A Court of Mysteries and Secrets

Chapter 1

Trigger Warnings for this book include:

Death

PTSD

Panic Attacks

Kidnapping

-Fay's POV-

I opened my eyes slowly, I was stiff and sore.

"Breathe Fay," Rowan's voice said from next to me.

"Rowan?" I muttered, blinking away the haziness.

"I'm here, you're ok," he told me, appearing in my line of sight.

He sat next to my hip and took my hand. I realised I was on a bed. I was in hospital.

"What happened, why am I here?" I asked, panic rising in me.

"Hey, just breathe," he told me gently.

I took a couple of deep breaths before looking at him expectantly.

"What is the last thing you remember?" He asked, holding my hand tightly.

"You saying you didn't want to go to the party," I told him, frowning.

"On your way there you got into an accident, you were pretty hurt, but you are going to be ok," he told me gently, my eyes widened.

"Where are mum and dad?" I breathed.

"Oh Fay, they both died on impact, I'm so sorry," he whispered, then held me as I cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up again, I felt numb, both mentally and physically, I didn't talk to Rowan or anyone else for that matter.

"Come on Fay, let's go home," he told me on my fifth day of being awake.

The doctors had discharged me, and Rowan was taking me home.

I sat in the car next to him and stared out the window as trees rushed past.

"Please talk to me Fay," he begged, but I didn't move, he dropped it.

When we got home, I made my way up to my room, nothing had changed, but my parents were gone, Rowan was all I had left.

I stared out of the window for hours, unsure of what to do with myself. Even when Zeus and Apollo came scratching at the door I still didn't move.

"Fay, I've made dinner," Rowan said through the door.

I made myself stand and walk over, going with him down the stairs.

"Why did they have to go?" I whispered once I had eaten.

"I don't know Fay, I'm so sorry," he whispered back, standing and tucking me against him.

Rowan was older than me by seven years and he had always taken care of me when our father was working day and night and mother was too depressed to notice.

He patched me up when I scraped my knees, kissed my bruises better. Then our father got a promotion and began working from home. Mother came out of her depression, and we began to fall into a 'normal' family rhythm.

That was only two years ago, and now they were gone.

Rowan lifted my small body up and took me into the living room, setting me on the sofa next to him. The dogs came to join us, and Apollo curled into my side while Zeus sat with Rowan. We sat together in comfortable silence until he sighed and stood.

"Fay, I need to tell you something," he said, breaking the peace.

I just looked at him, lifting my head from his shoulder.