A Forest of Secrets

Chapter 40

Of course she had to know something, it wasn't like Grandmother had a history of sharing important information with her, not even information about Jo herself—which by some people's standards, would've been rude. She held Alaric's hand across the table, he squeezed it tight. Grandmother sat at the head of the table. She fixed her bun, then clasped her hands under her chin, taking her time. Jo cleared her throat to get her attention.

"I was there when you were born, kid," Grandmother blurted, startling them. She was looking at Alaric. Jo bit her tongue to avoid distracting her from the tale. How much did she really know? How deep was she into? She felt a chasm forming between her grandmother and herself, she had been living with a stranger all those years. She wanted to storm out of there, indignant, but it wasn't really about her, was it? She calmed herself down.

"You... you met my mother? How?" Alaric interrupted. Jo glared at her grandmother, making a show of clasping Alaric's hand tighter.

"I was there with Jo's mother, Gerard came looking for her to the village – that was the very first time I met him. He was young, about Alaric's age. Jo hadn't been born yet and her father was out of the picture," Grandmother sighed as if remembering "the good old days". Maybe they had been. "It was just the two of us, and I wasn't going to let her go to meet the Queen all by herself," Grandmother chuckled. Of course she wouldn't. "They needed a healer, Gerard didn't say why, and your mother was good enough to be known by the College of Magi of Ontur—oh, how they pleaded and begged for her to teach there, she never had any of it. She -- Jo. Please, look at me." 

Jo hadn't realized, but she had been clenching her teeth. Her mother, the dark mage. Dangerous enough for Grandmother to call upon the Onturian Knights on her. 

"My girl. The day she died, something snapped in her. She wasn't always like that, the power she drew to bring your father back... it broke her mind. She used spirit magic and blood magic—she used her own spirit to do it. She thought she was strong enough. She wasn't." Jo nodded, silently. "She was a good healer, the best there was, she always used her power for good. I want you to remember her like that." 

Jo looked away. She didn't remember any of it, just the day she died. The wisps didn't unlock the rest, there would always be a void in her mind, a blur, a tug in her head, reminding her of what she couldn't remember. Jo didn't answer, it wasn't the time to discuss her mother: it was Alaric's turn to know his truth. Jo knew what it felt to be left in the dark, to be lied to: she didn't want him to wait if she could help it. She just nodded.

"What happened then? With Alaric's mother," Jo asked with a sigh. Grandmother took the hint. Alaric was staring at the old woman, squeezing Jo's hand tight. Jo could feel his pulse, strong against her palm.

"We met at a small cabin in the woods, halfway to the City of Ontur. It had been empty for a while, I could tell, it was dusty and littered with cobwebs," grandmother wrinkled her nose. "There were a couple of lit firedust lamps by a bed. The queen was laying on it, clinging to her stomach, talking to her unborn child— talking to you, Alaric," Grandmother smiled tenderly at him, she could be nice on occasion. "We knew the queen was with child, it had been the news of the kingdom for months, but she wasn't that far along. She wasn't due for at least a couple of months," grandmother paused again. "One moment," She stood up to get a jug filled with water from behind the bar, Jo and Alaric stared at each other silently, caressing each other's fingers. She poured a tall glass, then placed the jug on the table as she sat.

"Where was I?" she said after taking a long swig of water. She had also poured a shot of liquor for Alaric,  it was sitting by the jug, glossy and inviting—grandmother beckoned him to drink it. He hesitated, then downed the thing in one swig. He was an anxious mess, hopefully, he wouldn't be after that. "Grand Priestess Laverna was there, holding the queen's hand. Gerard stood guard by the door, outside. They wanted Jo's mother to induce the queen's labor, no matter the cost," grandmother took more water. "I think deep down the queen knew she wouldn't make it," she added. "There was something in her eyes, the way she spoke to Alaric... it was heartbreaking," she sighed.