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“I brought you gifts that I thought would help you.” She takes one of my hands with her own. “I know what you have willingly given up to keep this world safe, and considering this will be a brand new start for you, I thought it prudent to take away the one thing that has kept you at arm’s distance from most everyone in your life except for Boris, and then Damon.”
Emily pulls out a metal tube from her coat pocket. At the end of the tube juts out a small needle.
“What is that?” I ask apprehensively, sitting up a bit straighter.
“This is the serum that will finally take away your curse.” She smiles. “This will neutralize the poison your skin produces and make it possible for you to touch people without harming them.”
“Why didn’t you give this to me before now?” I ask.
“Honestly, I thought it was your best protection since I couldn’t be here myself to keep you safe. Also, considering the line of work you chose, it seemed prudent to make you lethal so people would leave you alone. In hindsight, I might have done things a little differently.” Emily holds the tube against my upper arms. “Are you ready?”
I nod, biting my lower lip, not knowing if the serum will hurt going in.
Emily presses a button on the side of the tube. I feel the sharp jab of the needle penetrate my skin but other than that, it’s painless.
“How do you feel?” she asks, tucking the tube back into the pocket of her dress.
“I don’t feel any different. Should I?” What if the serum doesn’t work? What if I touch someone and inadvertently kill them?
“No,” she says. “I just wanted to make sure you were all right. This is a pivotal day for you, and I wanted to be here to help you through it.”
“I’m all alone.” I’m unable to hold back my sobs. Pitying myself isn’t something I normally do. I feel slightly embarrassed for my lack of self-control. I feel like an emotional mess.
Emily wraps her arms around me, doing what she can to comfort me.
“You have every right to cry.” Her voice is gentle and understanding. Exactly what I need in this moment. “But you’re not alone.”
“No one knows who I am,” I sniff. “Not the real me.”
“True, most everyone will only remember you as their queen, and right now, they need you. They’re confused and frightened. You need to go to them and calm their nerves. Reassure them that everything will be all right.”
“How can I do that whenI’mnot all right?”
Instead of continuing to hold me, Emily abruptly stands and grabs a green velvet robe from the foot of the bed.
“Go get Ivy’s other surprise, Jack. I think it will comfort her more than my words.”
Jack bows his head to his mother and walks out of the room.
“Let’s put this on you.” She holds out the robe to help me dress.
Once I’ve slipped it on and tightened the sash around my waist, there are three knocks on the door.
“Come in,” Emily says.
When the door opens, Boris is standing across the threshold.
The moment has come. The moment I was dreading the most. I lower my gaze so I can’t see my father look at me like I’m a stranger. How did Emily think this would help me? All it does is remind me of everything I’ve lost.
His boots click as he crosses the room to stand a handsbreadth away from me. With his index finger underneath my chin, he lifts my face until we’re eye to eye.
“Good morning, poppet.”
My heart begins to beat so fast I feel like I might faint.
“You remember me?” I whisper, yearning with all my heart to hear him say he hasn’t forgotten who I am to him.
“That I surely do.” He smiles with true love in his eyes for me.
