Page 123

I clamped my hand over my mouth and tears rolled down my cheeks.

I looked up at Torin, chewing his lip, his eyes misted. He put his good arm around me, and held me tightly, his lips pressed against the top of my head.

We weren’t able to see him, yet.

I sat with Aunt Claray and the uncles in the waiting room, while Torin went to the chapel to pray.

And we made small talk of the kind family does when they are waiting for big news and they’re stressed out. Ryan and Charlie bickered until Aunt Claray said, “I ken ye are concerned for our nephew, but I will send ye tae yer rooms if ye daena stop!”

And so they did.

Torin sat stoically beside me, holding my hand and then finally I remembered to have Dr Thornberry come look at Torin’s shoulder. His wound was checked, a new bandage applied. Dr Thornberry said, “For a battlefield stitching this one is pretty good, which of the soldiers did it?”

And Torin said, looking down on the sewn-up Frankenstein-looking gash. “Twas the monks of Ardchattan with a bone needle and thread. I barely survived it, but twas that or dyin’ in the fourteenth century. I dinna want tae do that or I would miss the celebration after the battle.”

Dr Thornberry shook his head. “Serving the royal family has meant heartbreak and stories that push the boundaries of reason.”

Torin shrugged.

Suddenly the door opened up and then it took me a moment to recognize him, I looked and looked away, then looked back — it was my uncle Dylan. I hadn’t seen him in… almost two years.

He stepped into the waiting room, with Dude at his heels, and I jumped from my seat and rushed into his arms and began to cry.

He held me. And called me Lexi-loo, which had been his nickname for me. And then finally when I had recovered enough, I looked up in his face and said, “Where were you?”

“I didn’t know how to get back, I didn’t have a vessel. I was lost and didn’t know what was happening here. I am so sorry Alexandria.”

“Just so I know, did you always know I was a princess?”

He nodded. “I had one job, to keep them from finding you. That was why I kept your identity secret and didn’t tell anyone⁠—”

“You lied to me, to everyone?”

He nodded. “I only thought you would be there for a few months, but then no one came for you, and you loved Cynthia and Gary so much. You made a good family. You became Lexi Davis and you were happy. And you did well in school. It tore me apart, Lexi, but I convinced myself that you were better off… that I shouldn’t tell you, just let you be a normal girl.”

“But then my parents died.”

He nodded. “I had been looking for a vessel for years and you were so devastated. I was looking everywhere for one, trying to get messages to Livvy and Nor. I should have told you, but I thought we were stuck. I assumed the kingdom was lost. I felt like you had had enough grief and so I just let the lie stand…”

I wiped my cheeks and smoothed my hair back. “I am so angry with you, that was awful. It’s not fair to lie to someone about something so important.”

“I know, but I didn’t know what to do.” He looked at me sadly. “Please forgive me. I was trying to protect you.”

I huffed. “I’m glad I didn’t speak to you about this months ago when I found out! I’ve had time to grieve, and reflect. I do forgive you.” Then I said to everyone, “A great deal of trouble comes from every one of you trying to protect me. None of you are allowed to do that anymore.”

Torin shook his head. “Och nae, Princess, ye are the young heart of the family. Ye are our hope for the future, askin’ yer family gathered here tae not protect ye and yer brother is like askin’ us not tae hae hope.”

I nodded. “Yeah I get that, I just want to be on the record as saying, I am stronger than you think. Sometimes you need to let me in on the secrets, all of you!”

“What would you have done if I had told you that Gary and Cynthia, may they rest in peace, were fostering you?”

“I never would have forgiven you or anyone, probably would have run away or something, acted out in unreasonable ways. Been a terror.”

“Then you understand. And you do forgive me?”

“Yes, I understand, and of course I forgive you. You’re the only family that I have left from my home in North Carolina.” I gave him a sad smile. “Learning I was a princess sucked, it’s been non-stop danger ever since.”

He shook his head. “I am the worst guardian ever, Lexi-loo.”