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Ainsley
Kicking the door shut with what bit of energy I had left, I trembled on the floor, rocking like a small child. I couldn’t even cry. I didn’t know what to think. Had anyone seen the display of magic? Oh, dear Lord. What if—No. I would not allow myself to head down that path. That woman. Who was she? She had mentioned Silverthorne… The rogue. Had she done this to me with her touch? I shook my head and lifted my gaze to the ceiling. She couldn’t have. I’d already been feeling an odd sort of heat or power rising within me before she had approached.
A loud knock broke me from my thoughts. “Ainsley, dear. Open up.” I could hear her fiddling with the lock. “It is your mother.” Did she not think I would recognize her voice?
I slowly rose to my feet and cracked the door open. “Yes?”
“Let me in this instant. We need to talk.” Her expression was distressed and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
Opening the door a bit wider, Mother hurriedly rushed through, closing and locking it behind her. “Ainsley, I saw what happened, and there is much we need to discuss.”
Oh, my heavens. She’d witnessed the light magic. What must she think of me now? Would she turn me out? Shun me? Would I be forced into hiding as well? Frightened, I felt as my eyes grew wide with fear.
“In the washroom, Mother?” Yes, that was my response. I sort of wanted to slap myself, but the state I was in, I was unsure of what to say.
She shook her head. “No, I shall have the staff dismiss the guests at once. This is far too important of a discussion to be had”—She gazed about the room, disgust clearly on her features—“in such a place.”
“What about Father’s memorial?” I then felt myself near tears. I had ruined it. Ruined it all. “What—”
“Ainsley.” The duchess interrupted. “We shall have a private memorial. Remain here. I shall have Jackson inform the staff, and while doing so, we will head to your chambers. Understood?” She lifted my trembling chin. “Time is of the essence. I thought I would have more…” She trailed off and shook her head.
I nodded and clasped my hands in front of me.
“I shall return in a moment.” With that, she left the washroom—left me with an uncertain future. And yet again, another cryptic response. Although, this time, I was certain the answers I’d been seeking would soon be revealed. However, I had an inkling I would not like what I heard.
Standing before the basin, I stared at my reflection. My icy-blue eyes had begun to radiate, and they now appeared almost white with a ring of blue around the irises. Stunned, I took a step back and felt my hands tingle. Oh, no. Not this again.
Closing my lids, I lowered my head and then peeked one eye open to see bright-white flames appear. They were dancing along my fingertips and began moving within the palm of my hands. I stared, transfixed, until Mother burst through the door, again seeing this bizarre magic.
Mother gasped. “Ainsley, do try to hide your abilities as we make our way upstairs.”
Abilities? Had she known? My mouth dropped open, but I quickly closed it and the magic suddenly disappeared. Thank the heavens above! Instead of voicing my concerns, I followed my mother’s lead up the steps as Jackson and the staff ushered what seemed like cranky guests out of our home.
Once we were safely behind my chamber doors, I plopped on my bed and spread my black mourning dress around me so it wouldn’t poke and prod me during our chat. Mother sat in the cream-colored wing-back chair near my bedside table.
She wrung her hands together with a pained expression. “I suppose I can no longer hold onto the truth of your parentage.” The air rushed from my lungs and I sat forward in a sort of dumbfounded haze, bracing my hands on the bed to keep from falling. “But first, you must know your father and I have loved you as our own since the day you were brought to us. You must understand”—She brought a handkerchief to her eyes—“I am barren. But you, Ainsley, you have been the greatest blessing. Most wondrous! You made me a mother. Something I dare say, a title I believed I would never be graced with.”
I didn’t dare interrupt, but everything in my life—thoughts of not belonging in this life—finally began to make sense. Although, it crushed me a bit to learn my parents were not… No, they were still my parents. I had to pay attention, even if what I learned pained me. I straightened as she continued.
Mother rose from her seat and came to sit next to me. Grasping my hand, she met my gaze. “I want you to know you are loved. What I am about to tell you will be somewhat shocking, but please, hear me out before you say a word.”
I inclined my head.
“Ainsley, you are a magic caster.” I couldn’t help the strangled gasp that escaped my lips. “Your birth parents—your mother is a magic caster; your father is Silverthorne, however, they”—She paused, seeming to gather her thoughts—“could not keep you because their lives were in danger, and your father—the duke—and I were entrusted to keep you safe.”
“Safe from what, Mother?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“There are many dangers in this world, Ainsley. Dangers your father and I have sheltered you from. This, your magic and your heritage, is the secret we have withheld all these years. We had no other choice.” Tears slipped down her lovely face, and I embraced her. “Silverthorne is a known pirate. His identity alone threatened your life, but with your mother’s powers, it was too much. I’m sorry we had to keep this from you—I’m so sorry. All we ever wanted was to protect you and give you everything we had, and then some. Please, Ainsley.” Mother took my hand again and squeezed it as though she were pouring every ounce of her love into my palm. “I love you, and your father loved you. Birth parents or no, you were always ours.”
I blinked back the tears that had welled up so much I could barely see.
“I love you,” I whispered, desperately trying to process the profusion of information thrown my way.“You are still my mother, even if you did not birth me; you are my mother. I may not understand what’s going on right now, or how this has anything to do with the Silverthorne man Father spoke of, but know I love you the same at this very moment as I did before you…” I trailed off as she cupped my cheek.
“And I you, my dearest daughter. Always. Silverthorne, the rogue, he is your birth father as I said, and you must find him. Now more than ever, it is imperative. We, I, had hoped your magic would not awaken until much later, but it seems the duke knew better than I. He always did.” Another round of tears rained down her cheeks. “I believe he saw it within you, whereas I chose to ignore the signs.”
I didn’t know what she was talking about. “What signs? Before today, I’ve never experienced any sort of magical display, not until right before that odd woman approached me. I believe it may have been fear that brought it on? I’m not quite certain.”
The duchess shook her head. “Do you know why I always insisted you paint?”
