Veil of Shadows ๋࣭⭑⚝ Dick Grayson

15 ๋࣭⭑⚝ Lie no.1

Jules observed the group from across the street, sipping a steaming cup of coffee. The two teens were cracking jokes and drinking from paper cups in the parking lot, while Dick and Kory watched them from his room's balcony. Jules had planned to join them but decided to take a breather and call Laura first.

"It's strange... there's no record of her being born in any hospital..."

The statement snapped her out of her thoughts. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Rachel or Kory?"

"Technically both, but regarding Rachel... her foster mother, Melissa Roth, is mentioned. She was..."

"Shot point-blank in the head. Yeah, Dick told me that," Jules said, nodding slowly and biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Did he tell you about her biological mother?" the woman on the line asked.

"No... there's nothing like that in the case file, but I think it mentions she's dead."

"Do you know her name?"

"No."

"I think I do."

Jules's eyes widened slightly at this revelation.

"Mathematically, Rachel would have been born in 2005, and while there's no hospital record of that, there is a fabricated adoption certificate showing Melissa as her legal guardian. It lists this name: Angela Azarath."

"Azarath," Jules muttered under her breath.

"Ring any bells?"

"I think my mom mentioned it once when we were going through old Endora history books."

"Mhm... it's a dimension and mystical realm founded by a woman named Azar, who convinced a group of humans to join her there. One of them was your mother."

"So, Rachel's not entirely human... at least, half-human," Jules murmured, brushing past the familiar revelation. "Who's her father?"

"Not named... but presumably, the other half of what Rachel is."

Jules took a breath. "That's a lot. I can't just drop this all on her."

"Maybe you shouldn't for now. She's been through enough."

"I know," she sighed, watching the group head back inside.

"So have you. Let's pause the mission talk. How've you been? How's Dick?" Laura's motherly tone softened the conversation.

"I'm good... tired. The effects of the chemical wore off. Dick's... alive."

"Low bar."

"Oh, shush." Jules laughed, hearing Laura's hearty chuckle from the speaker. "Heard anything from Bruce or Alfred?"

"They know what you kids are up to. Bruce wanted me to tell you to remind Dick... to be careful."

"That all?"

A pause, followed by a nervous laugh. "Let's just say there's a new baby bird that's left the nest."

Jules nearly choked on her drink. "Holy shit. He already got a new Robin? Dick's still Robin. He's going to freak-"

"Exactly, which is why you're not telling him. Keep him from losing it when they eventually meet."

"You want me to hide this from him?" Jules scoffed.

"Act surprised when you meet him. That's all."

"How clever."

"Anyway, it's late. Get some sleep-just not with him, okay?"