Chapter 1868

"That’s him."

Jude looked at the boy.

"Who?"

The child whispered:

"The one who opened the door."

The figure outside raised its hand.

A ring glimmered on one finger.

Jude recognised it.

The silver ring worn by the man from the little room.

The one who had made the first promise.

The one who had called Jude his son.

The one who had appeared behind the nameless door.

The figure pressed its palm against the window.

Then a voice came from outside.

"It’s time."

The child on the bed immediately stood.

"No."

The figure tilted its head.

"Come here."

The four Sols stepped in front of the child.

The figure looked at them.

"You have done well."

The first Sol shook his head.

"We don’t want to go."

"You must."

The second Sol held his pendant.

"We want to stay with Jude."

The figure looked towards Jude.

"Then he must choose."

Jude stepped forward.

"Choose what?"

The figure’s voice became gentle.

"Which child comes with you."

The four Sols went still.

The child on the bed slowly sat down.

Jude looked at the figure.

"I’m not choosing between them."

"Then none will leave."

"That’s your problem."

The figure seemed amused.

"You sound like him."

"Like who?"

The figure pressed its hand harder against the glass.

"Like the first Keeper."

Jude shook his head.

"I’m not the first Keeper."

"No?"

The figure’s hand moved down the window.

A silver line appeared beneath its palm.

"Then why do you carry his memories?"

Jude said nothing.

The figure continued.

"Why do you carry his promises?"

The silver line widened.

"Why do you carry his fear?"

The window began to crack.

"And why do you carry his name?"

The child on the bed looked towards Jude.

"Don’t let him inside."

The figure smiled.

"I’m already inside."

The floor beneath Jude’s feet trembled.

A second window appeared on the opposite wall.

Then a third.

Then a fourth.

Each showed a different scene.

In the first, Jude stood on the beach, finding Sol.

In the second, Jude sat beside the fire with the twelve women.

In the third, Jude stood beneath the tree, holding a wooden bird.

In the fourth, Jude was sitting at the table in the first house.

The scenes began changing.

In the beach scene, the child was already waiting before Jude arrived.

In the village scene, the twelve women were looking towards a thirteenth chair.

In the tree scene, the wooden bird had no eyes.

In the dining room scene, Jude was not sitting at the table.

Someone else was.

The figure outside spoke.

"Every memory has a beginning."

The windows changed again.

"And every beginning has a door."

The fourth Sol whispered, "Jude..."

The figure continued.

"You have spent so long looking for the first house that you never wondered what stood before it."

Jude stared at the windows.

"What stood before it?"

The figure smiled.

"A name."

The little boy on the bed suddenly stood.

"Don’t tell him!"

The figure looked at him.

"You still don’t understand, do you?"

The boy shook his head.

The figure’s voice softened.

"The first house was built from a name that nobody was allowed to speak."

Jude felt the four Sols move closer.

"What name?" he asked.

The figure turned towards him.

"Yours."

Jude frowned.

"My name is Jude."

The figure shook its head.

"That’s the name you were given after the first house."

The child on the bed covered his ears.

The figure continued.

"Before that, you had another name."

The silver lines on the window began to spread.

The walls shuddered.

The four Sols began whispering.

"Don’t remember."

"Don’t remember."

"Don’t remember."

The child on the bed looked directly at Jude.

"Please."

Jude turned towards him.

"What is my name?"

The child shook his head.

"You mustn’t ask."

"Why?"

"Because if you remember it, the door will open."

The figure outside smiled.

"And if the door opens, the one who was kept outside will finally be allowed in."

The window shattered.

But no glass entered the room.

Instead, the darkness poured through like water.

Jude grabbed the nearest child.

The four Sols clung to one another.

The little boy on the bed reached for Jude.

"Take us!"

Jude caught his hand.

The darkness surged.

The room began disappearing.

The bed vanished.

The table dissolved.

The walls folded inward.

The small window expanded until it filled the entire chamber.

Beyond it was the enormous tree.

The island.

The silver sea.

And the vast doorway in the darkness.

The figure stepped through.

It was no longer a man.

It was Jude.

But not the Jude who had sat at the dining table.

Not the younger one.

Not the silver-haired older one.

This version had no visible age.

His clothes were plain.

His hair was dark.

His face was calm.

He looked at Jude with an expression of deep affection.

Then he looked at the four children.

"My sons," he said.

All four Sols froze.

The smallest boy slowly released Jude’s hand.

"Father?"

The figure smiled.

"Yes."

Jude moved in front of the children.

"Don’t come closer."

The figure looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because I don’t know who you are."

The figure nodded.

"That’s fair."

He took one step forward.

"I suppose I should introduce myself."

He placed his hand over his chest.

"My name is the one you were born with."

The four children began crying.

The figure looked at Jude.

"And you, my dear Keeper, are the one who was made to replace me."

Jude stared.

The figure raised his hand.

The darkness behind him parted.

Beyond it stood the first house.

But it was not the wooden structure Jude had seen before.

It was an enormous building made of pale stone and silver roots.

Its doors were open.

Inside were hundreds of rooms.

At the centre was a large hall.

And in that hall stood a throne.

On the throne sat a woman.

Her face was hidden behind a veil.

She wore the pale embroidered cloth.