Every time I think I can have a quiet morning, something or someone proves me wrong. Whether it’s a giant cat on my chest or an unexpected guest barging in, life at the Stormbourne Estate can never be too boring.

‘Meow.’

Perfect. A cat. On my chest. The tip of my nose itches. I try to ignore it, but ignoring this cat is like trying to ignore a pebble in your shoe.

‘Meow.’

It was louder this time, the mewling sounding resentful. I rubbed my nose, still stubborn about opening my eyes. But then, here came the clincher.

“Bwather, wake up!”

Last time I checked, cats weren’t supposed to talk. Naturally, I had to take a look. I peeled one eye open only to be greeted by the fattest furball ever, peering back at me with those beady eyes.

“Arghhh!” I bolted upright, and the oversized furball leaped off me like I was a sinking ship after, of course, using my face as a springboard.

“What the hell!” I yelled, more to myself than anyone else. Seriously, this was how my day started?

“Why you scat Nibbles away?”

I turned toward the voice. A four-year-old girl with her mouth pouting, kneeling on my bed. I tilted my head the other way. Nibbles was cleaning his face with his paws.

I looked back at Alice, my little sister. Her hair was the brightest blonde, shining when the sun touched it. Mom used to style it in playful pigtails that bounced with every run she took. Her blue eyes fizzled with mischief, and a smile played at the corner of her lips, displaying a couple of tiny white teeth. A blameless appearance that made everyone forgive her for whatever naughty things she had done.

But, of course, that wouldn’t work with me. Whether she was fair or not, comely or homely, even if she were a noble heiress or a princess who chirped sweetly, I wouldn’t be swayed by her prettiness. I’d smack down with such prettiness. So, I did. I picked Alice up and then tossed her back onto the bed. Her laughter burst out uncontrollably as she had far too much fun. “Do it again, do it again!” she squealed.

“Sure thing!” I did the move once more. This time, both of us laughed. Her out of pure joy, me out of gratitude that the day was not over.

“So why are you and Nibbles in my house?”

“Because she wants to meet you.”

That voice belonged to my other sister, Aeryn, slouching idly against my bedroom door. The second sibling in our family had only passed her nineteenth birthday a month ago. Like Alice, Aeryn had blonde hair, permanently set in gentle waves draped over her back. And like Alice’s, her eyes were of a blue hue, perceptive and striking. As the second-oldest in our family, she carried herself with a composed stylishness. There was a quiet, strong self-assuredness about her, graceful, not loudly ostentatious, much like our mom.

“You rarely visit the main house, so Alice misses your sorry face,” Aeryn added, crossing her arms and tilting her head, as if daring me to deny it.

“Really?” I reached for Alice again to mess with her some more, but she scrunched up her nose and sniffed at my shirt as though I was a week-old laundry pile.

“Bwather, you smell funny.”

I looked down at myself. Same shirt I had worn last night. Oh, and that wonderful reminder. The tavern, the old geezer, and the lump on my head. Yep, right on schedule.

“Arghhh!” I exclaimed loudly, rubbing the tender spot as if I could massage the memory away. Of course, it didn’t help in any way.

“What’s wrong, Bwather?” Alice asked, wide-eyed once more, tugging at my sleeve as though I might pull apart right then and there. Meanwhile, Aeryn arched an eyebrow, still with her arms defiantly crossed, giving me that look.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going mental again, Alex,” Aeryn remarked, slightly sarcastic this time. She kept her sharp gaze fixed on me as if she could read my mind.

“That bloody old geezer—” I started, trying to remember the guy’s face, but nothing doing. It was like my memory had decided to play hide and seek with me and had undeniably won.

Aeryn wasn’t amused. “Alex, must you always use bad language around Alice? What if she repeats it to Dad?”

Cue inevitable disaster. Alice was already bouncing on my bed, her tiny voice echoing the worst words she could have picked up. “Bloody old jeezer! Bloody old jeezer!”

Shoot! If Alice said that in front of my old man, I was a goner.

“Alice, no!” I dashed over, trying to catch her in mid-jump, but missed as she hopped out of my reach.

“Bloody old jeezer!” she repeated, clearly having fun at my expense.

Aeryn shook her head. “You’re officially screwed, Alex. Dad’s going to have a fit if he hears her saying that.”

I glared at Alice, trying to appear serious. “Repeat after me, and you’re banned from my house.” Not that it’s really a house. It’s more of a mini-mansion.

Let me make this clear. Our estate is not merely a collection of fancy houses. No, it’s almost like its own little kingdom. The main house? Massive. It’s as if they tried to pack the space of three mansions into one. Then there are guesthouses all over the place, each one reflecting the eccentricity of whoever lived in them. There are even a couple of greenhouses filled with all sorts of strange exotic plants, probably things you’ve never seen before, a fruit orchard, and, well, a cemetery. Because what would the Stormbourne Estate be without keeping your dead relatives nearby?

Each of us siblings had a little mansion of our own hid in some corner of the estate. Everyone but Alice, that is. She was still stuck in the main house with our parents. It was like an individual statement in stone and wood for each sibling’s place. As far as our spaces were concerned, we all gathered together when it mattered. Festivals, special occasions, and so on. It was like living in a small town where everyone had their own spot, but we all came together for the big stuff.

So there we were, Alice and I, having one of those sibling moments. She was pouting, her lips pressed together in that way that always made me cave. She knelt beside me again, nodding her head halfheartedly.

“You swear?” I raised an eyebrow. She knew better than to mess with me on this.

“Okay, I swear,” she mumbled, looking up at me with those big blue eyes.

“Good girl,” I sighed, but couldn’t stop myself from melting at the sight of her little crumpled-up face. “Okay, you can say it to Uncle Ned. Only to Uncle Ned. And I’ll do whatever you want me to, but only once. Deal?”

Not a soul in my family would let this offer slide by. All my siblings pretty much hated that old dude. The guy was a walking disaster of bad jokes and constant complaints. Personally, I’d wager Mom and Dad secretly joined in, just desperate to keep me from heading into town every evening.

Alice’s face lit up like a lantern, and she clapped her hands. “Okay, only to Uncle Ned!” Aeryn, meanwhile, was chuckling in the background. She found, no doubt, this whole scene way too amusing.

I turned to her and arched an eyebrow. “Do you know how I got back to my house last night?”

Aeryn laughed softly once more and shook her head. “Not a clue. Why don’t you ask Alfred? He’s bound to know who dragged your drunken self back to the estate.”

Alfred was my slave… sorry, I mean my butler. He handled everything in the house. If anyone knew how I got back to my house last night, it would be him.

Just then, Alice tugged on my sleeve again. “Bwather, bwather.”

“What’s up, cutie?” I glanced at her.

She looked at me, her little brow furrowed. “Why is your hair dark, unlike mine and Sis’?” It wasn’t just them, either. The rest of my family all had golden hair too.

Aeryn jumped in, saving me from fumbling through an explanation. “Well, dear, some of our ancestors had black hair.” There was one in particular, Theodore, our great-great-granduncle. He had black hair and brown eyes, just like Alex.

Alice squinted at her, obviously suspicious. “Really?”

Aeryn nodded, humming her confirmation. “Really.”

I turned to Aeryn, one eyebrow cocked. “Theodore? You’ve seen his portrait, Aeryn?”

“I have,” she confirmed with a nod. “There is a picture of him in one of the books in the library. And, by the way, Alex, great-great-granduncle Theodore was a little thin on top.” She smiled at me. I returned her smile, grateful that she had answered Alice’s question.

Maybe there was some truth to that old Alistair story after all. The one about the curse with the Stormbournes’ fourth child. I probably need to apologize for what I did to him back then. Hmm… On second thought, he most likely has forgotten about it.

Wait a minute! My eyebrows shot to my hairline. That man was the fourth child, and so was I. Is it possible that when I get older, just like him, I would be bald? Maybe the curse comes with being bald too.

“Arghhh!” I ran my fingers through my hair frantically. I couldn’t help but think, the curse is already starting to take effect.

“Ay bwather! What’s wrong now?” Alice shook my body.

At the same time, Aeryn burst out laughing. She seemed to get why I was freaking out.

“Nothing, Alice,” I said, trying to reassure her, although suddenly my stomach growled. “Ah, better take my breakfast. My stomach is crying for help.”

“Breakfast?” Aeryn chuckled under her breath, darting her eyes over to my bedside clock. “Look at the time, dude.”

I tilted my head sideways. “What? It’s already two in the afternoon?” I smacked my forehead. “Okay, you two, I need a bath. So get out of my room and get out of my house. I’ll see both of you later.”

“Okay, Bwather.” Alice slid off the bed unwillingly. Her small feet landed on the floor with a muted thud.

“Come along, dear,” Aeryn said, taking my little sister’s hand. The two of them started toward the door. As she began to close the door behind her, Aeryn cast one last glance over her shoulder at me and grinned, then left me alone in quiet once more.

I took off my shirt. The air was cool. I unbuttoned my pants, and that’s when I saw Nibbles out of the corner of my eye, peering at me from across the room where he now sat upon my dresser. His eyes narrowed into twin emerald slits with a flicking tail. ‘Meow.’

“Alice!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “You forgot your big, fat cat!”