Fae Fiefdom - M. Sinclair Page 0,92

men had their hands over their ears, grimacing as if in pain. I immediately grabbed the book and walked into my bedroom, closing the door and locking it. Stupid demanding book, not allowing others to see what was inside. Almost as if it knew, it immediately flipped to page one where my eyes widened on a stunning woman.

And I realized without a doubt that everything the boys had been telling me was true because the painted picture was my mother. Without a doubt, in my mind, it was her because we looked exactly alike. Her dark hair, slightly wavier than my own and her eyes a bit more purple, but our features? Our features were nearly identical.

I swallowed, ignoring the wisps of shadows and purple smoke around me. I flipped to the next page, a wind surrounding me like a whirlwind, causing me to frown as I found it blank. I tilted my head and pressed my hand to the page, feeling warmth radiating off of it.

The room went black.

Instead of being scared, I felt a comfortable energy surround me, just like in the maze, and when I opened my eyes? I was there. I was in the maze and as I looked around, I found the statues were gone, and in their place stood large men that were sentinel-like. My eyes focused on the woman standing where the fairy statue normally rested, her purple wings fluttering gently and a white owl sitting on her shoulder. My eyes widened realizing that it was in fact Artemis. I couldn’t help but be a little proud that my instincts had been so spot-on.

“Ophelia,” the woman’s soft warm voice sounded as I walked closer.

“Mom?” I nearly squeaked, my heart beating fast, sounding the roughness of my voice.

“Hey, sweetie,” she whispered, taking my hand as a gold light radiated from where she touched me, hot tears welling in my eyes as memories of life before she died radiated through me.

I didn’t even bother asking how this was possible because I knew the answer was magic. Well, either that or this was some weird dimensional shit. My eyebrows went up. Was there a dimension where she was still alive?

“Unfortunately not,” she answered my thoughts with her brow dipping. “Because I am an heir when we die we are removed from all timelines.”

“I see,” I mumbled and then I stepped closer, “so is all of this real? The heir aspect? Denise being part of your death? Fiefdom?”

“Yes,” she stated softly, and sadly, “I created this text to give you the magic I had securely wrapped up inside of you, slowly siphoning my magic into this book so that you could receive it when you were ready. I knew what was going to happen. I could see the look in her and my husband’s eyes. It didn’t surprise me, my husband had no love for me. Our marriage was arranged.”

“He didn’t love us?” I asked quietly, “Sorry, doesn’t love me. I keep forgetting he’s alive.”

“All the better,” she warned, “he is a horrible man, Ophelia. But he’s not your father.”

“Who is?” I pulled back, feeling confused and relieved at the same time.

Her smirk was playful. “One of my real husbands, at least in my heart.” She nodded as I turned, noting the men hadn’t moved but the more I looked at the eight of them, the more I realized each of them was very individual.

“Are they alive still?” Clinging to some hope of a family.

“No, my sweet girl.” Her lips dipped and when the space vibrated she huffed.

“Those mates of yours are persistent,” she mumbled fondly.

“Huh?” I asked like a total idiot.

“Later,” she waved her hand, “after I release your powers, everything you need will be in the book. Only viewable by you, but do your best to not lose it.” I nodded and she inhaled, pressing her hands to my temples lightly.

“When you wake up you need to go somewhere to train,” she warned softly, “she is going to force you to open the gate if you don’t. Your powers are going to be there, but very wild, rely on the people around you to help.”

“Won’t it open the moment I come into power?” I asked softly.

Her smirk grew. “No, but she doesn’t realize that. Another trick of mine, to spite that horrible woman.” Alright, she was totally my mom.

Finally, I asked the question about the one thing I had been avoiding, “Is it true, did the Autumn Heir deliver the final blow?”

She inhaled softly and