the kid asked him to keep the news of him being alive a secret from his parents? Has he gotten used to being treated like this? Because the kid doesn't even look surprised, only resigned.
Max stepped forward with a firm nod as he spoke, his mind already made up. "Alright, I'll have your name removed from his registration form and have mine included, and I agree to adopt him after the exam."
Zade almost cried from relief as those words washed over him.
His sister clearly hadn't expected him to agree, so she visibly flattered before asking to speak to him privately. He ended up stepping out of the room with the couple, leaving the two boys to themselves.
"Are you sure about this, Max? Remember you're still single. No woman would want to get together with someone that has an adopted son, especially a freak with no magic like him."
Max was pissed right now. "Actually, can you stop talking about the kid like that? He's mine now, so I don't appreciate those words. He's not a freak, and I do hope he can prove you all wrong at the exam. But even if he doesn't, all would still be fine."
His sister didn't respond till a few seconds then she scoffed, while her husband nodded in what she was yet to even say.
"You'll definitely regret this." She finally bit out before turning away and walking out.
After the adults left them alone, Cyrus approached Zade and shoved him unprovoked, his face in a scowl.
"Why are you alive? I was really glad to hear you died!" He gritted out and Zade rolled his eyes.
In the novel, Cyrus bullied this side character so much with the encouragement of his mother.
But now, Zade definitely won't let the bullying fly, but he wouldn't retaliate just yet. He was gonna control himself from beating Cyrus up till after the exams, no matter how hard it was.
"Picking on me won't make you stronger." Zade said to Cyrus who shoved him again, before pointing a hand at him.
"Just be sure to stay out of my way at the exams no matter what! Disgusting, magicless freak." He bit out just as the adults returned. Cyrus' mother returned to his side while uncle Max went to Zade, asking if he was okay and he nodded.
The carriage was waiting for them outside, and they all went outside to it. Even if Zade was no longer going in his family name, he'd still be riding with Cyrus. He was beyond glad that he was now adopted by uncle Max and he made sure to thank him for fighting hard for him and agreeing to the ultimatum. Uncle Max ruffled his hair and assured him it was fine with a warm grin.
It was a little weird to get his hair ruffled since Zade wasn't an actual kid, but he couldn't possibly reject it.
Cyrus boarded the carriage first and before Zade could, the mother suddenly asked to speak to him privately, then she was pulling him back into the house, instantly locking the door after her. Zade was panicking hard and hoping she wouldn't just stab him or something. However, she slapped him hard across the face and demanded how he survived the poison.
Zade feigned ignorance and claimed to have slept and woke up well. She ended up visibly relaxing, then she grabbed his chin roughly and warned him to completely stay out of her son's way, and that she'd successfully kill him this time if he dare try to take the attention from her son. She also reminded him to never delude myself into thinking he could ever be better than her son, then she was letting him go.
When they both emerged, Zade's uncle asked if he was fine. He couldn't possibly say no in her presence, and because he didn't want to prolong this further, so he nodded. He wished Zade good luck and bidded him goodbye, and that he'll see him at the revealing ceremony.
Then Zade finally boarded the carriage.