Flexing my fingers, I walked forward.
My path lay straight and clear. Even the wild grasses moved out of the way, and the scent of pine filled the air as I stopped in front of the door. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and licked my dry lips. My fist trembled as I lifted it and knocked once, twice, thrice upon the door. Dropping my hand, I stepped back. The seconds ticked by like the slow, steady path of the sun dragging across the horizon. My breath came faster as light footsteps hastened to the door. It swung open and I looked into her face.
Chapter Twenty
She was halfan inch shorter than me, with hair black as night swept up and piled on top of her head. A mass of glossy curls crowned the top and yet silver streaked the roots of her hair. There were hard lines around her face, and her dark eyes studied me. She wore a long, fitted dress with embroidered sleeves. Her figure was smaller than mine and there were no hard lines from training and hunting. Yet all the same I sensed a regal quality in the way she held her body ramrod straight, the tilt of her chin, and the eyes that gave away nothing. Just like Epona had said, we had the same bone structure, same nose, same mouth, and I knew beyond a doubt that I looked on the face of my birth mother for the very first time.
A thick lump settled in my throat, preventing speech. Tears pricked my eyes and I dropped my gaze to the ground to hide the raw emotions I was sure displayed plainly on my face. My heart thumped fiercely, waiting for her words, for mine were trapped inside me like a rabbit caught in a snare. But no words came out.
One moment I stood in the doorway, the next, one of her arms slipped around my waist and the other pressed my head to her shoulder. She held me so tight, I couldn’t breathe, and in that moment, I was sure she never would have left me unless it were absolutely necessary.
It was then the tears began to flow and sobs shook my body. The anxiety and the secret worries fled. This was where I belonged. I was home, with my mother, and hopefully there would never be a reason to leave again.
When she released me, she pulled back and cupped my cheeks with her hands. A light lit up her eyes, and she smiled. “Aofie,” she said, her voice like the cooling winds of summer on a warm day, sending a breeze of contentment through my heart. “My daughter. You found me at last. You have grown tall and beautiful, as expected. Come inside, I want to hear everything.”
I smiled through my tears and lifted my chin, proud she knew me. As her hand came down to take mine and pull me inside, she glanced past my shoulder and the joy faded from her eyes.
She pressed her lips together and squeezed my hand. When she spoke, her tone had changed. It was firm, almost harsh. “Why is there an iceman and a nymph on my doorstep?”
I gasped and turned to glance behind me, but only saw Romulus and Takari. They stood a few feet away, Romulus staring at the house with a calm nonchalance while Takari was on her knees, stroking the grass and whispering to it. It looked like I traveled with two slow buffoons. I frowned as my face flushed. I’d never heard my two traveling companions addressed with such hostility. The way my mother stared at them made my skin crawl and my eyes went wide. I spoke for the first time, my words of apology babbling out in a way that made me feel stupid and ashamed.
“They…I…we…” My eyes smarted as I stammered, unsure where to start. “I needed their help to find the river. And we traveled together for safety.”
My mother’s grip increased on my wrist until it was almost painful. I wanted to pull away, but it felt wrong. Mother yanked me inside and held the door open, eyeing Romulus and Takari with distaste. “You’d better come in then,” she ordered without an ounce of friendliness in her tone.
Takari was the first to move. She stood and almost ran toward the door, pausing underneath the doorframe. Lifting her hands, she kissed her fingers and touched the wood. When she reached my mother, she clasped her hands in front of her and sank to her knees. “My lady, I am called Takari and I am but a lowly nymph without a forest. I am on my way to sojourn with the elves, but I am thankful for your gracious hospitality. I had the honor to meet your daughter when she saved my life and I am forever indebted.”
My mother gave a brief nod which gave away nothing. “You are welcome in this house for a time, but you must not practice your arts, nor the spells I see your mind is inclined to.”
Takari dropped her soft eyes at the reprimand and bowed again. “As my lady requires.”
Romulus lifted his sword off his back, gave a slight bow, and then stood tall. In my mother’s presence, all thoughts of my dream fled, and I was suddenly embarrassed by my companions. His rough looks and grimy appearance made me blush, and I wished I had sent them away before my mother had seen them.
Once inside, Mother shut the door. Light poured from the wide windows and I recoiled in surprise. We were not alone as I assumed. Four armed men stood at attention in the background, but my gaze slid over theirs to the child. A small replica of my mother stood near a fire, her mouth open. She could not have been more than ten. Beside her was a little boy of about five, his cheeks still chubby. He sat cross-legged, snapping sticks in half and tossing them half-heartedly at the fire. There were two more, much older and yet younger than me. A boy who scowled at us and another girl who crossed her arms. They looked to be the same age, and I wondered if that was the case or if they were twins. It was rare, but now and then two children would be born at once instead of two.
They each had dark eyes, some brown, others gray, but we all had the same noses. A sharp pang went through me as the realization sunk in. They were my siblings. Half siblings. Brothers and sisters.
“Mother.” The older girl spoke first, her eyes roaming over Takari and Romulus briefly. “Should I call the elders?”
Mother did not let go of me and I bit my lip against the strength of her grasp. “Guards, escort them through the door, all of you. I must speak with Aofie. At sundown we will follow.”
The girl moved to the fire, scooped up the little boy, and snatched the hand of the little girl. The older boy followed, his sullen face leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I blinked as though I’d been slapped as he moved a rug and opened a door in the floor. One by one, they climbed down and the guards followed. The door shut behind them, leaving us in silence.
I had siblings. True siblings. Their dark coloring led me to believe they all had the same father—the king? If so, they were the true blood heirs to the throne, which meant… Who was I? A forgotten newborn? An unloved oldest child born of sin?
“You there.” My mother waved at Romulus and Takari, not bothering to use their names. “You may wash and relax in the adjoining room. I will call if we have further need of you.”
Romulus turned his back on me without a word. Takari had the decency to look at me, her soft eyes telling me, wordlessly, I had the strength to see this through, surprise or not.
My mother did not move until the door was shut, and then her grasp relaxed and she took my other hand in hers. Her fierce expression melted into a smile. “I both hoped and feared this day would come. Aofie. Come sit with me by the fire and we will pass words, words that should have been spoken long ago.”
I nodded but speech sat like dust in my throat. I flinched as I thought of my four younger siblings. Why hadn’t she returned for me if she intended to have a family? Why didn’t she ask the centaurs to bring me to her? Obviously, she’d found a hiding place and settled not long after she left me. I would have been about three or four, young enough to forget the centaurs and old enough to remember my mother and grow up under her tutelage. Bitter thoughts swarmed through my mind as Mother let go of me. Two chairs sat in front of the fire. She sat in one, and I stiffly sat in the other, facing her. The sudden warmth of the flame made me feel hot, and a bead of sweat trickled down my neck.
Mother folded her hands in her lap, her dark eyes examining me. “You have grown up as I wished. I look at you and I see the magic in you, flowing through your fingers. My dear daughter. I am not sure where to begin but I want to know everything. Tell me about your upbringing and the centaurs. Tell me how you came here, for I assume the journey was not without its dangers.”
I shrugged my shoulders as desires warred within. I desperately wanted to tell her everything, share my struggles and failures, hopes and dreams. But more than anything I wanted to ask her three questions. Who was my father? Why didn’t she send for me? And what did she want me to do with the kingdom of men?
Chapter Twenty-One
