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My blood curdled. I traced the line down the page to Andromeda’s offspring. Another box with another name, connected to more boxes. I flipped the parchment over, following more lines, more boxes, more names I’d never heard of before. Years and years and years of it.
I kept going until I started to recognize the names.
Uther Baran of Teine.
Ruan Baran of Teine.
And then there it was.
Nash Baran of Teine, followed by the two final boxes in the notebook.
Tessa Baran of Teine. Nellie Baran of Teine.
Eyes burning, I hauled back the notebook and hurled it at the wall. Thethumpwas loud. Too loud. It startled the others awake, and it filled my ears with the sound of it.
“No,” I whispered hoarsely. “My father wasn’t in his right mind for a long time. That’s just some nonsensical scribblings. It isn’t true.”
The floor creaked as Nellie stood. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing,” I called out, meeting Val’s steady gaze. “Nothing is happening.”
But it wasn’t nothing, and everyone in the pub could tell.
“Your father believed you to be a descendent of the God of Death.”
“Yeah, I can see that, Val, but it’s not true. I mean, can’t you see how ridiculous that is?”
“You’re really fucking strong.”
“Because I spent months training.”
“No.” She shook her head, leaning forward. “I always thought it, Tessa, way before this. You shouldn’t be able to do half the things you can do, despite all the training. You scaled the chasm, repeatedly, like it was nothing. Half the time, you didn’t even hold on to the rope when you were prying out the gemstones. I tried to keep up with you, but…”
The blood in my veins stilled. “What are you saying? You actually believe this?”
“If he thought you all were descendants of a god, doesn’t that explain why he went in search of her?”
“I…” It made more sense than I wanted to admit. Because it did explain a lot. Why Father had left. Why he’d been so determined to reach the god. Why it must have driven him mad. That didn’t mean he was right about it, though. He’d been mistaken, or someone had lied to him, or he’d just lost his grip on reality. I couldn’t accept the alternative. That maybe, just maybe, he’d been right. If I was a descendent of the God of Death, then that meant her dark magic ran through my veins.
I could kill people with my touch.
And I could not accept that.
I opened my mouth to say all this and more, but a deep bellow blasted through the courtyard. The hair on the back of my neck bristled. In unison, Val and I turned toward the door. Thunderous footsteps drew closer. The shadowfiends had found us.
Nineteen
Tessa
Igrabbed the candlestick holder and hopped off the stool. With a finger to my lips, I motioned for Val to join the others huddling near the back of the pub. She scowled and grabbed a broom instead, and then stood beside me, where I faced the front door.
The younger boy choked out a sob. Nellie whispered fiercely at him to quiet down.
My blood pumped through my veins, my grip tight on the metal rod. When the shadowfiends crashed through that door, this weapon would do next to nothing against them, but I would go down fighting.
“Nellie,” I whispered over my shoulder. “I’ll draw them over here to the bar. While they’re distracted, get everyone else out of the pub. Find another building to hide in.”
“Absolutely not. I won’t leave you,” she said hotly.
