Fates Intertwined

48. | The Well

Esme rushed forward, tackling Aurora in a tight hug. Aurora returned it, her eyes squeezing shut as she basked in her hug. Of the princesses she had met, Esme was the nicest. The sweetest. She didn't care if Aurora was considered a peasant.

She pulled back and grimaced, wiping her hands on her dress. "You're sweaty."

"Oh, sorry. I just came from the training room." She explained, pitching her thumb over her shoulder.

Esme still smiled. "I'm glad someone's finding the use for it." She glanced toward Evelyn.

"I use it!" She defended.

"Maybe to fuck your husband in it." She crossed her arms. "I want to know why you didn't tell me about Aurora arriving."

"I did. Maybe you were too busy fucking your husband to notice." She retorted. Then cringed. "Now I can't get that thought out of my head."

Esme rolled her eyes. "Come. We have much to discuss." Esme grabbed Aurora's wrist, dragging her along down the hall.

"Alright. Thanks for letting me know you don't need me." Evelyn called after them.

"Love you, too!" Esme threw back.

It wasn't until they were walking down another hallway in silence, that Aurora finally spoke. "How are you her mother?" It confused her, how Evelyn was Esme's daughter but born from another woman.

Esme sighed. "When I got pregnant with Evelyn, word had gotten out that I was still alive. It was after the city had fallen and we were on the run. I did a spell to transfer Evelyn into another woman, Hayley. She was... She was safe. No one knew about her. But then she grew older and the connection between me and her locked. I could appear to her whenever I wanted. Even though she didn't come from me, she is still my blood."

"She's lucky. Got two sets of parents." Aurora murmured. She had never known her parents. They never made an attempt to find her, and if they did, it never made it to her.

She wondered who they were. If they were still alive or if they were dead. If they cared that their daughter was living on the streets, on the run.

"You never figured out who your parents were?" She asked, her arm linked with Aurora's.

She shook her head. "As far as I know, they could be dead."

"Well, if you're really interested, there's a place that could tell you where to go." Aurora's head snapped to her. "It's called Dead Man's Graveyard. It's a powerful source, but there's a reason for its name. But if you can get through, you'd find your family."

"Dead Man's Graveyard..." She whispered thoughtfully. She could finally find her parents. Get answers.

"If you can get through. Many have tried to get through and very few have succeeded. Some believe it only welcomes those of pure heart." She explained.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Esme stared out the large windows as the sun shined above. "You know, when you left, I was worried for you. Humans don't exactly welcome us, and we don't welcome them."

Aurora looked at her confused. "Left? I didn't leave the city."

Esme looked at her confused, stopping in the overpass of windows. "You didn't?" She shook her head. "Octavia told us you had left, but spared the details. She tried to make you into a villain, but I didn't believe you would ever do such a thing, and Angel never trusted her."

"Why would she do that?" Her brows furrowed.

"We—" She looked at Aurora confused. "Well, don't you remember?"