“The raven that helped you is now, but was not then, my guardian.”
“I don’t…then how did…what the fuck does that mean?”
A ghost of a smile stretched his lips. “It means there was a separate power that drove us together.” As he said those words, the raven swooped down to land on his shoulder. It stared at me as though willing me to see what was so obvious to him. “Your uncle Drake had an immense connection to nature and its creatures, just as you do, Piper. It runs somewhere in our DNA. It was not until after I’d pushed you away and blocked your memory of having ever met me that I realized the raven’s role in our meeting—and what it meant.”
“Can we get to that part? Because I’m still feeling behind here…”
“The raven came to you for a reason, as it did me.”
“To bring us together?”
“Yes, but to also serve me. To guide me through the darkness.”
“And why would the bird do that?”
It cawed at me in a most condescending tone. Grizz growled at it in response.
At least those two understood each other.
“Because he is my brother—or his spirit in bird form, at least.”
Holy. Shit.
“Drake…?” The bird let loose a screech in response. “But how?” I asked as I reached to stroke its midnight feathers. Though I was half expecting to get pecked, the bird instead leaned into my touch, allowing me to pet him. “You were helping me all along, weren’t you?”
Another squawk.
“Once I realized who the raven was and why he’d appeared, the darkness cleared. Then panic set in. I realized, in my newfound clarity, what I had done. How I had pushed you away. For hours, I debated how to proceed—what to do—until I resigned myself to the fact that I had blown my chance…done irreparable damage. I knew you were powerful and strong, and still aligned with the enforcers, given Kat’s relationship to both them and you, so I convinced myself it was best to keep my distance. The secret of your identity had died with Kingston. I truly thought you would be safer that way; that you’d have a chance at a life of happiness that I could never have provided. But then you appeared again, and I knew you would never rest until you had answers of some kind, so I crafted the lie to preserve both myself and your heart. I thought it would be better for us both if Reinhardt had indeed died at Kingston’s hands, leaving you with an uncle to help guide and train you. You would have a family member in your life, and I would get to be a part of it, though in a different capacity than a father.”
I felt tears stinging the backs of my eyes and tried hard to fight against them, but ultimately, I lost. One by one, they spilled over, a cascade of hurt and abandonment that seemed impossible to quell. The orphaned little girl in me couldn’t understand his words, even if the powerful, grown princess of Faerie was beginning to.
“I spent my whole life wondering who you were, especially once I realized I was different somehow. I used to make up stories about you and my mother. That you were superheroes. That it wasn’t safe for you to come and get me yet because I was so young, but one day you would. And I’d learn that I was special, too.”
“You are so special, Piper...” He reached to wipe my tears away but stopped short, the conflict clear in his eyes.
“But you never came, and instead, I learned to survive on the streets until the vampire king took me in,” I said, wiping my own sadness away. “Guess we know why now, huh?”
“When I learned you were with the enforcers, I did not realize it was because the king himself had brought you in. My spies told me of your relationship with Jase and Dean; that they kept you safe. That they treated you as a little sister. I thought it best to leave you there with them and not out your secret for fear of repercussions.”
“Did you know that your old flame ordered my death after I was born? That she charged Knox with that job?”
He paled at my words. “I wish I could say that surprises me, but it doesn’t. It does, however, explain your connection to the wolf.”
“Merc knew of my existence, too.”
“That would make sense as well.”
Silence fell between us, neither knowing what to say. I combed my fingers through Grizz’s coarse hair over and over until my anxiety waned. Then Reinhardt looked at me with regret in the depths of his eyes.
“I don’t know how to fix this, Piper, but I would do anything to achieve that end.”
I didn’t need Knox at my side to know he spoke the truth.
“I’m not sure you can,” I said softly, “but we can try to move forward.” A morbid thought flashed in my mind, and I let loose a mirthless laugh. “Who knows…maybe we’ll all fall at the hands of the royals, making the whole thing moot.”
His sad eyes blazed with determination. “You will not fall.” A violent gust of wind tossed my hair around my face, and I struggled to contain it.
“I don’t plan to, if that makes you feel better.”
“It does.”
The roar of his anger-driven winds died off, letting the leaves settle once again on the forest floor. The quiet that came in its wake was eerie. Everything was too still. Too silent.
And then distant whispers broke it.
The soft murmurs were unintelligible at first, like a bunch of mumbling voices talking over one another, but if I focused hard enough, I could understand a word or two—like ‘Piper’ and ‘come’. I took a step toward the sound, straining to hear more.
“What are you doing?” Reinhardt asked.
“Don’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?” He looked at me like I’d gone mad, and though I was about the only fey royal who hadn’t, I was beginning to wonder if my luck was changing.
I turned to Grizz. “You can hear it, can’t you, buddy?” His ears flickered, trying to home in on the mystery noise. Then they flattened as he shook his head. “What the—”
“We’re going inside. Now,” Reinhardt said, taking my arm and leading me toward the mansion.
“They’re calling my name—”
“All the more reason to head back.”
“I can barely hear them, but I feel like I recognize one of the voices.”
“Your mother is gifted, Piper. Do not think for one second that she doesn’t possess the ability to trick you with magic such as this.”
“I guess you’d know,” I muttered under my breath. My father stopped short and turned me to face him.
“There was a time when she was different. A time when her heart had softened—toward me. But that being is dead and gone, and you must never underestimate her. I know that you’re angry with me—possibly hate me—and I understand why. But I need you to trust me when it comes to your mother. Can you do that?” I took a deep breath and nodded. “Good. Then get inside the mansion and don’t come out until I tell you it’s safe.”
He muttered something about wards and whether he’d ever be able to keep her from the property. I opened my mouth to tell him that we wouldn’t need to when she was dead, but even I didn’t have the hubris to taunt the universe like that. The fey royals and their army were gunning for us, and only one side would remain standing when it was finished.