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“We lost him a few times over the years, you know how phoenixes are with Dark-Fae, he always turned on me eventually, and we had to kill him, but then he went missing and I saw him protecting you. So, we figured he went looking for his baby, then we saw she was with you.”
“Wait, my phoenix, Ryze?” I ask her.
“The little one? You named her Ryze?” she asks, and I nod my head, hearing a loud crash in the distance, hear Darius screaming out my name.
“No, your little phoenix, Ryze is Spark’s daughter, she was unbonded,” my mother tells me. Wait, Ryze is a girl? “The biggest one of your flock, that is Spark, Sweetie. My Spark, or he was before your father changed me,” she says sadly.
“He never comes close, he only did a few times and they weren’t good times, but he always followed me. He still recognized me, just not my magic, he went missing when your phoenix did,” she tells me.
“I guess he is yours now,” she tells me before glancing around nervously. “Come we need to go,” she says but I pull away from her, still untrusting of this woman. Yet she was my mom and she wasn’t trying to hurt me.
My mother grips my arms and glances down at my ruined pants, and heat floods my face. She clicks her tongue.
“We were good parents. We loved you. Why would we hurt you?” she asks, and my brows pinch together. They were good parents; I never knew this evil side Darius claims they had. But what of Darius' memories I had seen where my father stood over him as a small boy?
“I can prove it,” she says, letting me go and taking a step back from me.
“How?”
“You're about to shred,” she says, reaching into her pocket. She pulls a stone from her pocket when I hear Kalen call out my name from another aisle, having portaled back, making me look over my shoulder. She thrusts the stone at me.
“I am on your side, Aleera. Your mates are the bad ones, rub this stone when you need me; I will be able to find you.” She motions, about to turn away from me.
“Wait, how can I trust you?” I ask her, knowing better after everything I’ve learned recently. She glances down at my ruined pants.
“Because I know Darius wouldn't risk the things he has done getting out. That man is responsible for everything, everything, Aleera. You'll see for yourself.”
“Your words prove nothing. Why shouldn't I just kill you?” I demand, how can I go against my mates after what she allowed the other day. They killed so many people.
“Then you would be killing an ally, not an enemy. You want proof, ask Darius to let you mark him; it will be in his memories,” she tells me, and my face falls. That has been a constant argument, and he has done nothing but deny me and refuse the bond.
“And judging by that look on your face, he won't, will he? That should be enough of an answer.”
“I know his reasoning,” I tell her, hearing Kalen call out my name again.
“You know what lies he fed you. I know the truth and when you want to know too, come find me, Aleera,” she says, pointing to the stone in my hand.
“His father is responsible for the plague. We tried to stop it. Instead, we were cast out and called criminals,” she tells me before opening up a portal and stepping through it.
“Then he and Tobias tried to kill us. We tried to stop him from getting to you. But he sealed your room when he recognized you were his keeper.” I shake my head, not wanting to believe her.
“No, you sealed me in; you tried to kill me.” My mother shakes her head.
“No, baby. No, we didn't. A seal can only be broken by its manifester. How else would he have got you out?” she tells me. “I am so glad we found you, sweetie,” she continues, blowing me a kiss before closing the portal and vanishing. I stare at the spot, feeling dumbfounded.
“Aleera!” Kalen calls out, and I turn around, looking for him. Yet I find Darius first, and moments later, Kalen finds me.
“I told you to get her out of here,” Darius snaps at him. Kalen presses his lips in a line, and I quickly pocket the stone.
“Sorry, I wanted to help you. He did try to make me leave,” I tell Darius, not wanting him to get in trouble. I know I should tell them about the sighting of my mother, yet for some reason, I can’t bring myself to actually speak the words out loud. Suddenly, I find myself doubting everything Darius and the others told me.
“Come on,” Darius says, opening a portal. “In! I will grab everything and meet you at home,” he snaps at me before not giving me a choice when he shoves me through the portal and into Tobias' waiting arms.
ChapterForty-Six
The portal closes behind us as I stumble into the room. Darius doesn’t step through, but before I can register that, Tobias steers me toward the bathroom. “What were you thinking? He says run, you fucking run, Aleera,” Tobias scolds. I can feel his discomfort. I can tell he’s breathing through his mouth so as to not inhale my scent.
“But Darius,” I tell him.
