Arthur paused, then nodded resolutely. “Yes. I need to know.”
Arthur’s things vanished into the shifter spectral realm as he changed into a skinny, red-coated wolf. “Hop on, Emma. Just tell me where to go.”
I grabbed a chunk of Arthur’s fur to hoist myself onto his back. He began running toward the exit of the school, and I said, “My mom lives in a cottage in the hills outside Dolinska.”
“I know it. It’s near where my father is buried,” Arthur replied.
Hitching a ride on Arthur was a bit uncomfortable. He was much smaller than Ethan was, and more bony. My legs jarred against his thin frame as he pushed himself as fast as he could go. My body was already in agony, but I put up with the pain. All I could think of was my mother lied to me again, for twenty years, and this was even worse than her not telling me about the fae.
I wanted it to be untrue, yet there was too much evidence staring me in the face.
“Give her a chance to explain.” Arthur seemed to be reading my mind. He was calm, but me? I was so pissed.
He had a right to be madder than I was. If this was real, my mom had abandoned him and kept me. But he seemed to be retaining a cool head. I had to keep it together… if only for Arthur’s sake.
When we got to my mom’s cottage, I slid off Arthur’s back. He changed into a man, looking more than a little green. He fiddled with his glasses as I banged on the door.
My mother immediately opened it. Her face brightened when she saw me… but that expression darkened into one of fear when she took in the sight of Arthur beside me. She drank him in… like he was an idol lost to her long ago.
I knew then. He was my brother.
“Why did you bring him here?” Mom’s voice was weak. She stared at Arthur like he was some kind of monster… and I could tell it hurt him. His eyes started to water as he realized the truth.
I didn’t know Arthur very well, but he was my friend, and now I knew he was my brother. I felt more loyalty to him than I did my mom. At least he wasn’t a chronic fucking liar.
“You need to give us some godsdamn answers,” I snapped. “We aren’t leaving until you tell us the truth.”
Mom opened the door a little wider. Her voice was sick as she said, “Come in.”
We walked inside. Arthur was looking everywhere, his eyes catching the herbs hanging from the ceiling, as if trying to figure out who my mom was.
Gods, I felt so bad for him. I didn’t have a dad, and I’d suffered for that, but at least I had one parent. He grew up feeling totally unwanted.
Maybe he was.
Arthur and I took seats at the kitchen table. Mom didn’t even bother to put on the tea, just sat across from us with a sigh. “I knew this day would come. But I was pleading with the gods it wouldn’t be so soon.”
“This is bullshit, Mom!” My hand slammed down on the table, and I felt it shake. “Arthur’s my brother? Why didn’t you tell us?”
“I tried to put him out of my memory. It was easier that way,” Mom stuttered.
“But why?” Arthur was crying now, and it broke my heart to see. Small tears were trailing the corners of his green eyes and falling down his cheeks. “Why didn’t you want me?”
“It wasn’t like that. I had no choice,” Mom insisted.
She glanced at me. Guilt like never before poured down on me from above. This had something to do with me being the Worldweaver.
Understanding passed between my mother and I, but Arthur was completely confused. Mom leaned forward. “Emma was born first. You were second, Arthur. You came seconds apart from each other. Afterward, the two of you could hardly be parted. You always wanted to be in each other’s cribs, would cry if the other was out of your sight. You were as close as two twins could be.”
“Then why would you separate us?” Arthur’s voice was hard. My hands began to shake in my lap.
“Shortly after you were born, your father was killed by the Black Claw.” Mom’s voice took on a hardened edge as she told the story. “The cult wanted both of you, and your father died trying to