Page 112 of Facade

“She made sure that she—and any child she had—would survive.”

Something cold slid down my spine.

“She commissioned a troupe of soldiers to travel to the northern lands for a rare flower that grows at the top of the highest mountain peak, where no one could fly. According to the old texts, that flower could be used to gift powers to offspring.”

My brows creased. “How did she learn about something like that?

“Aniah said the Coven Council was the only one with knowledge of the flower. But many soldiers went to retrieve the flower; none returned. Several years later,” he said, his voice quieter now, “she found another way. A young Witch, a lesser Witch, who’d been traveling with a local theater group. Word had spread among the Witches of the Queen’s search—the witchling said her grandmother possessed such a flower. Two, in fact. All she and her grandmother wanted as payment was freedom—refuge to keep the witchling hidden from the Council and their trials. Queen Ava agreed.”

I swallowed dryly.

“Did she set her free?”

His jaw ticked, a short nod.

“Through death.”

My stomach dropped out from under me. Anger burned hot, my jaw clenching tight enough to break teeth.

“Later that night, she crushed all the leaves, putting them in a tea for King Ezren, knowing he'd need to ingest the flower before she tried to conceive. But what she hadn’t known was that King Ezren was cheating on her with another female. It was the other female’s bed he warmed, and not Queen Ava’s. The female later gave birth to King Ezren's firstborn son. The second attempt she made with the remaining flower had also failed. Queen Ava hadn’t accounted for the King’s best friend and advisor, Jasper Stygian, to show up that night.”

My fingers dug into the cushions.

“That’s… my father.”

Ryker held my gaze—unflinching.

“King Ezren shared the tea with your father that night. Queen Ava realized this after he'd left and had one of her personal guards kill him. But she acted too late.” His gaze dropped.

“Who was the female?” I asked quietly, though I knew the answer. “Who was the female who had the King’s first son?”

“My mother.”

Everything slammed together—my mind spinning to keep up. My gaze snapped to his.

“Aiden. He’s your—”

“Half-brother, yes.” His tone darkened.

Ringing filled my ears as my world tilted. My skin grew clammy, pulse skidding out of control.

I shot from the couch, wrapping my arms around myself as I paced before the fire.

He’s Aiden’s brother.

Of course he was. The resemblance was clear in the shape of their eyes and even in their jaw line.

“But you told me stories of your childhood in the seaside village. Of Watka.” My voice rose. Aniah and Malachai knew who Ryker was. But neither told me.

“Was it—was it all a lie?”

“No,” he said firmly. He stood—but didn’t come any closer.

“I’ve never lied to you.” His voice didn’t waver, though his jaw and shoulders were tense. “I did grow up there. When my mother told the King she was pregnant, she knew what the Queen would do. She could see the hatred and loathing in her eyes. She ran soon after I was born.”

I plopped back down on the farthest edge of the couch, fingernails biting into my arms.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”