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Placing my hand on his thigh, I take over again. “But, we’ve seen some things that have left us questioning if his decisions were his own.” My mother leans back, stiff, as she waits for me to proceed. “We saw his back, it's covered in scars from lashings, watched what he… endured, and we heard the threats aimed his way.” I know it’s vague, but my stomach curls with the thought of repeating it. It doesn’t matter, though; I’m familiar with the twinkling of knowledge in her eyes and it’s my turn to go rigid. “Mama?”
She glances at Rhys, who is an image of pity as he nods at her. “Your father is the same.” Her words hang in the air for a moment as I try to process them, but before I can question her further, she offers the information freely. “Your father is currently under protective magic to ensure he isn’t a harm to himself… or others.” She clears her throat, trying to tamp down her emotions, but it’s clear it’s not easy. “We found the same lashing marks on his back. We’re not certain who they’re from, but magic is controlling him and it looks like it’s been going on for a long time. Whoever is controlling your father could be doing the same to Sebastian.”
Fuck.
Rubbing my lips together, I let that knowledge settle over me for a moment while Brax speaks. “It was Erikel or Burton, along with Fitch, who we saw giving Sebastian the lashings.”
My mother wipes her hands down her face, an action we’re all seemingly familiar with at this stage as we try to brush off the issues that continue to weigh us down. We’re not dealing with anything easy, which means every new piece of information leads us further down another bumpy path.
“We believe it’s someone in The Monarchy who has done this to your father.” Damn. Tears track down my mother’s face now, but she wipes at them swiftly. “I should never have run, Raven. Not for your father’s sake, not for Sebastian’s sake, but especially not for yours.”
I shake my head. “We can’t change the past. We can only pursue the future. What ifs and the endless possibilities are out of our hands now, but we can make a difference in what comes next.” I believe the words so deeply that my chest warms, and Mama smiles at me.
“I know, but I feel like taking you away only worsened an already bad situation.”
“We can’t turn back time to determine if that would result in a different outcome or not, so we have to let it go. The world is crumbling around us and we need to decide if we’re going to control where the pieces fall or not.”
“Raven is right, Evangeline,” Rhys murmurs, planting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not sure why Marieta referred you to your mother for this, but it only strengthens my belief that her inkling links back to your father, and The Monarchy, too,” he states, and I nod in understanding. “Now that we’re aware of it on both sides, we need to tread carefully. Sebastian may not be of his own mind, but that doesn’t make him any less dangerous,” he admits, a solemn atmosphere casting over us. A bell rings from their side of the communication and Rhys glances off in the distance. “I’m sorry, guys, I have a meeting, an important one,” he states, eyebrows raised. “Is there anything else before l leave?”
“No. We should go, too. We’ve got classes to get to,” I mumble, in no way ready to be surrounded by people who have no clue what’s truly happening around them, all while trying to play the dumb girl who is just as clueless.
“Okay. Oh, wait. Is there anyone there with the last name Richardson?”
I frown, thinking, but my mind is blank.
“Yes,” Brax confirms. “There’s a Grave Richardson. Why?”
Rhys shakes his head as my mother looks at him, her eyes filled with concern. “Keep an eye on him. It’s his grandfather causing me the most concern within The Monarchy.”
Fuck.
“Okay,” I mumble, my mind in overload.
“I love you, Raven. This will all be over soon,” my mother promises, arms folded tightly around her.
“I love you too,” I rasp, the words razor-sharp in my throat, but I can’t get caught up in emotions right now. Just as they’re about to disappear from view, I call out Rhys’s name one last time.
“Yes?”
“How do I work this thing?” I ask, digging my hand into my backpack to find Zane’s shell.
He smirks at me as he points to the smaller end. “Blow in it.”
I gape at him before rolling my eyes. “Of course, it’s something dramatic,” I state as they disappear from view, leaving just Brax and I in here.
“Are you okay?” Brax asks, and I nod, not really giving myself a moment to consider the true answer, and the knowing glint in his eyes tells me he knows it too, but he accepts it for now.
Heading to where the door should be, I rap my knuckles softly against the wall to alert Lyra that we’re ready to leave. A few moments pass before I hear the click of the door as it appears before us, but as I push it open, I’m halted in my tracks.
“Sister, we have a lot to discuss.”
FIFTEEN
RAVEN
Igape at Sebastian as he stands before me, arms folded and feet planted firmly, shoulder-width apart. He holds his head high, looking down his nose at me as anger boils deep inside.
My nostrils flare before I can bottle my emotions, revealing the effect of his presence on me. Brax shifts discreetly at my side to place his arm in front of mine, ready to block whatever he deems necessary. His other hand is already balled at his side, ready to swing at any given moment.
