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"Pretty much, yes."
"Cheery thought."
"It's rather a heavy weight to bear. Our Wind Warden almost lost her mind over the pressure. I can empathise. She was only fifteen at the time. It's a lot to take in at that age," he said wistfully.
"At any age," Macey returned. "I don't think this would be any easier if I was as old as Aunt Nessie."
"Ah, yes, Nessie. She was only young when I met her, but she made an impression on Jonas."
"Jonas?" Macey echoed. "That was aunt's first husband's name"
"You don't know?" The man seemed surprised.
"Obviously not, please enlighten me."
"This place both exists, and does not," he started. "People can visit if they so wish."
"Go on..." Macey prompted, a sinking feeling she knew where this was going.
"We were the Wardens a hundred or so years ago, when your Aunt was a young kelpie, just exploring the world. Not unlike you, actually."
"Please tell me you're not saying what I think you are?" Macey shook her head from side to side, trying to rid herself of the images that had taken root there.
"Jonas and Nessie fell for each other instantly. Almost like it was written in the stars so to speak. They were inseparable until it came time for the final battle."
He looked away, sadness etched all over his face.
"They're lucky they still found a way to be able to meet. She used to come here once a week or so. Until about twenty-two years ago. She stopped then. We haven't seen her since."
He looked back towards the other Wardens.
"Which Warden was Jonas?" Macey asked, pretty sure she already knew the answer. There was only one way this was going, and she wasn't sure what to make about it.
"Water, but I think you already knew that." He smiled weakly.
"It makes sense. Kelpies are drawn to water."
"And to Wind, Fire and Earth apparently." He smiled coyly and Macey laughed.
"Apparently so."
"Jonas is a good man. Though he's fading now. We all are, to make way for you."
"I'm sure he is. I'd never think my ex-Uncle was anything else." And it did explain why her Aunt had always seemed so distant from the uncle Macey could remember."
"He's not your ex-uncle, Macey. He's your father."
12
With a gasp, Macey woke up.
"What's wrong?" Jared asked sleepily and pushed himself up until he was looking straight at her. "Bad dream?"
"You could say that," Macey muttered, still trying to get her head around what'd just happened. It didn't feel like a dream. The image of the room with the stone thrones and her conversation with one of the previous Wardens was as clear a memory. It had to be a memory. It was real.
Which meant that everything she knew about her family was a lie.
"I need to see Nessie," she announced and got up, struggling with the blanket which had tangled itself around her legs. No, that wasn't a blanket. That was Flint, stretched out diagonally over the bed.
