“Oh, shit.” Trever muttered that was clearly meant for only him to hear.
“What?”
“I really don’t think—”
“Trever, no! You always do this to me and I think I deserve to know!”
He sighed but in a good way to my ears; it was a ready to give in kind of sigh. “You weren’t supposed to.”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“I knew you were going to ask this someday but not necessarily this soon.”
“Well?”
“She can handle it.” Aleksander said. I was glad he was on my side.
“All right. Clearly this starts when you were born but I guess you should first know that our parents were never married.”
“Our parents? You mean, our mother but you never talk about her.”
“For good reason but I have to now.” I sat quiet, ready to listen. “It wasn’t just that they never married but they didn’t even live with each other. It was an on and off thing for as long as I could remember.”
“Ooh.” Adele whispered. “Sounds familiar.”
Trever laughed. “Yeah, Jay and Kole. It was kind of like that right up to the time Jay was born. Mother was—disappointed, mostly in herself that you were a girl. She felt that she failed father for not giving him another son.”
“That’s stupid.”
“It’s how things were. She was so focused on it and decided herself what should have been done. These days, Hintus is the only country that still does it. Disposes their daughters at birth.”
I didn’t know what to say. I never knew much about my mother but knowing this was worse.
“Your mother was willing to kill Jaylyn just because she was a girl?” Zayden asked.
“Yes, and father was close to agreeing but there was just something about you that delayed his decision. I could see it too but mother—she was convinced it was the only way. It seemed like they argued about it for a while and father was close to seeing her way but I still didn’t and I couldn’t let it happen. I wouldn’t. I took you away from them before you were even hours old and brought you to Gwen.”
Ruby sat up a little straighter with sounds of her mother coming into the story and she looked right at me.
“She was only days from giving birth herself but she agreed and took you in when I explained the situation. They didn’t even notice until hours later but father seemed to already know exactly where you were. He knew me too well but you were lucky in the choice I made. Gwen wouldn’t hand you over. Father spent another hour just trying to reason with Gwen but surely pointless. Everyone knew when Gwen wanted something, she’d get it and it’d be best for you not to stand in her way.”
Ruby smiled and looked next to her at Darius. “It runs in the family.”
“Yes, well, he was able to get Jay back eventually with the promise that she’d keep her life. Father cared about mother, he loved her in a sense and trusted the things she wanted but—” He paused with a long breath while gazing at the floor. “He loved Gwen more.”
Ruby and I looked at each other again.
“Wait. What?” Ruby asked, seeming to be in the most shock. “Really?”
“Yes.”
“Did they ever—”
She trailed off and Trever barked before anyone could even consider it. “No! They did not! What a horrible thing to think? We are not related at all!”
“So, Bryce didn’t protect Gwen like you have with Ruby?” Zayden asked.
“Not in the same way and like Gwen really needed protecting.”
“Thanks a lot. You saying that I do?”
“You’re accident prone, Red. There isn’t anyone here that could deny that. You need to be saved from yourself most of the time.”
Ruby huffed and sat back, regaining her leaned position on Darius.
“Anyway.” I sighed. “So, father agreed to Gwen’s terms because he loved her.” I didn’t want to get side tracked. I deserved to hear this.
“Yes and there was no physical contact with them whatsoever. They were just soul mates who were destined to never be together.”
“Sounds kind of familiar.” Troy muttered, glancing towards Darius.
“Shut it.” He didn’t even have to look over to let us know he meant it.
“So, then what?” I asked.
“Well, when mother found out about his decision, you can imagine that she’d be pissed. Even with father’s explanation of why to keep you alive, she still wanted to kill you. She became obsessive but what you really have to know, she never left us.”
“She didn’t?”
“No. Father told her to leave. He drove her out of Dorlin, away from you but still didn’t trust it enough. That’s when we made our first visit to a very old, powerful, slightly crazy friend.”
I gasped. “He brought us to Madam Carla?”
“Yes.”
“Why? What did she do?”
“She disconnected us from our mother’s memory so if she was to ever come back, she wouldn’t look at us and see her lost children.”
“Then let me ask you one thing and I want it answered.”
“Okay.”
“Is she alive?” Trever was obviously extremely hesitant to answer me at all. “Trever! Is she?”
“What do you want me to say? That she is? Would that make you happy? Is that what you want to hear? No matter what I say, it could never make her love you.”
“I just want to know.”
He looked at me for the longest time. “No and it’s better that she’s not so you can never look for her and she can never hurt you.”
“Well, she can never look for her at least but hurting could still be an option if she remembers her.”
My eyes widened to the point they couldn’t open anymore. Ryon was sitting on the stairs but he had this strange transparent look about him that made him not seem real. I didn’t know if he was until everyone else reacted in some way that they could see him too.
“Ryon?!” Adele was clearly in shock but it was much more of a happy shock than sad.
Rift jumped right up and sprinted towards the stairs with several happy barks. “Hey, Rift. How are you?”
“What are you doing here?” Aleksander demanded with that deep voice of his.
“Bored. What are you doing here and where is here?”
“We’re just taking our time getting there since there have been some delays.” Trever said.
Ryon moved from the stairs to the fireplace almost instantly and set his gaze at Adele, still seeming rather normal. “And I’m sorry for that but you look good.”
“I’m doing better.”
“I’m glad. I didn’t want to leave you the way I did. I know that it wasn’t part of the plan.” He knelt down and began to pet Rift as he was jumping around him.
“She probably knows you’ve never been good with rules.” Trever sighed.
Ryon laughed. “Yeah, it’s better here. There’s less.”
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“It’s great to see you too, Jay.”
“I mean, how can you be here? Where did you come from?”
“You mean, where is Kole and when is he coming?”
“Have you seen him?”
“He wants to see you actually.”
The sound of the wind blew around us then a familiar voice appeared. I was relieved in a way to be hearing it again, not thinking that this time, everyone could hear it.
“Hey, Jay.”
Chapter 39
Troy
I didn’t know why they were here or if it was really a good idea for Jaylyn but I felt this relief almost when Kole appeared, leaning up against the fire place with a ghost like transparent image of how he was before he died.
Jaylyn covered her mouth with her hands and she started shaking, her eyes filling with tears. Hearing his voice was one thing but actually seeing him must have changed everything in the way I feared.
I put my hand on her and Kole l
ooked over at her reaction. “How are you?”
“Kole?”
A tear rolled down her face as Kole stood straight and walked closer. “It’s all right. Don’t be afraid. I knew for a long time what would happen to me. You don’t have to be sorry.”
“You always knew?” She was almost crying and I hated hearing her like this.
“Yes. I knew that I couldn’t change things. I was going no matter what. It started out to be for Trever because that’s who I lived to protect but my ambition was pointed more away from him when I made a deal with Troy about Ellie.”
“I know. He told me. We get to raise her.”
Kole looked over at Ryon and he stood casual like he was telling him to go on with just a look. It was suspicious.
“What?” Jaylyn asked.
“I see how happy you are with the news and I hate to take it from you but having the two of you raise her like we agreed will no longer be necessary.”
“Does your mother have something to do with this because I’ll—”
“No, Jay. This isn’t about her. It’s about Ellie. There’s something you have to see and know that I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to turn out this way either.”
“Kole, you’re scaring me.”
He looked over to his right and held out his hand. “It’s all right, baby. Come here.”
Just hearing those words made Jaylyn automatically break down and I had to restrain her. “No.” Her tears started falling and she was shaking her head to the thought. “Don’t you dare tell me that! No!” Ellie’s ghost like transparent form appeared next to Kole, holding his hand. I was stunned silent by the sight but things were much different for Jaylyn. She got hysterical over seeing her like that. “No!”
Her tears fell like one stream and I sat next to her, trying to calm her down. It wasn’t working. This was worse than never being able to see her. At least that way she knew she was alive but now everything changed.
She looked grievously at the sight of her lost child and Ellie let go of her father’s hand and walked over to Jaylyn with the calm caring innocently sweet voice she’s always had. “Don’t cry, mama. Daddy says we’ll get to be together again someday and I can wait.”
Jaylyn was in such distress that she could barely speak. Her words were all stuttered and hard to make out through her deep breaths. “I don’t want you to have to wait. I want to be with you right now.”
“Jay, no!” Kole said. “Look, I’m sorry but I thought it’d be better for you to find out this way because this way you can say good-bye.”
Jaylyn was still crying and she shook her head. “No. You can’t ask me to do that. I can’t say good-bye.”
Everyone else sitting by was getting effected by this conversation and Ellie brought up both her hands and put one on each side of Jaylyn’s face. “We’ll always have the past, mama but what about your happily ever after? I don’t want you to feel sad.”
“How can I be happy, knowing you’re never going to be around?”
“I’ll always be around. In here.” She pointed to Jaylyn’s heart. “And daddy says I’ll be able to watch you any time I want and you can too, you’ll just have to find a way.” Jaylyn was still in shock watching Ellie in front of her. “I’m happy, mama. You should be too.”
She was heartbroken but it seemed her tears were all dried up after what felt like only seconds; she was too in shock to even cry and I was worried. “How did this happen?”
“She doesn’t remember.” Kole said. “She was the one waiting for me. That’s why I didn’t want to come back. She needed me.”
“I’m okay though, mama. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“Come on, Ellie baby, we have to get back. We’ve lingered too long.”
“No.” Jaylyn said. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“We’ll see each other again, mama.” She leaned in and kissed Jaylyn’s forehead but I don’t know if she could feel any kind of contact she gave. “I love you.”
Jaylyn’s heart was already in a million pieces and those three little words made it break even more. “I love you too, sweetie.”
“Live happy for me? I’ll be watching to make sure!”
Jaylyn fell into an almost laugh and shown a slight smile from Ellie’s happy expression. “I’ll try.”
“Bye, mama!” She waved and started skipping over to Kole.
“Bye, Ellie.”
She disappeared and Ryon and Kole were left standing with us.
Jaylyn was in kind of a disbelief as she freed herself from me and started to get up. “I need to be alone for a while.”
“I’m sorry, Jay.” Kole said as she walked towards him. “But when you feel ready, you should tell them the truth.”
She didn’t say anything but walked right passed him and up the stairs.
“I hate you.” Kole said, looking over at Ryon.
“Better off in the long run to do it this way. You wouldn’t have wanted her to go all the way back and find out from your mother. That wouldn’t settle for Jay. You know that and we don’t need your mother joining us just yet.”
“I’ve got to get to her. Sorry about this, Troy. I didn’t want you to have to see Jay hurt anymore.”
“No. I think I’m the sorry one.”
He cracked a smile from his straight face and shook his head. “You don’t have to be. It wasn’t you’re fault.”
“Yes, it was.”
“I don’t see it that way. You did me a favor. Ellie needs me. I wouldn’t want her to go through this alone.”
I sat still, trying to see his logic but couldn’t get out a response.
“Were you aware when Jaylyn tried to bring you back?” Ruby asked.
“It wouldn’t have worked. She wouldn’t have been able to heal me but that’s not why I told her no.”
“You knew Ellie died then.”
“Yeah. I couldn’t stay long enough to tell her. That would have been worse to lose both of us like that.”
“Thank you for seeing it that way.” Trever said.
“Sure. I’ll see you later. I’ve got to get back but I’m never far if you need me for something.”
“I know.”
Kole disappeared and Ryon was the only one left like he was waiting for something. “Well, I guess I should be going too.”
“Forever?” Adele asked. Rift whined right after.
“Not necessarily. If it was fitting, your King can call upon us anytime he pleases and we’ll always answer.”
“What’s it like?”
“Better than anything you could even dream about but you’re not coming. Not for a long time. I already told you why.” He looked over at Zayden and Zayden lightly nodded as he kept his hold around Adele.
“We’ll miss you.” Adele replied.
“We’ll see each other again. After all, life is only a temporary state. Nothing is ever really forever until you’re here.” Adele couldn’t say anything else and only nodded her head. “And you don’t have to worry about Ellie. She’s being perfectly taken care of. Hopefully Jay will see that soon so she doesn’t stay this way.”
“Hopefully.” I muttered but I didn’t have much hope in it.
“You still have more to do. There will be conflicting thoughts going around when you get to the city but since the King has returned, no one will be taking action. Izin wants you back and anyone who thinks otherwise will use their wits and keep their mouths shut. You shouldn’t have any trouble at all reaching the palace.”
“Thank you for the insight.” Aleksander said.
Ryon nodded and looked down at Rift. “Go see Zayden.”
Rift lowered his head but obeyed and Ryon disappeared.
There was quite a long pause while everyone watched Adele still looking at where Ryon was standing and Zayden leaned into her ear. “You all right?”
“Yeah. Sad about Ellie though, even if she hated me.”
Trever laughed. “I think she’s over that. She’s the one that ha
s Ryon now.”
“How can you seem so normal about this?” I asked.
“Ryon was right. This life is only temporary. Everyone dies. It’s just the matter of when but it doesn’t mean you’re ever alone. There’s always someone waiting on the other side.”
The room became silent, thinking about his words.
“Well, it’s been a long morning.” Aleksander said as he started to get up. “Perhaps you two should think about breakfast.”
Adele and Trever looked at each other and Aleksander started going up the stairs. Trever smiled to try and change the mood of the house by putting his feet up on the table. “That’s a good idea. Let’s just sit here and think about it.”
Adele laughed and pulled him to his feet. “Come on. It’ll get done faster with two of us.”
“All right.” Adele pulled Trever down the left hall and left us sitting in silence again.
“This is too much to handle in one day.” Ruby said. “We should think about leaving before it gets worse.”
“It depends on if they’re ready.” Zayden replied. “A lot is about to happen in the next few days, on top of what has already. They need to be prepared.”
“And are you? You’ll be the one doing it alone.”
“I won’t be doing it alone. You’ll all be there and I don’t necessarily see it being that hard.”
“Really? I’d be terrified.”
“Well, first of all, my father wants us to come back. He’ll pardon us then and once he’s seen what we’ve become, he’ll choose our way.”
“And you’re actually going to expose that?”
“If it’s necessary to lead up to peace, then yes. It shouldn’t be much of a shock to him. He has one too and he’s never really owned up to being on the losing side of things. He’ll opt to do things my way.”
“And since when is this what you want? I thought you never wanted to be who you are.”
“Things change.”
Ruby looked at us sitting by and smiled. “So, it looks like you get what you wanted after all.”
“What?”
“Oh, come on, Zayden. We all know if things go the way they’re planned to then you’ll marry Adele. Aleksander talked to you about that right in front of us, remember?”
Raining Light (Fate's Intent Book 5) Page 22
