those with darker bloodlines, like Cassius, but he’s fucking weird compared to most fae.”
“Really? Are you going to pull open my family tree and show him?”
“No, I asked a simple question, and you got huffy. It’s important. Raphael also asked a simple question, and I thought he deserved an answer.” I narrowed my eyes on my fae friend. “Every supernatural with a toe in fae politics knows your bloodline. It’s not some big secret.”
Cassius sighed. “Yes, but it could prove fatal to those not of the right fortitude. It’s why I don’t do it.”
“Tonight, if things get crazy, pick Raphael or Carter and try to shadow step them to our way out,” I ordered. “And I mean crazy where they’ll die anyway, so the risk of the shadow step is minimal at best since it would be their last chance.”
“Okay. If it’s their last chance.”
“What’s Cassius’s bloodline?” Raphael sounded like a curious ten-year-old boy. When I looked back at him, he shrugged. “I would rather learn about one of you than talk about my impending doom.”
“You’re smart,” I complimented, nodding sagely. “Always good to keep from getting stressed out before these things even get started. Cassius? Can I tell him?”
“I’m the grandson of Oberon and Titania. Born of Brion and Isla, their two eldest children. I was their youngest child. I’m one of the few fae who has a strong claim over both light fae and dark fae abilities and can use certain abilities from either.”
“His grandparents were the original Fae King and Queen. They broke up and had dozens of other children with humans, creating the clans and the idea of light and dark fae, Oberon and Titania each passing on different types of abilities,” I said, launching into fae lore. I thought it was interesting. “Even though they had a touch of human blood, they were considered pure fae, thanks to being direct children of Oberon or Titania. From there, everyone started inbreeding to keep the lines pure, and the fae population exploded.”
“It wasn’t all sex, and it wasn’t considered inbreeding back then,” Cassius snapped. “They created some fae clans out of animals as well.”
“How…” Raphael’s mouth was kind of open, and I resisted the urge to close it for him.
“Magic. Magic kept it from being gross inbreeding,” I said. “Or so the fae say.”
“They looked completely different and had wildly different magic. If they were related, their magic would have been similar.” Cassius huffed. “Fae don’t really have DNA. We’re magical beings. The original fae weren’t related because everyone was so unique. Now, children seem like their parents, but not back then.”
“And you were their youngest? How many siblings do you have?”
I winced, slashing my hand across my neck at Raphael. Stop! Stop, damn it.
“None,” Cassius whispered. “Both were dead by the time I was born. I was the last child my mother had before she passed on. My father disappeared later.”
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry.”
“It’s…it’s fine. Someone would have told you eventually if you’re going to hang around us.” Cassius sighed.
“Sorry, I didn’t think he would ask more,” I said, trying to ease the tension and take the blame for it. “I shouldn’t have…”
“He should feel more comfortable, knowing one of the more powerful fae is helping him,” Cassius said, his face becoming stoic.
“I like teasing you about the bloodline thing…”
“I’ll remind you that everyone in your species is descended from the same one thousand nagas, and the only new genetics you’ve gotten have been from humans,” he said, narrowing his eyes on me. “And there’s only nine of you left now. I wonder how closely related you are.”
I nodded, admitting defeat. He had a point. Supernatural species didn’t exactly play by the same rules. It was a point he’d brought up before, every time I teased him about his parents. Though, I had known him before his father had disappeared. The joke became less funny since then.
“You are both fucking weird,” Raphael mumbled in the back. “All this is fucking strange.”
“Yeah. Supernaturals can be a bit mind-bending a lot of the time,” I agreed. “Want to know more crazy shit? We’re going to be in the car for a while, and there’s no reason for you to be ignorant.”
“She gets talkative when she’s about to kill someone,” Cassius said blandly. “You can tell her no, and she’ll try to sit quietly in her seat.”