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“Ask me about my surname,” she repeated.
Killian stroked a hand along her back, and swallowed. “Why do you hate your surname?”
Elyse closed her eyes as if drawing strength from the power of the oath.
“It’s my mother’s surname,” she began. “When she was sixteen, she became pregnant. She thought she was in love with the man, and that he loved her. But of course, when she told him the news, he avoided her and even moved away.”
Killian’s stomach turned. There were few things in this world that he hated more than cowardly men. But he listened, bearing witness to her pain.
She sighed and continued. “My mother tried to hide her pregnancy from her parents for as long as she could. She knew they wouldn’t approve. They were old-fashioned. They believed in things like purity and discipline. But eventually they found out.”
Her voice began to waver. “My grandfather dragged her to a healer. He demanded that she have the child removed.”
Killian tensed. He tried not to show his surprise. He thought this was the story of how Elyse was conceived. Evidently, he was wrong. He held his breath as she went on.
“When the healer was finished, the assistant came in. She handed my mother a note from my grandfather. He’d enclosed a single gold coin and told her never to return home.”
Killian kissed Elyse’s cheek. He wasn’t surprised to find it wet with tears.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. It was all he could think to say. He understood her hatred for her surname, and why she wouldn’t want to be associated with such vile people.
“I’m not finished,” Elyse rasped. “My mother worked odd jobs to get by. She was friendly and smart, and she made enough to afford a small apartment, but she mourned the loss of her child. She thought about that baby every day, and eventually, she did something desperate.
“She summoned a demon to make a bargain. She wanted her child back. The demon told her that he couldn’t bring her child back to life, but that he could give her a new child, and that he could give her the means to make sure that child was well cared for. All he asked for in return was that she do one thing for him every month on the night of the full moon.”
Killian realized he’d stopped stroking Elyse’s back. This wasn’t just about how her mother’s family had abandoned her. It was about how that action had led her mother to make a terrible decision, enslaving herself and her child to a demon. He pulled Elyse’s face to his chest and held her tight as she finished her story.
“My mother agreed immediately. The demon helped her get started with the shoppe, and just like he promised, it was a lucrative business. Nine months later, I was born.”
They were quiet for a moment as her words sank in. Killian had researched Elyse and the Emporium before he had ever met her, noting how no man’s name had been attached to the property. He’d often wondered about her father, but she’d never brought him up. Now he understood why.
Elyse tilted her head up to him, her eyes wide and watery. “What if I’m…” she began, but her voice trailed off.
She didn’t need to finish for Killian to understand. What if she was part demon?
“Did your mother ever explain to you how the conception happened?” he asked, trying to ignore the mental picture of a demon impregnating a sixteen-year-old girl.
Elyse shook her head.
He was quiet for a moment as he chose his words carefully. It was certainly a possibility. It would explain Elyse’s immense power. But it didn’t seem right.
He cleared his throat and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “First of all, I don’t think you are. I mean, I’ve never noticed horns or a tail or anything.”
Elyse’s body shook with a laugh, though she sniffled.
“Second of all,” Killian continued, “even if you are part demon, does it matter? You’re still you. And there is far more good in you than you realize, more than enough to outweigh any slight demonic traits you might have.”
Elyse didn’t say anything as she nestled her head against his chest. Killian wrapped his arms around her, holding tight.
“You are so much more beautiful, inside and out, than you give yourself credit for,” he said, his voice strong. “That’s why we’re going to have to find a way to break this blood oath, so that you can live a long life.”
Elyse peered up at him, her brows drawn. But there was hope in her eyes.
“I’m not letting you turn yourself in,” he whispered. “I don’t know how we’ll do it, but I do know that the world needs more people like you, Elyse.”
He held her chin as he gently kissed her lips. She felt as the tension in her muscles seemed to fade away. She curled her head against his chest, her breaths soft and warm against his skin. It wasn’t long before he faded into sleep.
When he dreamt, it was of her, fierce and free.
