Ashes (Web of Desire #3) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,129

heaviness weighed down upon my chest. “Mom—”

Her chin lifted in the way it did when her mind was set. I had a million visions of the times I’d seen her stand up for what she believed. At only five feet three, she was a pit bull in a toy poodle body. That didn’t mean her bark was worse than her bite. No, my mother always followed through. In all things she was a great example of survival and fortitude.

“When I say your father,” she went on, “I don’t mean my husband—may the Lord rest his soul. Byron was a good man who gave his...everything...for you, for us. He and I have always been honest with you. We wanted you to know that we loved you as our own. God knows that I wanted to give birth. I tried to get pregnant for years. When you were presented to us, we knew you were a gift from heaven.” Her bloodshot eyes—those from crying through the past week since the death of my dad—briefly turned my direction and then back to the highway. “Renee, never doubt that you’re our angel. However, the reality is somewhere darker. The devil has been searching for you. And my greatest fear has always been that he’d find you.”

The devil?

My skin peppered with goose bumps as I imagined the biblical creature: male-like with red skin, pointed teeth, and a pitchfork. Surely that wasn’t what she meant?

Her next words brought me back to reality.

“I used to wake in a cold sweat, fearing the day had arrived. It’s no longer a nightmare. You’ve been found.”

“Found? I don’t understand.”

“Your biological father made a deal against the devil. He thought if he did what was right, he could... well, he could survive. The woman who gave birth to you was my best friend—a long time ago. We hadn’t been in contact for years. She hoped that would secure your safety and keep you hidden. That deal...it didn’t work the way he hoped. Saving themselves was a long shot. Their hope was to save you. That’s how you became our child.”

It was more information than I’d ever been told. I have always known I was adopted but nothing more. There was a promise of one day. I used to hope for that time to come. With the lead weight in the pit of my stomach, I knew that now that one day had arrived, and I wasn’t ready. I wanted more time.

The only woman I knew as my mother shook her head just before wiping a tear from her cheek. “I prayed you’d be older before we had this talk, that you would be able to comprehend the gravity of this information. But as I said, things have changed.”

The writing on the envelope blurred as tears filled my sixteen-year-old eyes. The man I knew as my dad was gone, and now the woman who had raised me was sending me away. “Where are you sending me?”

“Colorado. There’s a boarding school in the mountains, St. Mary of the Forest. It’s private and elite. They’ll protect you.”

I couldn’t comprehend. “For how long? What about you? What about my friends? When will I be able to come home?”

“You’ll stay until you’re eighteen and graduated. And then it will be up to you. There’s no coming back here...ever. This city isn’t home, not anymore. I’m leaving Chicago, too, as soon as I get you out.” Her neck stiffened as she swallowed her tears. “We both have to be brave. I thought at first Byron’s accident was just that—an accident. But then this morning…I knew. Our time is up. They’ll kill me if they find me, just as they did Byron. And Renee...” She looked my way, her gray eyes swirling with emotion. While I’d expect sadness, it was fear that dominated. “…my fate would be easy compared to yours.”

She cleared her throat, pretending that tears weren’t cascading down her pale cheeks.

“Honey, these people are dangerous. They don’t mess around, and they don’t play fair. We don’t know how, but they found you, and your dad paid the price. I will forever believe that he died to protect you. That’s why we have this small window of time. I want you to know that if necessary, I’ll do the same. The thing is, my death won’t stop them. And no matter what, I won’t hand you over.”

“Hand me over?”

We swerved again, barreling down an exit until Mom slammed on her brakes, leaving us in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Her