“Come again?”
She laughed. It sounded like chimes. “He is your great, great, great, great, great, grandfather on your mother’s side, not the Malone side.”
“I have a Papi?” The warmth and turmoil turned my gut, imagining actual blood still pumping, living on this side.
“Who is an Ancient? You want to keep him at your hearings, you’ll take that to your grave.”
I nodded.
“Splendid.” She took an envelope out of her pocket. “He gave me this and begged me to give it to you. Read it when you are alone and don’t tell anyone.”
“They have enhanced hearing,” I said. She just told me all of this.
“Not with my shield around me.”
I gasped and looked around us. There wasn’t even a sign of one.
“Your training starts tomorrow at five. When your father told me who trained you the past three months, I’m afraid we have plenty to cover.”
She walked back to the arena as I walked to the lake.
I opened the letter and his handwriting was beautiful, like something you will find on wedding invitations.
My dearest, Elena.
Reading this, Micha must have told you the news. When I heard that my sweet Katie became a mother, it was the greatest news I’d ever received in such a long time.
Family is something we should treasure, and I always thought that Katie would outlive me this time. Saying goodbye to her and your father without uttering a word broke me, but when I saw you that day in the Hall, I saw them again. They live through you. Thank you for showing me my sweet Katie when you begged passionately for the people you love. We need someone that would sit on the throne that has compassion, more than intellect.
I smiled at his words. They were so warm and didn’t betray the Ancient of that day at all.
After you claimed your dragon, I would love to meet you for some butter fudge ice cream. I’ve always been a sucker for them. Maybe this time, a family member can bury me and not the other way around.
You can write back and give it to Micha. She has a way to get my letters safely to me.
I can’t wait to meet you,
Sincerely,
Adolph McQuire.
I put his letter to my chest.I have a Papi. Someone that is high up and that can help when in need.
The information brought fire to my gut. The good kind, and the warmth made me laugh.
I have a Papi. I have blood on this side.
It sucked that I couldn’t share it with Dad, though. But I heeded her warning. I would take this knowledge to my grave, or to his, whichever came first.
The next day,I met Micha at five. I handed her a thick envelope. “He—”
“Wait!” She lifted her hand. I tried to find the shield, but there wasn’t a trace.
“Wow, you had a lot to say to him. He is going to be so happy about this.” She smiled and her eyes twinkled with excitement.
“I can’t wait to meet him.”
“After your claiming.”
