Warrior (Princesses of Myth #2)

“I’ll send her back to get you in five.”


I rubbed my head, at the ache that had settled between my eyes the same time Faith’s had. “I’ll merge now, from here.” Finding the beaded end of the telepathic link, I sent my mind along its golden threaded path, merged and sank into Silas’s mind as quickly as I could.

Rocking onto my heels, I squeezed my arms. It was bliss, and yet of a torturous kind. I wanted to go to him, but couldn’t. I wasn’t leaving here, not when I wanted to be around my mother for as long as I could.

Footfalls sounded from behind, and I turned. Mum crossed to me in a dark chocolate-brown dress with thin straps over her shoulders. The lower flared folds rippled with milkier tones and skimmed her ankles.

“I saw you from the window.” She wrapped an arm around my shoulders, staring out to sea as I did. “I’ll never get used to this sight. I often come down and stand here as you are.”

Leaning into her, my heart melted. “I wanted to tell you how wonderful these last couple of days have been, Mum.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Something is different about you. You’re more introspective. Has something happened you need to speak of?”

Yes, because I’d so had enough of Mum not knowing the real me. I’d told her all about Goldie and Elizara, but never me.

How I wished...

Now, why not take the plunge and tell her who I was? Perhaps the right time would never come, in Dad’s eyes.

I breathed deep. “Mum, I want you in my life. I want you to know me, the daughter who died.” I lifted the lower edge of my cream blouse and exposed my childhood scar. “I’ve been told Faith had surgery at birth, but so did I.”

Her forehead wrinkled. “Honey, what are you talking about? I only have one...” She dragged in a shaky breath. “You have to be Faith.”

I grasped her trembling hands. “My name is Hope. I’m Faith’s twin.”

“No. No. Don’t do this.”

“You sense something different about me. I know it.”

“There isn’t another.” Her gaze pleaded with me to stop.

“Why is there no other?” The knowledge had to be there. Buried deep, but surely still there.

With a slow shake of her head, she moaned low in her throat. “I would never abandon a child of mine. The other baby never survived. Have you seen something, because I can explain. I remember some words the doctor said.”

“I am the child who didn’t survive. You don’t have to explain anything to me.” I kept my tone as gentle as possible.

“How–” Thumping her chest, she struggled for breath then her knees buckled.

I grabbed her as she fell and lowered her carefully to the ground, not letting her go.

Dad appeared and knelt beside us. “She fainted. I’ll take her.”

“No.” I clutched her tighter. “She remembered something.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I withdrew from Silas’s mind, having held onto the connection through it all. “Tell Faith to return. Immediately.”

“She’s right here in the rec room with Davio and me. What’s happened?”

I stroked Mum’s forehead. “My mother knows the truth about me.”

“Hell.” He was gone for a moment, back the next. “Faith said she didn’t have any forewarning. She said to hold tight.” His words registered and I frowned at Dad. “Did you have forewarning of what I would do?”

“No. I was watching you two from the window above and saw her faint.”

“Oh my goodness. No forewarning? What does that mean?”

He held up his hands. “I don’t know, honey. Perhaps this was the right time.”

Mum stirred then blinked. Her dazed gaze cleared and traveled over me. So wary. “Who are you?”

“Hope. I grew up here, in Dralion.” Below, the surf crashed into the rocky cliff-face and a light mist sprayed over us. I flicked out my hand, directing the finest droplets to me. They shimmered and revolved in the air, forming one perfect drop, which I lowered into my hand.

She peeked at my palm, her eyebrows pulling down. “How did you do that?”

“Unlike Faith, I have a different skill set. I can manipulate water. Hold out your hand.” She did, and I tipped the drop into hers.

“Oh my. It’s real.” She wrapped her fingers around it and looked into my eyes. “Faith can’t manipulate water.”

“You believe me? That I’m not Faith?” I had to make sure, to hear her say yes. I couldn’t breathe.

She nodded, slowly but surely. “I do recall the doctor saying the other child’s body couldn’t be found. Those words have always haunted me, no matter how deep I tried to bury them.”

Dad gripped her hand. “Hope died at birth, Kate. She couldn’t be found because I brought her home to bury her here, but the act of teleportation kick-started her heart. She was a sick child, but our healers cured her.”

Faith wavered into sight and dashed to us then dropped to the damp ground and hugged Mum. “I’m gone for half an hour and look what happens. You meet my sister and I missed it.”