Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,86

did that to keep Maeve inside.

We walked in silence. The lantern creating a warm glow. I followed behind her as we headed back to the glade.

“You were there that night.” Now that we were out of earshot of my sisters, I wanted answers.

“Of course, I was there. I’ve been at the christening of every royal child in all the seven kingdoms, not as myself mind you, but in a glamour. When Tatiana appeared in the royal court, she was insane with grief, intent on destroying not only the child, but everyone in the palace and Somnielle, the town below the mountain. I have no love for the king or queen, but I care about the people. It was a devastating battle. I won . . . barely, and I did not walk away unscathed.” Mother pulled at the collar of her dress and showed me a zigzag scar that I’d never seen before.

“You stole the heir.”

“No. The child was taken that night, but not by me. By another’s hand. But I tracked the child down to an orphanage. I did what I could to protect the child not only from Tatiana, but from the king and queen. I altered the memories of everyone in the room to forget the child ever existed.”

“But why erase the king and queen’s memories of their own child?”

“Because you still don’t know the complete story. Sometimes those closest to us prove to be the most dangerous. Despite my spell, the rumors of an heir still spread. And by now, the king and queen surely would remember what I’d done.”

“You didn’t get everyone.” I shook my head. “An old woman named Oma remembers.”

Mother muttered under her breath. “Well, there’s no use hiding what I did anymore.” Mother stopped and looked around the fairy circle. “You ready?”

My stomach dropped and roiled with uncertainty. Maybe I wasn’t the right person. I couldn’t talk sense into the madwoman. There was no way I could save a kingdom, let alone from someone as powerful as Tatiana. Just the thought of her sending me away, and this time potentially getting ripped into shreds, had me feeling sick.

Mother must have seen my expression, for her hard face softened. “We all have a destiny. We have to make hard choices. Just remember that Tatiana isn’t the villain.”

“She’s not?” I asked.

“No, we are.”

I swallowed and remembered all the years of fear and hate directed at us. The misunderstandings, the stones and mud thrown at me by the villagers in town.

She placed her hands on my shoulders and gave a squeeze. “You’re my daughter, who I raised to bring vengeance upon the kingdoms. Vengeance earned because of their wickedness. Remember the reason Tatiana went mad. It was because of the death of the fae. Hundreds of fae mercilessly slaughtered by a cruel king.”

I sucked in my breath and nodded. “It wasn’t her fault.”

“Whose fault is it?”

“The King of Rya,” I said sharply.

She patted my cheek. “There you go. Maybe you will do better than I did. I always wondered what would have happened if I chose differently back then. If I had cursed the king or heir with the sleeping spell instead.” Mother raised her dark eyebrow up at me. “You never told me why you left. Maeve has been ever quiet as of late. I know she contacted you in the mirror.”

I felt my cheeks grow warm.

Mother frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re falling for the stranger?”

“I am.”

Her voice dripped with disapproval. “Love will only cloud your judgement. You must do what I could not. Don’t repeat my mistakes.”

“I won’t,” I promised.

“Good.” Mother took out a piece of chalk and drew symbols on the ground. “The veil between realms is already thin here. It hasn’t had time to heal. It will be easier to send you back from the same spot in the fairy circle and will require less magic from me.”

“Where are you going to send me? It has to be somewhere you’ve already been in Rya.”

“Don’t worry, it will be somewhere close,” she hedged. Her hands glowed, and she wove a spell in the air. Magic filled the surrounding space, the scent strong and heady. I watched as a portal appeared. A vortex of magic, and on the other side, a dark blur. Too early in the morning in the kingdom of Rya to make out exactly where I was going to land. There was a good chance that she would be knocked out, or have her magic exhausted by doing this because