for his talent is like nothing I’ve ever seen. He is a natural protector of the younger wards of the orphanage. I can vouch for his temperament and personality.”
Duke Tallywood watched Liam and Devin play. Devin over swung and fell forward, skinning his knee. Liam immediately dropped his stick and attended to his playmate.
Delphine rolled her eyes and tugged on Duke’s sleeve. “Can we go home now, Papa?”
“In a minute, sweets.” Duke Tallywood nodded his head. “I see what you mean. I’ll do more than sponsor him. I’d like to adopt him. I think he will go far, and he may make the order of First Light proud. He’d make a fine brother to Devin and Delphine.”
Rubbing my hands together, I tried to gather the courage to ask the mirror my next question.
“Mirror, please show me the missing heir of Rya.”
The mists cleared and showed a dark forest. A man wearing a dark hooded robe left a swaddled bundle on a stump. The babe stirred and cried. The man didn’t even look back as he left the baby in the woods.
Is that it? I wondered. A babe a few days old, abandoned to die.
A flash of lightning and the gentle patter of rain began. The baby cried harder, and I wanted desperately to reach through the mirror and help. A shadow moved on the outskirts of the mirror and drew closer. I held my breath, hoping it wasn’t a predator. But no. A woman came, her head covered in a hood. She picked up the baby and soothed its cries. Another flash of lightning revealed the hooded figure, and I recognized the woman.
Oma.
I strained my neck to search its mists when it cleared again. It was to see my own reflection, and that of Mother Eville right behind me.
I jumped, clutching my hand over my heart.
Mother stepped up to the mirror, and hissed, “What do you think you’re doing? How dare you show her this?”
Confused, I looked over my shoulder as the mirror went dark.
Mother glared at the mirror, her hands on her hips, and she turned to look down at me disapprovingly.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
She sighed. “No, you’re not.”
“You’re right, I’m not. But I have to understand what is going on so I can help.”
Mother moved to her high-back chair and slowly sat down. Her normally perfect hair had come undone, and there were bags under her eyes I hadn’t noticed before.
“Did I just see the past?” I asked.
“Yes, the mirror is only supposed to show the present,” she glared at the dark mirror, “but it does have the power to look into the past.”
“And that baby is the rightful heir to the kingdom of Rya?”
“Yes,” Mother breathed out.
“I didn’t know if I should believe the rumors about the missing heir, but you keep hiding things from me.”
Mother’s fingers trembled, and she blinked.
“But I’ve also been to the fae court, and down the hidden tunnel. I’ve seen the cell and the remains of your sleeping spell,” My voice was a whisper.
“So, she has been freed.” Mother crumpled. Her trembling hand reached for her brow and she whispered, “I was afraid this day would come. She is one of the strongest magic wielders I had ever met. I had hoped you would never ever cross paths with her.”
“Why?” I asked.
She gave me a solemn look and shook her head. “Because her grief makes her dangerous.”
“Who is she?” I asked. I became impatient and picked at my mother’s mind. Daring to go where I had not dared to enter before. Mother’s hand rose, her eyes locking with mine in warning. “Be careful, Aura. You may not like what you learn.”
She wasn’t going to stop me. I felt her release her guard. The walls dropped, and she let me into her deepest parts of her mind.
I’m sorry.
Then I learned everything she had hidden from me and I cried.
Mother’s lip trembled as she brushed away her own tears of shame. She cleared her throat and gave me a stare. “You can despise me later, but right now you have to make a decision.”
She gave me little time to process what I had learned. “Take into account everything you know, and the vision I’ve foreseen. This decision must not come lightly.”
“I need to go back,” I said.
Two dark silhouettes hung back by the stairwell, and I felt their worry and apprehension like clouds hovering over me.
“You’re not strong enough to do what needs to be done. I should be the one to go.” Mother