“I sent Faolán to retrieve her! He would not have tried to kill his own sister. He knew how imperative it was to bring her back. It makes no sense at all why he would do something so horrendous.”
“He wants war with the Horde King and has ensured whenever he can that the war will continue. Sorcha was hidden by her guardians when Faolán and the rest of his guard got there. When I arrived, her guardians were dying, and I barely camouflaged her in time. They tore the house apart looking for her.” Cailean had so much regret in his eyes as he stated his case. “Sorcha has called him to her with the purpose of killing him, Sire. She cut down some of the warriors which were part of his guard, and there the day her guardians were killed.” Cailean turned his face to me, and the plea in is eye was unmistakable. He expected me to confirm his story.
“What he says is true,” I whispered.
The king continued to look at me as if he was afraid I’d vanish.
“What were my parents’ names?” I asked.
“That matters not child, for I know as well as you do, that you are my daughter, Sorcha. Our bond has once again been connected, and I feel you are of my blood.”
“You sent me to humans, to die?” I asked, stepping back as the woman moved closer as if she would touch me.
“That’s a long story, and one that I will not discuss in this crowded room, child. You are dressed exceedingly well,” he said, narrowing his eyes on the dress for the first time.
“I was marrying the Dark Heir,” I replied.
“Marrying the Dark Heir?” He asked, looking over my wardrobe again.
“Yeah, the one they just found? I was marrying him.”
“The Dark Heir wasn’t missing. I would have heard about it before now.”
“Uh, maybe you should get out more often?”
“So, Kier lost his boy,” he said, shaking his head.
“It seems to me, that you guys seem to lose your children a lot around here.”
“We didn’t lose you. We hid you. It was to protect you!” The woman said, finally taking her hand away from her mouth.
I looked at the woman, but felt nothing from her, but the huge male was definitely connected to me somehow. I could feel him in my bones as if by coming here, he’d awoken my past. We were connected. “From what?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.
“Madisyn, not here my love. In private,” the king said, directing his words to the woman who still openly wept.
“I don’t even know who you are,” I said in exasperation, breaking up their private discussion.
“My name is Lasair, and I am the Blood King. This is my Queen, your mother,” he said kindly.
I felt a rush of emotions. These people knew about the tattoo, and I felt this man before me. I mean, I really felt him, as if he were a part of me. The man who killed my parents said I was his sister, and the man who had taken me from Adam was the one who had tried to stop the Fae from hurting my family.
The Blood King held out his hand, and I hesitated long enough for him to look me over. His eyes went to the wound in my side. “Madisyn, call a healer, now. She’s been hurt, darling.”
“I’m fine,” I whispered.
“Give me your hand. I’ll sift you to a room where we can see how bad it is, and explain why we did what we did; to protect you. You have nothing to fear from us. What we did was out of love. Our only intention was to protect you,” Lasair said, but something in his eyes made me hesitate.
In the end, I gave him my hand, because I was about to collapse. We sifted to a very pink room, and, inside, was a crib, with a blanket that had the name Sorcha sewn in to it. I looked around the room, and noticed it looked exactly like the one I had as a small child. “This room,” I said, but he stopped me.
“I manifested the one they gave you. I wanted you to remember us. It was the least we could do. I need you to know something before my wife comes back. This has not been easy on her. Giving you away was the hardest thing she has ever done; she has been devastated since she gave you over to your guardians. It only became worse when Faolán announced your death. Be kind to her. I can see the hesitancy in your eyes, and we deserve it. I can also feel your need to run from us. Know this, little daughter, I am your father, and our blood is connected. Our bond has been re-established. If you run, I will find you. We deserve your hesitancy, and the coldness you harbor for us. After we tell you why we did it, maybe then you will see it in your heart to forgive us, or at least your mother.”
“She’s a good woman, and, as you can tell from the state of the rocking chair, she is in this room a lot. She has never forgotten the child she had to give up. Have a seat, child. I think you should hear the full story from me, so that you understand why we did this,” he finished.
“You mean the reason you gave me to humans?” I said, eyeing the chair with longing.