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Chapter 26: Beautiful Lie

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Chapter 26

Beautiful Lie

It wasn't unusual for Lake to curl up in front of strangers. Even those who had previously harmed her. The man before her especially. Deeds had been in her life far longer than her brothers had. He was the one who housed her when she was first confirmed to be an orphan. He was a busy man so he never took her in. He was by far not kind, often referring to her as a pet rather than a young girl.

That made sense now.

"You know now why you are needed here." Deeds put down his cigar and blew the red smoke. The girl coughed and covered her nose with her torn up shirt. Being within that emerald for even a moment caused her clothing to begin to deteriorate greatly.

"I am needed by my brothers more." Lake said as she pulled her arms tighter around herself. It was cold there. All she had on was her tattered skirt, and a blouse. Her sandals were at the bottom of that pond they had fallen into below the desert.

"You have no family. The so-called parents you had weren't even your parents." He growled slamming his fist down on the seat. "They shattered you, took you, pretended you were a human simply to hide you long enough till your blood was ready." He leaned forward grabbing Lakes shirt pulling her toward him. His face was inches from her ear. "They didn't love you." Whispered. "They just wanted your blood, same as me."

If that were true, then why did that woman take the time to write that letter to her brothers?

"No, I don't believe you." He chuckled as he sat back looking at her.

"It doesn't matter what you believe, they're dead." He chuckled as he picked back up his cigar. "And you will be too soon enough. You have less than a year before your blood is ripe. 10 years old..." He sat back crossing his arms over his chest.

"Is Barbara a Windylan too?" Lake asked. Deeds chuckled and shook his head.

"Nah, she wishes she was though. Dyes her hair like yours too. Bitch is batshit crazy and isn't afraid to pull a trigger. Pretends to be your mother to keep you calm. Make you feel wanted by someone. Made you willing to stay. Its the only reason why she stays. That and our son...kid was born while you were gone. I needed an heir after all. I'm not getting any younger." Just how long had they been gone? Ingo said something about their time not lining up sometimes?

"We were gone for two months." Lake told him. The man laughed and shook his head.

"Allow me to explain rift travel to you since you are being so...quiet." He set the cigar down and clasped his hands together in front of him. "Think of each rift like a bubble in a bathtub. Each one a different size, each one farther or closer together. Some are even connected, the ones that are connected are seen as our past, or future because of the time difference. But more often than not they aren't exactly the same. Then there are the worlds that are farther away which are thousands of years different, the farther away the bubble the longer the time. You must have been midway." He slowly leaned forward and whispered. "But what do you think happens...when that bubble pops." He chuckled seeing the horrified look on Lakes face.

"The world dies."

"Thats right. Good girl, see you can be smart." He leaned back and took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

Lake cried out and pushed herself further against the seat.

"What?" He asked, looking down at her.

"Your eyes...you're a Windalyn too." The man chuckled and sighed.

"Yes, I am a male. One of the few, but one...who has a reverse effect. Rather than my blood keeping someone young and beautiful, my blood makes them grow old." He chuckled and grabbed hold of Lakes arm and the door flung open. They had arrived at a mansion.

"Lake!" she turned to see her brothers. "Stop hurting her!" Emmet cried out trying to get to her. At least Ingo wasn't unconscious anymore. Although one side of his face was still wet with blood.

"He's a Windalyn! Stay away from him!" Lake cringed, she was sure her arm was rebroken again. It hurt her so much.

"Take her inside and show her to her room. She needs to be...reclothed." He motioned to the maid who bowed. Lake clenched her arm to her. The maid motioned for her to follow. She didn't want to go, she really didn't. But Ingo just nodded. They couldn't do anything otherwise.