Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

Half-truths

Edrys patted Ren's shoulder, and he backed away. "Julia, what is happening to you is not Oren's fault or his doing. The one to blame is Mormo. Now you need to calm down because your mother has some things that need to be explained to you about what is happening to you. I am sorry, honey, but this won't be easy to hear especially in the state you're in right now." Edrys handed her a cup of hot tea, "Drink this it will help."

Julia gulped the tea down. The hot liquid slid down her throat and left a horrible saccharine aftertaste. All she wanted to do was run upstairs and scrub the taste off her tongue with her toothbrush.

"That was nasty, but thanks," she said as the soothing effects took hold and handed the cup back to Edrys.

Everyone sat down on the sofas and chairs rearranged into a circle around Julia and her mother. Rosalie frantically fidgeted with her fingers, she curled the handkerchief around them until her fingers turned white and then uncoiled it and started all over again. Julia watched her mother go through this process for what could have been hours and it felt as if her sanity was unravelling with each twist of the handkerchief.

When Julia was about to scream at her mother to stop, Edrys placed a hand over Rosalie's hands. "Rosa, it's time," and gave her a reassuring nod when Rosalie looked up.

Rosalie's deep hazel eyes, which were red and brimming with tears, met Julia's striking silver eyes. Her mother gave her a weak smile and dabbed away the tears. This did nothing to reassure or calm Julia's frazzled nerves.

Her mother reached out shaky hands, grabbed both of Julia's and squeezed them. "Sweetie there are things I've been keeping from you. I did it because I wanted you to have a happy and fun childhood filled with love. I didn't want you to have to be burdened by the weight of reality. Both your father and I agreed on this. We thought it was the best course to follow at the time."

Julia's mouth dropped open; her heart hammered against her ribcage felt as if it was trying to break free. When her brain rebooted she said, "My father." It was neither a question nor a statement; they were the only two words she could form. As realisation began to dawn on her; she looked at her mom with huge hurt filled eyes. "You told me he ran away. That he never knew me," she squeaked out.

Rosalie leaned forward and tried to comfort Julia, by once again grabbing both her hands. Julia yanked them free as if her mother's touch had burnt her. "That was a lie made up to protect you." Rosalie paused and took a deep ragged breath. "You get those eyes from your father. There is a lot you don't know about your past and if you can just listen I will explain."

Julia felt sick and the world around her started to spin. She had to brace herself against her seat; it felt as if everything was crashing down on top of her. In a hoarse voice she said, "Are you telling me my father is a dark faerie?"

Rosalie nodded. "Yes. Your father was a dark faerie."

Julia homed in on what her mother said. "Was? Are you saying he's dead?"

Tears filled Rosalie's eyes, and she scrubbed them away with her handkerchief. "Yes, your father died when you were three years old."

"How?" Julia said in a whisper.

"He was killed protecting us from Thorsen." Rosalie tried once again to grab her daughter's hands and Julia practically jumped out of her seat to get away from her mother's touch.

"Why?" Julia ground out.

Rosalie sat back with a look of resignation on her face. "It's a long and complicated story, Jules. If you can just be patient and listen, I will try to explain what I can tell you."