The Prince's Gift

Chapter 43.

After a couple of hours, I finally filled them in on everything I'd been able to, up to this point. They were both furious that I'd been forced into such a horrible role, but they understood that I was ok with the life I'd lead. I'd accepted the life I had with the vampires, knowing it'd given me something I could cherish forever.

I'd known the feeling of an incredible love. Once we got through the horrible details of my time in Maddox's kingdom, and how Zane had helped me to escape, my father began to pace, fuming with anger.

"That bastard! I won't let him get away with what he's done." He froze, turning to face me as his shoulders tensed. "Ana, I promise you, he will not live much longer. I will find a way to end his life if it's the last thing I do."

Ehren stood, his brows pinching into a scowl as he spoke. "You will have plenty of help in that area, I assure you. There will be a line of us looking to finish him after the atrocities he's committed."

Thaddeus sneered as he glared back at Ehren. "How could you let these things be done to her? How could you stand by such a man, knowing what he was doing?"

Ehren shook his head as a deep frown settled on his face. "It's something that haunts me every day. But you don't know Maddox as I do. Had I not continued, he'd have killed me and done the grave things he'd done anyway." Ehren's eyes shifted to mine, his electric blue gaze capturing me. "At least this way, I could be there for her in the worst time of her life. I could help her in whatever way I knew how."

I took in a deep breath, trying to hold my composure but I finally snapped. "It's not Ehren's fault. He kept me sane. Kept me willing to live during an awful time. There were nights I wished Maddox would just end me. I wished it'd finally be the night he killed me. But Ehren kept me grounded, even when I fought him on it with every bone in my body."

Thaddeus stopped, turning to face me before pinching his fingers between his brows, letting out a sigh. "You're right. I'm sorry Ehren. Thank you for what you could do to help our daughter."

Ehren nodded shortly, his voice tense as he spoke. "I only wish I could have done more."

"Ana, I wish we could have saved you from all of the horrible things you've experienced." My mother said, her eyes full of sadness as she reached across the table, timidly taking my hand. I opened my mouth to object but she interrupted me. "I know you've said it was something you'd accepted, but had you not been taken from us all those years ago, you never would have had to accept them. We tried to find you my darling, but they'd already hidden you away inside the castle. I'm so sorry. But we never lost hope that you'd come back to us one day. And now you finally have. You don't know what it means to us." She looked up as Thaddeus walked up behind her, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing reassuringly.

"I understand that. Just know that more often than not, I actually enjoyed my life as best I could. And now, I'm back with my family at the time I needed it most. That's all that matters to me now." I said, my voice soft as my eyes glassed over with unshed tears.

My parents returned my words with sad smiles before stepping away from the table. My mother wanted to lay down for a few minutes after the dramatic morning, and my father needed to clear his head. I decided to take the opportunity to clear my own head, stepping outside to let the cool damp air hit me.

Reliving the awful memories from my time with Maddox had weighed on me, cutting me deeply as if the wound was still freshly made. It had only been a short time that Zane had helped me to safety, but up until today, I'd forced them all down into a tiny box locked away deep in my gut. Today, it was as if everything had been sprung out, exposed for everyone to see.

I choked back a stifled sob as I tried to hold myself together. It was over. I'd survived it and that's all that mattered. Now it was time to work, and if possible, take my father and Ehren's words to heart. Maddox's life would end. It was true. But if I had anything to say about it, it would be at my own hands. After everything he'd done to me, it was the least I could be given.

I jumped as I heard Kora's voice beside me, pulling me from the angry pit I'd quickly begun to fall into. "Kora! You scared me." I said, my hand flying to my chest as my heart pounded against it.

She threw her hands up in a sign of peace as she chuckled. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were distracted. I'd thought you'd hear me coming." She said. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok...after bringing all that back up I mean." I turned to face her but her eyes were focused on the ground, her jaw clenching as she spoke.

"I'm...fine. Thank you. It's not something I'd like to relive, but now they know." I said quietly, watching her as tension rolled off of her in waves.

"I understand what you've endured...more than you know." She said, her voice low and tight as she spoke. Suddenly, realization hit me as her eyes snapped up to meet mine. "I too was taken captive and...used by a terrible king. I was taken by King Erik after the Yearling War."

My hand floated up to my mouth as I watched her, lean muscles coiling, tense with memory. "Kora, I'm so sorry." I said quietly.

She nodded curtly and looked toward the waterfall ahead. "I couldn't face going back to Fallon after that. It just hurt too much. So I fled. That's when Delphine found me."

I sat still, silent as she spoke, afraid if I did that she'd crumbled beneath my words.

"Was he happy?" She asked finally.

I let out a shaky breath. "As happy as he could be I suppose."

A ghost of a smile crossed her lips before disappearing. "And did he...find love?" Her voice was even, but I heard the slight lilt in her words.

I chuckled lowly at that, remembering the Fallon I'd encountered. "I'd say most definitely not. He never seemed like one to want to commit, but that's obviously not true. And it's nice now to understand why."

She met my gaze, her lips curling up at the edges at my response. "He always was such a flirt." She said wryly.

I laughed, appreciative of the much needed distraction. Knowing what she'd been through actually helped. It made me not feel so bare. So exposed to the world now that everyone knew. I felt a connection with her that I couldn't feel with anyone else in the house behind us.

"Come on then. Let's get back inside so we can finish turning you into the baddest female I know." She said with a wink.

I smiled back at her, walking side by side before following her into the hidden house.

"Ok then. Are we ready to begin again?" Delphine asked, waiting patiently inside for us to return.

"Definitely." I answered immediately, taking my seat beside her on the couch as Kora leaned against the wall at the door. Ehren stood waiting in front of the empty fireplace as we settled in.

"Ok. Let's try a look at the future, hmm?" She said, offering her hands for me once more.

I shook my head and peered back at her, determination settling into my features. "I think I can do it." I said firmly.

She smile and nodded, dropping her hands to rest on the cushion in front of me. I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath as I focused. I sensed Ehren take his seat in the chair behind me, and my parents both quietly filtered down the stairs to observe.

I tried to focus my attention, listening as Delphine spoke quietly. "Ok. We need to see the war. How will it begin? How will it end? Will it to come into focus."

I did as I was told, the dark tendrils of my vision slowly lifting away to reveal a crisper image. "Oh my god." Was all I could force out, my words floating on a breath as the horrific images flashed in front of my mind's eye.

So much pain.

So much death.

And I was there for all of it.