Chapter 36 - The Parents

Ryder looked at the man and woman in front of him, unable to speak. They said they were his parents, but he was sure he had never seen them. Yet, he felt like he knew them.

"What do you mean, you're my parents?" Ryder asked cautiously. Zoe squeezed his hand as the couple made their way over to them.

"We're your birth parents. I'm your mother, Azra, and this is your father, Thane." Azra answered. She wanted to run to her son and take him in her arms, but she wasn't sure how he'd react.

"I thought Connor killed you. King Nickolas said he killed everyone." Ryder said, trying to hold back his tears so they wouldn't see how hurt he was. If they were alive, why didn't they look for him? Why did they let him get tortured repeatedly? He saw Azra look down with pain in her eyes.

"He did kill us, or at least we can't return to the world as you know it. This place we're in now is a special realm that the moon goddess made. We wanted to go to you each time we saw you getting hur