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

Half-truths 2

Julia clapped her hands over her mouth to stop herself from talking such nonsense. She had never wanted the supernatural world to come out of the closet before and she still didn't. Embarrassed by her unexplained outburst she waited until she was sure that wayward feeling was gone. "Sorry mom. I have no idea where that came from. You know I feel the same way you do on that subject."

Everyone except Véronique looked at Julia as if she had grown another head and it made her feel awkward. Her mother, Edrys and Alex all looked mortified. Ren and Damien looked shocked but were keeping a calm expression on their faces. Véronique looked as if she couldn't care less what Julia's views were on the subject, and just wanted to get this whole ordeal over with.

"You were telling us about your time in the Guard, Rosalie," Ren said cutting the tension.

Rosalie snapped out of her momentary shock. "Yes. I wasn't in the Guard for very long. Thorsen had already gotten his claws into them and many of the members were already loyal to him. This allowed him to do a lot of the vile things he did. My mother was murdered in the first uprising, betrayed by my father. After that Oren and I fled to America. I didn't see your father again for another one hundred-six years. If I didn't have the ability to see snippets of the future, I would've called our meeting a twist of fate or chance."

A melancholy expression took hold on Rosalie's face as she continued speaking. "It was 1977, and I found myself back in Alandria. It was pouring rain, and I had got the heel of my shoe stuck in a grate. Your father appeared out of nowhere and helped me. I wanted to run away but he wouldn't let me go. Eventually after many minutes of him begging, I agreed to have lunch with him at some tiny café just so we could get out of the rain. I tried to fight it, but after the first fifteen minutes of talking to him my love for him was still there even after all that time had passed."

Rosalie paused for a moment, a woeful expression coloured her eyes. "Many years went by and we desperately wanted to marry yet the law forbade us from doing so. Dark faerie relationships with other supernaturals are still very much discouraged." She gave Julia and Alex a hard look as she said that. "It was the Faerie Queen that offered us sanctuary in Arlandria and we even married there. We lived there happily until I was pregnant with you. We feared what would happen, so we ran. It was the stupidest mistake I've ever made." She looked at Ren tears pooling in her eyes. "I'm still very sorry for not listing to you."

Rin turned to Rosalie, gave her a hug and whispered something in her ear.

Watching how close the two of them were stirred up a whirlwind of emotions in Julia, the dominant ones being anger and jealousy.

Rosalie continued, "Thorsen found out I was pregnant with you and relentlessly hunted us. We ran for almost four years. Then Thorsen caught up to us. Your father gave his life so we could get away."

"That still doesn't explain why you had to lie to me about what I am. Or why Thorsen wants me," Julia said, exasperation lacing her voice.

Rosalie sighed, looked down at her hands and started twisting the handkerchief around her fingers. "Thorsen is obsessed with power, he always has been. Being the oldest of the three sons in the Víðarr clan he should've been clan leader but the youngest brother was chosen. That affected the two older brothers."

Julia pursed her lips in annoyance. "I should care about this because? Honestly, mom, why can't you just answer my questions?"

Julia could tell her mother was hiding a lot more than she was letting on and it pissed her off. "I know you think I'm some innocent child who can't fend for herself. But you could've told me what I am. I would've been able to keep that secret." Julia looked at her mom and waited for an answer. When Rosalie didn't reply she threw her arms up in the air exasperated and got up. "You know, mom, you were wrong to keep this from me. I could've handled it." Julia turned and started to walk off.