Page 94 of Her Ivory Flame

“Why do you have Valkyrie looking wings instead of Fae?” she asked, still looking at Xander.

“You are not the only mixed blood.”

Her eyes widened and she looked at the other men sitting at the table, all but Kaden. They had Fae ears and looked more like them than the men of her race.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” she mumbled, her hand going to her stomach.

She had been told all her life she was the only one, and yet she sits with four other men that are products of their races colliding.

“Our mothers were all Fae, except Kaden’s. Some of your men had traveled around Ambros and fell in love with fae females. No one recorded our births due to the havoc it would bring to society and we looked like fae, so no one questioned it.” Xander continued, and she found her eyes trying to study his features.

She could see valkyrie in his face the closer she looked, the thicker skin and strong jaw the men in her village had. Fae tended to have thinner features and looked more regal.

“We found each other early during the war, Kaden had saved my life and I was already friends with the other two. There was a rumor that Mavros was going to attack Mydalsa, so Kaden gave us the means to fly and we made sure our people were protected the best we could.”

Her mind was spinning, the concept that they existed still shocked her, but to know they helped protect her people when she couldn’t made her feel noxious.

“So you saved them when I could not.” she croaked, a sob threatening her chest.

“It wasn’t your fault.” Finnley whispered softly.

“When the war was over, we tried to find you but no one could find where Mavros was keeping you.” Xander continued. “After a decade, we decided to try and figure out who betrayed you and lost hope that you were still alive.”

“Wait, you knew I didn’t die in battle?” Her eyebrow raised.

“We all knew, we could feel it. The rest of the world thought otherwise”

“So Silas lied about seeing Mydalsa, but was correct about the other stuff?” she sighed.

“He probably lied so you wouldn’t go looking for yourself.” Kaden mumbled.

“You think he is involved somehow?” She said in disbelief. “He found me, he nursed me back to health and you think he would hire thugs to kidnap me?”

“Need I remind you of what he did to you? He already betrayed you once, he could do it again.” Kaden spat.

Anger started to rise in her at the reminder, the fact she had played into his lies and lust, anger made her power flicker at herhands. Kaden tried to reach for her but she pulled away. She had been naive, and she would not make that mistake twice.

“What would his role in all of this be?” Finnley questioned. “He couldn’t have been the one to betray you before the war so he must be working with someone.”

“I’m not sure but from the events that have unfolded, it seems logical..” Kaden groaned. “Next time I see him, I will make sure to ask.”

“I can’t trust anyone anymore,” she whispered to herself, seeing a few of them around her flinch at her words.

She needed air, the walls seemed to be closing in and she could feel her power start to simmer. Getting up quickly, she bolted back towards the door and darted out of it.

Panic was taking over and she was able to get a few feet down the side of the house before she started puking. Familiar hands pulled the hair from around her face and held it gently in his hand.

“I slept with him.” she breathed, her body shaking. “I fucking slept with him and he was possibly playing me the entire time.”

Kaden’s free hand rubbed on her back as she threw up again, only a small amount of vile coming up since her stomach was empty.

“How can I help?” he asked calmly and the fight she had in her faded.

He had saved her people, saved her, and just for that she should be grateful.

He handed her a small rag from his pocket and she wiped her mouth before standing up straight, her hand clenching the side of the house.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked quietly.