“Your mother and Odessa were the closest things to friends I ever had. It was difficult to help her leave this place.”
My back stiffens as my mouth drops open in shock.
“You know why she abandoned the throne?” My words lower in volume, as if my shame of her absence sucks the life out of the question.
“Abandoned? No.” Luna glares at me from under lowered lashes. “Your mother didn’t abandon her duty. She was always supposed to come back after they had found what they were looking for.”
That’s new information.
“They? Both my parents?”
Luna’s eyes seem to glaze over as she searches the recesses of her memory. “Yes.”
“What did they seek?”
“They sought answers. But she didn’t confide in me the question. There was a threat to their safety and future. Specifically from your father’s family, but I always thought it was more than that.”
I knew it.
I knew her absence had to do with protecting me or my dad. It was the only thing that ever made sense. But to hear it, to know she had planned to come back, eases some of my guilt.
“Do you—do you know who my father’s family was?” I’m practically hyperventilating at all the information I’m learning about my parents. The ground beneath me is spinning, and I lean against the table for support. Some of the crystals rattle as the table shifts under my weight and Luna throws a wary glance at them.
“No.”
Her answer has my breath stalling in the back of my throat as all my hopes for answers turn to ash.
“No? You just said she left because of them.”
“I don’t know the specifics, girl. It was a century ago and your mother kept their identity close to her chest. But I know they were powerful and did not want your father with her. Much of our kingdom didn’t seem to trust him either, because he was an outsider.”
“Outsider? You mean human?”
A sharp laugh rips through the room. The edge of it is sharper than the stone hanging in murderous points fromthe ceiling.
“Have you seen your father? He was definitely not human. No human man looks that desirable.” My mind suddenly conjures up images of Lachlan.
“Lena! Luna! Are ye alright?” His voice echoes down the stone entrance and into the room. As if my thoughts alone summoned him.
“Yeah, we’re fine!” I shout, moving away from the table and closer to the passageway.
“Did ye find what you’re looking for?”
“Umm, maybe! We’ll be right out!”
I turn back to the table. Luna has her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she studies me. “I guess we can grab a few books to pick through. I want to take one of the crystals too, in case we come across something in one of the books. That way, we don’t have to come back in here every time we need to check.”
Luna shakes her head. “The crystal is dangerous. You shouldn’t touch it.”
“It’s only dangerous if I drop it.” I ignore her words and reach to grab a small crystal that is a much paler green than the rest of the decanters. But a stinging slap has me reeling back in shock as Luna bats my hand away.
“You’re not listening! Look—the crystal houses venom.” She nudges the crystal vial with the spine of a book. No venom spills out, but the liquid inside sloshes around.
“I think it’s safe to handle. It didn’t burn through the book like it does in its fluid state. And we need it to study closer.” I hiss, ripping the book from her grip and grabbing another to use as a way to pick the vial up without using my hands. “See, all safe.”
Luna huffs and throws her hair over a thin shoulder before stalking to the opening. “Suit yourself then, your majesty.”
It’s a triumph not to stick my tongue out at her back. But it’s immensely difficult to shimmy my way back through the rockwith the crystal balanced on top of the book, and I’m immensely proud of myself when I make it through without dropping it. Until I see Lachlan’s face.
