Bound: Book One

Chapter Twelve

I wake to a knock at the door. It must be around 9PM. We fallen asleep for a couple of hours.I hear Liam wake and fumble around.
"Dahlia. I need to take take you somewhere." Finn says.
"Okay. Where are we going?" Liam asks.

"Sorry Liam this is family business. I need to take Dahlia alone."
"Alright. No worries. I'll just head back home. If you need me." Liam leans over.
"I know.I'll call you."
"Yeah I'm sure your family is looking for you to report back." Finn says smugly.
"What's that suppose to mean Finn?" Liam says defensively.
"You know what it means." Finn says staring him down.
What has just happened? All of a sudden there's an issue between Liam and Finn. They were fine moments ago and now Finn is picking a fight with Liam.
"Ok guys! Enough drama for today. Liam I'll text you later."
"Just be careful dahlia." Liam says before kissing me on the cheek.

Liam walks away eyeing Finn down as he exits. I change into some jeans and sneakers. I have no clue where we're going just that it's "family business" whatever that means. The drive feels like forever mainly because Finn is not saying a word to me and the anticipation is killing me. We head down a long drive-way to a cottage style house. The door creeks as we

enter in. All of my aunts and uncles are there.

"Dahlia. I'm so sorry that we left you like that. But we have a lot to discuss with you. Please sit." My Uncle Thomas says motioning to the chair next to him.

I notice all the pictures of Finn and Erin as children. I now know I'm in my uncle Thomas and aunt Cecelia's house.
"Can I get you anything dear?" My aunt Cecelia asks.
"No, I'm fine."
"Ok then I'll leave you to it."
"Please close the door love." My uncle Thomas signals to his wife.
I am left alone in this room with my uncle Thomas and Aunt Catherine. They look like they have a lot on their mind.
"First, I want to apologize for the way you found out what you did today. We wanted to tell you in a better place. I know aunt Tessa was going to talk to you. But it wasn't that. I feel that you have a right to know." My uncle says as he lowers himself in his recliner.
"What's going on?" I say confused.
"Dear there's a lot we have to tell you about this family and yourself. First and foremost we do have to warn you that we are going against a pact. But it's only a matter of time now that you'll find out. And we want you to hear it from us first." My aunt explains.
"What? A pact? I don't..."
"Yes. We made a pact. Me, Aunt Tess, Catherine, your dad, and ma to protect you at any cost. How do we even begin?" He says looking over at my aunt Catherine.
"Well Thomas...Let's start at the beginning." She suggests.
"Sure. Dahlia remember that story I told you about the map?"
"Yeah?" I say scared.
"It starts there. Ya see Our kingdom was on the rise. We had just made a... let's say partnership with another realm. We were becoming bigger and more powerful. Unfortunately, some members of another tribe did not like that. They wanted to see us suffer. And they made sure of that. You see the bigger you get the more enemies you have." Thomas says.
"Is that why the burnt our lands and killed our people." I ask.
He lets out a heavy sigh.
"Well, they did that as revenge. They claim we killed their son. Their son was next in line to be king of their tribe. The Prophecy was that he was going to take over all the lands and be the most powerful king of them all."
"So did we?" I ask intrigued.

"No. We didn't. You see King Phillip (our king) was mourning the death of his daughter. She was to be wed to another kingdom to increase our power. She killed herself the night before her wedding."
"....Elizabeth." I whisper under my breath

"What?" My aunt says
"Was her name Elizabeth?" I ask.
They both look at each other confused.
"Have you heard this story?"
"Well a similar one from Liam's grandmother."
My uncle laughs to himself as if he's in disbelief.
"She said it was a folklore of their family."I explained.
"Folklore that's a laugh. I knew he'd get to you first."
A puzzled look comes across my face.
"Dahlia, Do you know about kilts and the meaning of them?" My aunt asks. "I mean I just know it's a tradition."
"Dear each kilt represents what family you come from. Like ours. Our family colors are Sapphire, Silver, and black. It let's people know where and who you belong to. Your Liam well...we knew right away where he was from. And he wanted us to know it."
"What do you mean?"
" His tribe is the one that burnt down our lands." My uncle says with disgust.
"What? No. He couldn't possibly..."
"Yes they did. What did he tell you of the story?"
"I mean just that Elizabeth and Conner were in love and they made a pact to run off together but Elizabeth died and Conner followed"
"Funny, changing the story. That's all?" He sneers.
"That's all. He wouldn't let me read the actual book just gave me the cliff's notes of it."
"Smart boy."
"The real story is the king, Elizabeth's soon to be husband, found out about her little tryst with Conner. He wrote a note to Conner's father stating that king Phillip had poisoned his son and signed it from him. Ensuing a war. He did not like that he was made a fool of."
"Ok, I don't understand why king Phillip didn't clear that up." I asked.
"They burnt down our kingdom that night. Our people that survived didn't find out till years later. We never forgave them for what they did."
"Okay. But that was years ago and has nothing to do with us now." I say.
"It does dear. They still want their prophecy."

"What? They are no kings and queens anymore. Well I mean the royal family."
My aunt and uncle both look at each other.
"Legend has it that Conner is to be reborn again. As is Elizabeth and they would finally make the prophecy come true."

"I don't understand.What does this have to do with me?"
"We made a pact. To protect you at all costs.To hide you from them." My aunt brings up again.
"Dahlia, You have a birthmark, no?"
"Yeah it's on the back of my hip."
"You have the mark of the queen.We knew it from the day you were born. That's why your mother moved you to America...alone."
"What so you're saying..."
"You're Elizabeth." My uncle confirms.
I feel disconnected from my own body. My head is spinning.
"No this is all a joke. It's a fairytale!"
"Liam knows who you are...well at least we think." My aunt says.
"Has he seen it?" My uncle asks.
"I'm sorry what?" I say taking in all this information.
"No. We haven't been together like that." I say embarrassed.
"I hate asking this but he hasn't been intimate with you?" My aunt asks.
"I mean we've kissed. But nothing more."
"I see. He's playing it smart. Tell me. When you kiss him is it like nothing you've felt before?"
"Yes. It's like..."
"Electric." My aunt and uncle say at the same time.
"Shit! He is Conner." My uncle adds.
"What? Explain?" I demand.
"Ya see centuries ago people from other kingdoms and tribes they had this ability of bounding."
"Bounding?"
"Yes dear. It's when your soul counter acts it's mate. During the years it has died out. Only a few can have the ability now."
"Do you two?"
"Not me but your uncle."
"Yes me and Aunt Cecelia are bounded."
"Wait I remember seeing a note my father wrote my mother about him bounding himself to her."
"Yes. He did. I'm not sure if your mother really did or she just went along

with the fantasy.You see when your mate dies you die with them. Obviously your mother did not."
"You know when you've met your soul mate instantly. For me I was so nervous the first time I saw your aunt. Shaking, sweating, nervous as heck. I knew I needed her in my life right away."

"Oh my god. When I first met Liam he was stuttering and kept moving his hands all nervous like. So, he's my soulmate? That's good right?"
"No, we can't let them fufill the prophecy because of what they did to our people.And who knows what they will do with that kind of power." My uncle explains.

"He knows you're the one he's suppose to be bounded to. He's just not sure if you're Elizabeth. And we can't have him knowing. He hasn't tried to look for your birthmark?" She asks.
"No, well not that I know of."

Thinking back it all makes sense. His grandmother knew he was Conner. Calling him king.She called me Elizabeth. But how did she know he is Conner re-born to take the thrown.
"I need to ask. His grandmother has a nickname for him. She calls him king. How does his family know he IS Conner."
"If he has same birthmark as you, that's how they know." He explains.
"So what do I do now?"
"You need to stay away from him." My uncle demands.
"What if I can't? He's my soulmate prophecy or not."
"Dahlia, You have to understand these people are heartless and will stop at nothing to get what they want. Look at what they did to us."
"Please for us." My aunt pleas.
"We're the only ones who know about this. Don't tell anyone else."
"What about Finn?"
"Finn knows. Tessa told him.But this stays between us."
That explains why he got in Liam's face earlier. But doesn't explain why he tolerated him up until this point.
"So, what I just go home? He's already found me."
"That's the problem. It's just a matter of time." My uncle says staring at the wall. "Dahlia, I know you're a smart girl and you'll do the right thing. But this is all you now."
"Uncle Thomas I... I really don't know what to do."
"We're here always Dahlia. Think with your head and not your heart. I know because you are bound to him, this will be hard. But I warn you these

people are deceitful. You're going to have to be one step ahead." My aunt tells me holding my hand.
"Sleep here tonight. I'm sure he's told his family that you found out about not being born in America. They will come looking for you. You need time to think and we need to help you come up with a plan. We promised your father to always protect you and I will hold true to that." My uncle says with sadness in his eyes.