Beneath The Crescent Moon {TMT #3}

Chapter 14

Here's another chapter for you. I edited it but there might be errors. It's been a really long time but I hope the story still flows.

Oh, and Lena's given name has been changed to Maera, letting you know to avoid confusion. Otherwise, enjoy!

~TBK✌

☆~☆~☆

For a minute, we stood in silence. I didn't believe that I'd heard correctly.

"Me?"

"Lena, stop repeating every damn thing I say."

I bristled. "I wouldn't if they made any sense."

"Keep your voice down," he warned, blue eyes piercing with a dangerous message. But I didn't waver. Couldn't. Not when he shoved me into the spotlight all of a sudden.

"What do I have to do with anything other than my role in destroying Et Kar?" Cleo continued to stare at me for a long while before he spoke, "I know she's your mother."

"I don't know what you're talking-"

"Do not," he gritted out slowly, "play dumb with me, Lena."

I kept my expression neutral, but inwardly I began to panic. Had Lucifer ratted me out? But immediately that thought came, I pushed it aside.

No. It wouldn't make any sense. Why would he do such a thing? He obviously wouldn't want anyone to know, and I had a sinking feeling that he hadn't told anyone but me. Believing my thoughts to be true, I maintained my cool. "Fine. But my mother could be any of the Night Witches you and your Witch Hunters put to sleep."

"And if she isn't?"

"How the hell do you expect me to know that?"

"You're really that clueless," he speculated with narrowed eyes, clearly getting impatient. "Can't you have at least one clue about what's happening?"

Anger as swift as lightning threatened to consume me at that very moment. "Why wouldn't I be as clueless as a freaking cow? Nobody is telling me anything! Alright, let's imagine that the Night Witch is indeed my mother. It wouldn't change a damn thing! She still abandoned me. If I realized that she was still alive, it still wouldn't matter to me. So if you think manipulating me into admitting that she's my mother, when she isn't, would stop you idiots from putting her to sleep, then you're dead wrong. I'd let you do whatever the hell you want. I wouldn't care. I don't care."

The half-truths were easy to let out, more so than I expected. However, in all honesty, I meant most of what I said. Almost every single word. And for some reason, I knew that Cleo believed them too, despite the suspicious look in his eyes.

"I don't think you understand, Lena," he said carefully, eyeing my expressions with an agility that made me almost crack. "If you were her daughter, it would make our lives much easier. So, I will ask you this, how do I know you're telling me the truth?"

I forced my shoulders to give off a nonchalant shrug. "You'll just have to take my word for it."

Cleo didn't blink. "Swear it."

I opened my mouth to reply but for some foolish reason, I hesitated.

He took another demeaning step closer to me. "Can you swear that every word you just said to me, is the truth?"

I took in a deep breath. Say something, you idiot!

"Lena, give me your hand."

The request made me stiffen, the breath I was about to let out hitched in my throat.