The Dragon Queen

Chapter 24

Queen Jemma Blythe of Hosephia

Heart of the Realm

The room is silent for a few seconds, and Jemma winces when she looks up at Jaymie staring right at her. "You knew..."

"I was told yesterday...." Jemma starts to defend herself, but when it comes to Jaymie, she knows there is no excuse she could give to justify hiding it from her. "I planned to tell you after the meeting today when things calmed down, and I had your full attention. I am sorry. I realize I should have gone straight to you."

There is a crack behind Jaymie's dark eyes, as though something deep inside her broke. It wasn't just because of Jemma, but now she realizes everyone has lied to Jaymie again. "I don't understand...how? Who?" The single words falling from Jaymie's lips hold just as much heartbreak as her eyes. Jemma could understand Jaymie being angry, but it is worse knowing she is upset and devastated. She broke one of Jaymie's most sacred rules and one she promised never to break among sisters. Though she never lied, she kept a secret from Jaymie, which is just as bad.

"Jaymie, I..." Matylda starts, but she is forced into silence.

"Not from you!" Jaymie's eyes flick to red with a wave of burning anger to match. Jemma understands now that it is the Phoenix, and she must admit that it is a terrifying sight. "You have had plenty of time to explain yourself, and you have said nothing. I will hear nothing more from you." At her side, Ezra isn't as affected by Jaymie's outburst as the rest of the room. Even Wesley flinched as though finally seeing the real Jaymie, but he seemed only shocked and not afraid. Ezra reaches up and strokes the back of a finger down Jaymie's cheek. It instantly calms her as she closes her eyes, and when she opens them, they are again brown.

"If I may, High Queen Jaymie...." Wesley starts, and Jemma glances at him to see him strategically choosing his words. No one wants to get on Jaymie's bad side, especially now that she is the High Queen. He isn't mocking her title either, but instead showing genuine respect. He continues when she looks at him. "Makena is my daughter...and Matylda is her mother. We met when she was running from the Rebellion, and she left before she knew she was pregnant. Matylda believed Makena died in a fire, as I believed Matylda did. It was many years later before either of us knew the truth. Matylda was unaware Makena survived until recently, and even then, she was missing from her loving adopted family. Matylda and I rekindled our relationship and have told Makena everything. She is the heir I spoke of for Creedian."

"I do not blame you, Wesley, nor Jemma." Jaymie glances at her elder sister before looking back to their mother. "But keeping secrets regarding this bloodline is very dangerous."

"She is in danger?" Matylda questions while flicking a glance between her two eldest daughters. "I may not know everything, but I know some things about my bloodline, including that some of them drove themselves to lunacy or were killed for rumors. If Makena is in danger of that, then it is my fault. I gave it to her."

Jaymie shakes her head with a frown. "You gave it to all of us, Matylda. Not one specifically. It is in the bloodline, passed from mother to daughter. I don't see how Makena could be more affected than Jemma, and the Phoenix chose me, which made me a bigger target. Everyone in our bloodline has a piece of it."

"I don't," Matylda answers a bit more forcefully, as though the others did not understand her entirely. "When I was younger, a prisoner, I heard things...voices in my head...a need to be somewhere I never could find. It never went away until I thought Makena was going to die. I think I gave my piece to her. She was hurt, and all I could think about was that I couldn't lose another child, and something happened, but since then, the voices are gone."

Jemma knew about her mother's past, but somehow hearing more from her directly, rather than Jaymie, made her nerves prickle. However, there is no time for her to comment on it because Jaymie holds up a hand to quiet her, with a look of deep thought in her dark eyes. "You gave it to her?" That statement from Matylda's story hadn't quite sunk into Jemma yet, due to her distraction of knowing her mother had been hearing voices as well. It sounds similar to Jaymie giving a piece to Jemma, however much that had been. Whatever piece that resided in Matylda has been transferred to Makena. Jemma has never been a number person, but she knows Jaymie is, and she is calculating it all in her head now. Jaymie's head turns slightly to look at her older sister, and there is a hint of fear that perhaps only Jemma and Ezra can see. "I think she has more than you." In a distant voice, Matylda remarks something about the obviousness due to Jemma having had a similar piece to Makena before Matylda gave her youngest daughter more. She didn't know that Jaymie had given her some from the source to save Ezra, even if it was unintentional.