“I don’tknow, Haydn. You’re supposed to tell me.”
“I already did, love.”
Haydn’s words from moments ago came back to her.“She’s never seen her mother before.”
Evelyn frowned. “You said you would show me my mother. We should be in Carrowmore, at the Fire Court.”
“We would be, if that’s where your mother were from.”
“It is! My father was married to Gwyneth. She’s my mother.”
“I’ve seen portraits of your father’s wife. Hannah looks just like her.”
“I look like my father.”
Haydn scoffed. “No, you don’t. Your brother does. But you look like your mother. You could be twins if not for the red color of your hair.”
“You’re making this up.”
“I’m not, Evelyn. This is real.”
“It can’t be!” she shouted at him.
If this is real, then I’ve gone over a century without knowing who I really am.
Haydn stepped in front of Evelyn and seized her wrists almost enough to hurt.
“I do not lie to you,” he growled. “The deal we made wouldn’t even allow that. This is the night your parents met. Something in your mind knew who she was when you saw her, but you won’t let yourself believe it.”
No. This has to be another trick.
Haydn spun her around, forcing Evelyn to face her father and the woman again. “Look at her and try to tell me that I’m lying.”
I look just like her.
Haydn squeezed Evelyn tighter. “Are you going to keep yelling at me, or will you let me help you?”
She tore her gaze away from the woman. “Tell me.”
Haydn’s voice, and his grip on her, relaxed. “That’s your mother, my love. Her name was Katrina. She was a well-respected member of the Legislative Council.”
“Was?”
“She became pregnant out of wedlock. The baby mysteriously disappeared the same day all of the soldiers returned to the continent. Katrina vanished shortly after that.”
“You don’t know what happened to her?”
“I don’t. I promise I would tell you if I knew. But I wasn’t on the High Council then. Actually, I’m not sure any of them know, either. The women of the Legislative Council handle things on their own. They weren’t happy with Katrina.”
Evelyn stared at her parents. “But my father was married to Gwyneth. They had Rowan and Hannah already by the time I was born.”
“I think you know how easy it is to lust after someone you aren’t married to.” Haydn dodged Evelyn’s heel as she tried to slam it down on his foot. “What I want to know is how Gwyneth died.”
“She died in childbirth.” The answer came out automatically.
“With what child? Notyou.”
“But…”
