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“Well.” Sky rooted around in her purse and pulled out her phone. She flicked open her gallery and handed the phone to Ursula. “We wanted to ask you about this woman. This is your sister, right?”
Ursula took the phone from Sky, her expression melancholic. “Yes, this is Bryanna. You’re looking for her?”
“We were wondering if she might be able to help us with something.” Sky spoke tentatively.
Ursula’s eyes pricked with sudden tears and she met my gaze before looking away, dashing the tears away with the back of her hand. “You won’t have any luck there. Bryanna is dead.”
“Dead?” My sharp intake of breath had both of them looking my way. I shook my head, striding forward to stand over the woman. “How? You have to know something about what happened that night.”
“Jordan…” Sky touched my arm gently, her gaze flicking to the furious witch.
Ursula’s mouth settled into a thin line, a furious fire blazing behind her eyes. “What night are you referring to exactly? The night my sister was attacked by your kind?”
She rose to face me, her voice rising as she spoke. “I warned Bryanna not to get involved with your coven. I told her it was dangerous, but she didn’t listen, she thought she was in love. And look where it left her!”
I realized I’d hit a nerve with this witch, but her outburst further proved our suspicions. Bryanna had been involved with Alberich. Sometime three years ago she gave birth to the twins. And some time after that she had been killed by a vampire.
Spurred on by this newfound revelation, I pressed further, baring my fangs at the angry witch. “You know something about my brother’s death. And I’m not leaving here until you spill it.”
Ursula took the bait, heat flaring her face red as she roared at me. “Your brother got my sister killed! He filled her head with promises of marriage and a life away from your coven. He promised to shield her from the vampire world. But at the end of the day he couldn’t even protect her from his own family!”
I hesitated then, my anger petering out like a dying ember. “What did you say?”
Ursula collapsed back on the sofa, burying her head in her hands. “Bryanna and Alberich were lovers—that much I’m sure you already knew. I tried to warn her that mingling with vampires was a bad idea, but they were in love. There was no swaying my sister once she’d set her mind on something. They had plans to leave New York together. Alberich promised to step down from his role and leave someone else to rule in his place.”
Ursula looked up, tears puffing up her eyes. “You.” She spat the word out, an accusation as well as an explanation.
I stared at the other woman, shocked into silence.
“What?” My response was a spluttered exclamation and I stepped away from her. “No, that can’t be true. Alberich loved the Leyore clan more than anything, he would never pass his position over to someone like me.”
“It’s true,” Ursula whispered, staring at her feet. “He told Bryanna that you were the only person he could trust with the role.”
With all the wind stolen from my sails, I sat down next to Sky, reeling at the unexpected revelation.
Sky carried the conversation on for me, reminding me why we had come here to begin with.
“So what happened,” she pressed the witch gently, reaching over to take her hand. “What happened to your sister?”
Ursula sniffed and rubbed her nose on her sleeve. “They planned to leave before Bryanna gave birth. But the night before they were set to depart, they were attacked. Bryanna apparated into my home in the middle of the night, covered in blood and holding her newborn children. She told me that a vampire had attacked Alberich, tearing his mind apart from within.”
A sudden sob shook the woman’s shoulders and she sucked in a deep breath. “Thanks to your brother’s quick response, Bryanna was able to escape. But she couldn’t save Alberich from that monster. She ran into the woods looking for somewhere to hide. But the stress of the encounter was too much on her body and she went into labor earlier than expected. Desperate to save her children, she used the last of her strength to winnow to my home.”
“Winnow?” Sky tilted her head to the side. “I don’t understand.”
“Witches are able to teleport at will,” Ursula explained between sobs. “But it takes a toll on your body, so it’s never a good idea unless it’s a real emergency. Bryanna gave her life to get her kids to safety—to me.”
Sky and I exchanged glances. That would explain perfectly why Bryanna’s scent had suddenly disappeared in the forest, and why I had been unable to track her.
“Did Bryanna say who the attacker was?” I tried to keep the bite of pressure out of my words, mimicking Sky’s soothing tone.
“All she said was that it was one of Alberich’s kin.” Ursula wiped her reddened eyes, slowly recollecting herself. “She made me promise to look after the twins, and to get them to safety. It was her last request before she died.”
Suddenly all of the pieces clicked into place and I stared at the woman in disbelief. “It was you who left the twins at my apartment, wasn’t it?”
Ursula nodded, sighing as she sank back into the sofa. “Bryanna insisted that you were someone to be trusted. Alberich spoke so highly of you, I guess she thought you’d be a good candidate to care for her children.”
I was dumbstruck. All this time I had felt unworthy of my claim to the throne, of my role as an adopted mother to the twins. But Alberich and his wife had chosen me long ago. They had entrusted to me what was most precious to them, and I hadn’t even known, until now.
