by Rinna Ford
“That is not necessary,” he plucked the cup of tea out of my hand and put it back onto the counter. “If my son is bonded with you then I know you have your dragon soul, but I assumed that you would be a deficient caster because of it.”
Deficient. What an ugly word to describe something. I sighed and picked up my overturned stool. “Well, I’m not. I’m still learning, but I’m not deficient, as you so plainly put it. I have a full and complete caster soul too.”
Chei Yun opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, trying to find the right words to say, but before he could do that, Della and Xander came back home. I thinly smiled at them as they walked into the kitchen, taking in the tension in the room.
“Is everything alright?” Della asked as she walked up beside her mate. She looked between the two of us with concern in her eyes. Xan’s expression mirrored his mother’s, but his eyes never strayed from mine.
“Yes, Anne and I were just having a discussion about where she and our son will live,” Chei Yun replied to his mate. He wasn’t telling my secret, at least not yet. That was a good thing, right? “I told them that they should live near us in Boston since she doesn’t have any family, and she thinks they should live here.”
Boston? They lived in Boston? This world was getting smaller by the minute.
Xan looked to me in confirmation, and I pinched my lips together in a tight smile and nodded. “Yeah, I love it here,” I agreed, not exactly sure what else to say.
My mate looked at me skeptically, but let out a small huff of a laugh, and wrapped one arm around my waist. “It’s something we can discuss later,” he told us, “but for now, Ma and I have a surprise for you.”
Della practically squealed as she shoved shopping bags into my arms. I stared at her open-mouthed as I tried to find the right words to say.
“My son said that you did not have any clothing besides what you brought in your sack, so we decided to do some shopping for you. I hope you do not mind, mon ange, but I just couldn’t resist! Everything has sleeves, and Xander made sure to get things he thought you would like. Is everything okay?”
She was talking a mile a minute, and I was still a little amped up from the discussion I was having with Chei Yun, so I was sure that I looked a little panicked.
“Yes! I’m fine!” I knew that my smile was too big for my face, but I couldn’t help myself. I was becoming overwhelmed and needed to get out of there. “Thank you, Della,” I said and wrapped her in a hug.
“You are most welcome!” she replied and pushed me toward the bedroom. “Now go change! You must not meet our guests in my son’s shirt and yesterday’s tights!”
I dug my heels into the floor and stopped only a few feet into the hallway. “Guests? What guests?” I asked Xander. This was all too much.
He looked at me with his eyebrows raised as if he didn’t know the answer, so he then turned to his mom. “Ma, what guests? What are you talking about?”
“Oh! I am sorry, mon chéri! I forgot to tell you! A friend of mine is traveling through this part of the country, and I invited her to stop and have lunch with us! She has a few people from the Council with her, and they will be here sometime around 11:00. I hope that it is alright?”
Xander looked to his father who threw his hands up in surrender because he obviously didn’t know about it. “Ma, who’s coming?” He asked, turning back to Della. He was obviously not happy with this revelation.
“Relax. It’s an old friend of mine that I haven’t seen in a while, and she’s excited to meet your mate! She was practically your second mother when you were a child. I thought you would be excited to see her again.”
“Ma. Who. Is. It?” He asked once again. He suspected who she was referring to, just like I did, but wanted confirmation before panic completely set in. I gripped the bags in my arms tightly in anticipation.
“Lucia Ironshot,” she said. The room began spinning, and that was the last thing I heard before the world went black.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I felt something soft beneath me as my body began to wake. I wiggled my arms and legs and my eyes slowly opened to see that I was back in my bedroom. I began to sit up when soft hands pushed me back onto the bed.
"Careful, mon ange," Della soothed. "You took quite the spill. Are you alright?"
My hand went to my head and I felt a small lump on the right side of my head where I must have hit it when I passed out. It hurt, but nothing I couldn't manage. I'd definitely felt worse. But, my mother was coming. Here. So many thoughts ran through my mind as I carefully rolled to my side and put my feet on the floor.
"I'm okay," I told her. "I must have forgotten to eat breakfast. How long was I out?" I put weight onto my legs and waited until I was steady before standing up completely.
"About twenty minutes, I imagine," she replied. She looked as if she didn't believe me, but was more concerned than skeptical. "One day, my sweet daughter, I will earn your trust." She put her hand under my elbow to help steady me. "Until then, just know that I already care for you."
"Thank you, Della." I returned her small smile, wanting to tell her everything, but I just couldn't. I had too much going on at the moment, and I didn't want to add to the drama. I needed to figure out what I was going to do about my mom and Chei Yun. Would he turn me in again? Had he already done it while I was passed out? "Where's Xander?" I asked.
"Here," his deep voice called from the doorway. He was holding a tray of food between his hands. "I made you breakfast while my mom sat with you. Dad said that you didn't eat this morning."
"Yeah, I must have forgotten," I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry to scare you."
"We are just glad you are alright," Della interjected and led me to an armchair in the corner of the room. Xan sat the tray in my lap and he and his mom watched me expectantly.
"Ma, can you give us a few minutes? I want to make sure my mate is okay," Xan asked his mom.
"Of course, darling," she replied and leaned down to kiss me on the top of my head. "Eat everything, mon ange. Promise me." She gave me a motherly look, and I found that I couldn't refuse.
"I will, I promise. Thank you for taking care of me."
Della nodded, then reached up and kissed Xan on the cheek before leaving the bedroom, closing the doors behind her.
Xan dropped to his knees in front of me, reached out and touched the side of my head where I bumped it. I hissed in pain, and he quickly moved his hand away. "Sorry," he winced. "How are you feeling?"
"I'll live," I smiled. I could see the worry in his sable colored eyes, and I realized that I saw that expression on him a lot. I hated that I brought that look out in him so much.
"That's good." He put both of his hands on my knees. "Babe, your mom will be here soon. What do you want to do? I have no problem leaving with you right now if you want. Or, you can play sick and stay in the bedroom until she leaves. Up to you. Just tell me what you want to do, and I'll do it."
"I love you, Xander Liu," I smiled.
"I love you too."
"I can handle my mom," I assured him. "She probably won't even recognize me, and even if she does, she's not expecting me. So, I'll eat this amazing breakfast you fixed for me, then I'll get changed, and we'll meet Lucia Ironshot." My smile wavered for just a second, but it was enough for Xan to doubt my confidence.
"Honey, you don't have to do this. I know how hard it will be for you, and you just took a nasty spill. You don't need the stress."
"I know, but Xan, you forget that I've dealt with worse in my life. I can handle Lucia Ironshot and a few Council lackeys. There's something else I'm worried about though."
"Oh? Does it have something to do with the tension between you and my father?" My mate didn’t miss much.
"Yeah. He knows who I am, Xan. I don't know what he's going to do about it. Did he say anything to you when I was out?"
He looked away as if he were trying to recall everything, but shook his head. "No. He didn't say anything."
I sighed. "He knows that you know who I am and that you're sticking with me. So, my guess is that he's staying quiet to protect you."
"Maybe." He was still looking away. "Will you be okay if I leave you alone for a little while?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I promise."
Xan rose to his feet. "I'll be back in a half an hour. Will that be enough time for you to eat and change?"
"It should be," I smiled.
He gently kissed me on the lips and turned toward the bedroom door. "Eat all of it," he called out over his shoulder.
"Yes, boss."
Once the doors were closed behind him, I dug into the ham and veggie omelet that was on my plate, and even though it was cold, it was the most delicious thing I had eaten in a long time.
It was almost exactly thirty minutes later when I heard Xan knock on the bedroom door. I was pulling one of the dresses over my head at the same time the doorknob turned and he stuck his head inside. He straightened and slipped in the room, closing the door behind him.
"I knew you'd like that dress," he smiled as he looked me over. It was solid black with three quarter length sleeves and an A-line skirt that fell about an inch above my knees. It came with a pair of worn brown leather knee-high boots that had a short heel on them. It was all gorgeous and casual, which I loved. If I had to wear a dress, it would be something like this.
When I put the boots on, I made sure to slip the ring that Dev had given me inside of one of them. I didn’t want to risk wearing it on my hand and Lucia seeing it, but I didn’t want to not wear it either. I was holding onto hope that my uncle was still alive. I needed to believe it, and as long as I had it with me, he could find me.
There were a few other dresses, shoes, and underwear, as well as a couple of pairs of jeans and tops in the shopping bags. I removed the tags on everything, and then fit what I could in my backpack before getting myself dressed. I couldn't help myself. I had to be ready, especially with the way the day was going. I even packed a bag for Xander and stored it alongside my backpack in the closet.
"Did you get a chance to talk to your dad?" I asked him. I had the feeling that was what he was going to do when he left me alone earlier.
"No. My mom was with him the whole time, and I didn't want to raise suspicion by asking him to speak to me privately."
I nodded in understanding. "How do you think your mom will react when she finds out?" I knew eventually she would. It was inevitable.
He sighed and slumped against the footboard of the bed. "I don't know. I think once she finds out everything, including that you are Lucia's deceased daughter, she'll accept it. But, honey, I don't know for sure."
I took a deep breath in and out and nodded my head. "We'll just have to wait and see then," I said and started walking toward the door.
Xan joined me and together we walked down the hall, and into the living room. Della was adding a vase of flowers to a table by the front door when she saw us. She quickly put the vase down and wrapped me in a hug.
"You look beautiful!" she cried. “I am so happy that my son found you, and that I finally have a daughter!” I smiled at her joy and enthusiasm, but that smile slowly fell as my eyes locked with Chei Yun.
He was staring at Della and me, his arms crossed and a look of speculation on his face. I cut my eyes to Xan and he was watching his father as well, with a look of concern. Today was turning out to be a complete shit show, and it had only just begun.
I was in the kitchen helping Xan and his parents put the finishing touches on lunch when we heard a car drive up the gravel driveway. My eyes cut to Xan from across the island, he immediately stopped chopping cucumbers for the salad and came to stand next to me.
Even though I was nervous, I felt well protected with my dragon mate standing beside me. His love and support were unwavering. I mentally kicked myself for ever doubting him. My dragon wanted to do the same, but she was more interested in staying alert and ready for anything that might happen. The two of us may not see eye-to-eye all of the time, but I knew that I could count on her if things went sideways. And, they probably would, given my history.
Della rushed out of the kitchen toward the front door just as there was a light knock on it. Chei Yun was right behind her, leisurely walking with his hands in his pockets, and I didn't understand how he could be so calm. Maybe he knew something else that I didn't.
I took Xan's hand in mine, and gently squeezed it when I heard the front door close, followed by the tinkling of laughter and the clicking of heels on the hardwood floor. This was it. I was finally going to come face to face with the woman who was once my mother.
Xan squeezed my hand in return, as a woman with dark auburn hair rounded the corner into the kitchen. I swallowed and gently smiled as I took in everything about her. She looked like she could have been Devlin's twin, with her fair skin and blue eyes. She stared back at me, her smile slowly falling and I knew she could see the resemblance in me too.
"Anne," Della said, breaking me out of my trance. I looked to Xan's mom and smiled when I realized she had been talking to me, and I didn't hear her.
"Sorry," I said. "I'm still a little out of it from earlier," I lied. I let go of Xan's hand and walked around the kitchen island, to stand before Lucia. I stuck out my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Anne." I didn't know where the confidence came from, but I was proud of myself for not wavering.
She hesitantly took my hand and shook it. "Lovely to meet you, Anne. I'm Lucia," she said, her eyes still studying me. "I'm so glad that Xander finally found his mate." Someone cleared their throat behind Lucia, and I looked around her. There stood two more men, obviously from the Council. "This is Mark and Hugh, they work with M- M- Michael.”
My only memories of her were from my childhood, but I always remembered her being calm and confident in whatever she did. Even when we were on the run before I was cursed, she remained steadfast. The woman in front of me with her shifting eyes and wavering smile was not the same woman. What had happened to her these last fifteen years?
Chapter Twenty-Five
"Michael didn't come with you on this trip?" Della asked Lucia as we all sat down at the table. Xan sat directly across from me, and I hated the distance. I needed him next to me, but Della sat us where she wanted since it was her lunch party. Lucia was sitting directly on my left, which made me even more uncomfortable. She didn't seem to mind, though and even scooted her chair closer to me. Mark and Hugh took their lunch and waited outside in their car, letting Lucia eat with her friends. For that, I was glad. I didn't need to worry about someone else dissecting everything I said or did.
"No, not on this trip," Lucia replied and took a small sandwich off the tray in front of her. "He had planned to come with me, but something came up."
"Oh? Where are you going?" I asked. I mentally kicked myself, because I should just keep my head low and try to get through this visit without drawing too much attention.
"I am going to visit my brother," she replied with a smile and took a bite of her salad.
I began to see red. She was on her way to see Devlin? Did she now know what the Council had done to him? That they attacked his home and possibly killed him? Was she in contact with him all this time?
Xan must have realized my change in mood, because he said, "I remember your brother. He looked just like you, right?"
Lucia smiled. "Yes. Devlin. People always thought we were twins, but he's a couple of years older than I am."
"I thought something happened to him several years ago," he then said. "I haven't seen him since I was a kid."
Lucia's smile fell slightly. "Oh, I talk to him pretty often. I don't get to see him like I want to because we live so far apart, but I decided to surprise him with a visit." She was lying through her teeth. Devlin told me that he hadn't seen or even talked with his sister since the moment he hid me away. I knew how close they were, because of how much he missed her. Why would she lie about this?
"Why don't you just teleport yourself to his home instead of
drive?" I asked. "I mean, you're a caster, right?" I raised my chin in defiance.
"Anne!" Della chastised.
"It's alright," Lucia told her friend. She then turned her attention back to me. "Teleporting is not one of my talents. And even if it were, it's rude to show up at someone's home unannounced."
"Even your brother's house? One you haven't seen in a while?" I just couldn't help myself. My original plan was to lay low, but she was talking about Devlin. She had no right!
Lucia delicately shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her plate. "Maybe. I can't teleport, so it's really not an issue, right?"
"I guess," I agreed and sat back in my seat. I didn't know what else to say. She was right, and I was overreacting. I let her get to me when I should have just stuck to my plan.
I pushed the food around on my plate for the rest of the meal, not really eating anything. Xan kept trying to make eye contact with me from across the table, but I kept my gaze down, only briefly looking up from time to time when I felt someone watching me.
Besides Xan, Chei Yun watched me the most out of everyone at the table. He seemed to really want to study me since our conversation earlier that morning. I wondered if he considered me, the half-breed an experiment since it seemed like he wasn't going to turn me in.
I hated him for it. I hated him for all of it, just like I hated my mom. They were both cowards, doing what they were told to do instead of what was right. I wanted to scream at them both and tell them how much I hated them for what they'd done, for what they continued to do. But, I didn't. I kept my head down and answered whenever someone asked me a question, but otherwise, I stayed silent. I had already drawn too much attention to myself.
