Chapter 9
The woman sitting on the throne stands gracefully. It's then I notice the crown resting on her head. Light reflects off the jewels entwined in the delicate braiding of the diadem.
"You're . . . the Queen?" I step forward, confusion flooding me.
"Avery." Damian stands in front of her. "Don't do this now." He pleads. "Please, just not now."
I stare at him and shake my head. "You knew this whole time. You knew my birth mother was the freaking Queen of the Fae!" I give a short bark of disbelieving laughter. "What does that make me? A hybrid?"
Emmaline gets to her feet and stands shoulder to shoulder with Damian, effectively blocking my view of the Queen. "Avery, please, listen. Hear us out." She holds her hands out, palms down as she takes hesitant steps toward me.
As if I am something to fear.
I recoil, stepping back. "Who are you?" I demand, when Emmaline has moved enough for me to make eye contact with Her Highness. "Are you my mother?" My voice deepens and I can feel the anger itching under my skin.
Damian's gaze is guarded. "Avery, enough."
The Queen places a hand on Damian's shoulder and steps around him. "Avery Thorne, daughter of my daughter, Wren Thorne. Heir to the Throne of this Queendom." She smiles warmly. "Welcome home, darling."
I hold a hand up, looking down at the ground. "So you're not my mother. You're my grandma? And I am a . . . princess?" I grimace at the last word. Looking up, I purse my lips.
The Queen nods. "My given name is Saira Rose. Your mother was known as Wren Rose before meeting your father. When they married, she took on his last name."
"Wren Thorne . . ." I breathe, testing out her name. "Wren is my mom? Where is she?"
The Queen glances around. "Now is not the time nor the place to discuss this. Faran, Kalen, escort Damian and the lovely Emmaline and her mate to their quarters, will you? Make sure they find their ways to the bath chambers and find them some new clothes that will help them blend in better. Avery and I need some alone time before I can return her to her companions."
Faran nods, her face stoic. Kalen joins her side and they lead Damian, Emmaline and Everett out of the throne room with the rest of the guards dispersing as well. Damian meets my gaze briefly and I can sense the waves of relief he feels through our fairly new mate bond. Everett ignores me on his way out but Emmaline offers a small smile. I give a half hearted wave back before turning my attention back to the woman standing before me.
Her brows furrow slightly as she studies my face. "Come with me, granddaughter. I will bring you to see your mother all in good time." She turns in a flurry of silken cloth that billows out behind her as she crosses the expanse of the throne room.
I trail behind her, my lips containing a hurricane of questions threatening to spill from my mouth at any moment.
"Patience, darling. I suppose I should address some things before you are unable to contain yourself." The Queen looks over her shoulder at me, a knowing smile on her face. She pushes the door open and heads out into a hallway. "Your mother, Wren, is my oldest child. I have seven children in total. The rest of my children are sons. Eliath is the second oldest after Wren, and Tarron after him. Ardreth and Dain are twins and after them is Taegen and the youngest of my children is Malon. My husband, the King, and Tarron have long since passed on from this world. They were killed in an incident where protecting your mother had been the motive for Tarron and his father. Anyhow, I must ask, do you know of the oracle?"
I nod, "Yes, grandmother. Damian has covered the topic of an oracle with me. But I fail to see how the oracle is relevant to our discussion."
"Well, dear girl, your mother is the current oracle. And her duties as the oracle is what has kept her from being able to stay with your father and you as a family. The wolf shifters and magic wielders have been hunting her and by staying with you and your father, she put your lives at risk."
I stop in my tracks, trying to absorb this new information. A short bark of laughter leaves my mouth. "Are you kidding? My mom is the oracle? She's the one who got me into this mess about fulfilling a prophecy and saving the world?"
The Queen faces me, her lips thinned. "I can see it in your mind, child. Call me grandmother." Turning away to continue down the hall, Grandmother says, "You're mother is, indeed, the very oracle who prophesied of you and your friends saving the world from utter darkness. She knew it would be you the moment she knew she was expecting."
I chew on my bottom lip, feeling nauseous. "This is ridiculous. Her powers allowed for her to see, for sure, that it was me? That I have to risk my life for the lives of everyone on Earth?"
"You will not be alone, darling." Grandmother slows in front of large marble doors with steam curling out from the edges. She opens a door and glides inside gracefully, straight into the fogged up room. The steam is so thick, I lose track of her after two steps. "Damian, Emmaline and Everett have been with you and will be there to support you, just as you are with them to offer the same support. Your group was predestined by those above to secure the most favorable outcome for those on Earth."
Hesitantly, I follow her into the muggy room. I think back to when we ventured out to retrieve the first clue together and how we were able to help each other out as we saw fit. "I suppose, grandmother." After a few more slow steps, the steam clears enough for me to get a good view of the room. Large crystals protrude from the far wall, creating a waterfall that descends directly into the massive, marble pool. Steam rises from the water in the pool and fogs up the room. Small steps lead down into the tempting water.
"I know of what I speak, little princess." Grandmother grips her skirts, ankle deep in the hot water on the first step. "And besides, to complete the prophecy, two Fae will be joining your party. Kalen and Faran, though they know it not just yet, will be joining you to complete your task of finding the scroll."
My eyes widen in despair. "Faran?! But grandmother! She'll eat me alive!"
Grandmother rolls her eyes. "Enough, darling. Faran and Kalen will be joining you and that is that. Do not try your luck and think you will win an argument with me, granddaughter."
My shoulders slump and my head falls forward. "She's going to kill me." I moan, thinking of her sharp spearhead gutting me open. A shudder runs down my spin, despite the warm air.
Grandmother tuts. "This is the bathing room for women of royalty only. Emmaline and Faran will bathe in the common bathing pool. I will leave you to bathe and there will be spare clothes for you to wear to the meal. Think over what we have chatted about and Faran will be around to collect you in two hours time." She steps out of the water and over to me, cupping my face gently. "I am glad I lived long enough to see you again, granddaughter." And with that, the Queen collected her skirts and left the room.
I sigh, staring at the gold trimmed, marble doors she just left through. I have a grandmother. I have uncles. I have a mom, and a dad. The familiar overwhelmed sensation starts in my throat, where a lump forms and makes it difficult to swallow. The weight in my chest, right over my heart, that I have carried around since the day I was old enough to know I had no family, slowly dissipates. I have a family. Sinking to the floor, I bring my knees to my chest and curl my arms around my legs. I sit on the warm marble floor and cry.
I'm still sitting there, with my tears long since dried, two hours later when Faran arrives with fresh clothes.
