“Yeah, I guess you don't. I guess we should start with the fact that you two are supposed to be together.”
“You’ve said that already. What does that even mean?”
“It means that everything I told you about Nancy was true, just the girl was wrong. The family was wrong. It wasn't her family that we're connected to, but the Mendozas. I know it sounds strange, but we really didn't have a choice. I wish you could understand that.”
“I just don't get any of this. What do you mean?”
“Quite simply?”
“Please, because I’m getting a damn headache.”
“Well, we were cursed and because I had turned down my one true mate. And this curse meant that everyone in my line would lose theirs as well, their true mates. I would never be able to introduce you to her. You were never to know how close our families were. It was all made to push you in the arms of another woman. Nancy.”
“But why? It makes no sense.”
“To have my son fall in love with the enemy. Can you not see how horrible that would be? You would have to marry into the family I hate. Your children would be part of my enemy. Every time I looked at them, I would see Nancy’s family and I would feel all of the hate that I have for them. You cannot imagine the burden that was put on me, the worry I had whether it would really happen or not. Watching it start…” She shivered with the idea of it, visibly shaking before she clasped her hands together in her lap.
“All of this, because you turned someone down?”
His mother agreed. “Sad to say it, but pretty much. Then, I met your father and found love, true love, and it just made it worse. He hated me more and has tried many times to bother me. He’d already done enough, dealing with witches and bringing them into the fray.”
She paused and smiled, like she had a secret.
“One thing I love about witches, though, is they have to have balance. There is always a way out and that was by the two of you finding each other. It lifts the curse. You’re free.”
His head was legitimately hurting, and he tried to synthesize the large data that was dropped on his lap. Curses? Witches? Fate? It all seemed like a bunch of hocus pocus to him. He didn’t like the dark arts and the tangled webs those old women weaved. He didn’t want to think of it having a part in his life.
A thought occurred to him. It didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, considering everything he had learned, but he did want to know.
“Does Nancy know?”
“No, she doesn't. They were going to tell her later, when they could use her against us, when the two of you were mated and had children. Then they would have attacked us from the inside. Can't you see that it is quite frankly diabolical?”
He was still trying to imagine it at all. It seemed far-fetched, but not completely out of the realm of possibility. Nathan had heard and seen many crazy things in his time. He’d just never been so intimately involved before.
“So why didn't you tell me about this before? You could have saved me a lot of grief.”
“It would have killed you. If I ever would have told you about her, that would have been the end of you. It had to happen naturally. I almost tried once before. It almost got you killed, and I had to send you away for a time. Do you remember when I sent you with the King? Vincent’s father saved you, keeping you safe.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“You weren't there visiting. You were there under his protection, so that you weren’t attacked. No one would go against him then. I was finally about to smooth things over, paid a price, but the curse was still firmly in place.”
“I still just don't get it.”
“What don't you get?”
“You were just going to let me marry that horrible woman? All because of your mistake in the past?”
“No, Nathan. It wasn’t that way at all. I had to put my faith in fate. I knew that the two of you would come together somehow. How did you find each other, anyway?”
“She befriended my boss’ new wife. I saw her every day at the Academy, and it just clicked and grew. You don’t know how much I tried to fight it, because I thought I would be shunned to go against you and Dad’s wishes.”
“But you were here to do just that?”
“I didn’t want to, but yes, I was here to do that. I wanted to make sure that you knew why, and then let you make your decisions. Laurel is my life now.”
His mother had a huge smile on her face and Nathan had no idea what that was all about. He really didn’t understand how it could all be left to what he felt was chance. Destiny and the like was far-fetched to him. He didn’t think that was going to change.
