I chuckled.
“I wished I could see him just one more time. Hear the words from his lips.”
“Dad, Elena didn’t make that up.” I remembered the beginning. How Albert begged Tanya to tell him and how the queen said that he would abandon us. Albert knew it was the truth. But Dad wouldn’t. It would’ve given him a purpose to carry on serving the Malone bloodline. He didn’t know what he took from Dad.
“You saw it?” Dad whispered, and I nodded.
He sighed. “It explains why he ordered me away from him that night. Why he refused, I stayed by his side. You needed me. It was always about the two of you.”
“I’m sure if he could’ve done things differently, he would’ve. Like you said, he was only human. They don’t think things through as deep as we do.”
“No, they trusted Tanya.” That one still made Dad angry.
“They didn’t stick to the plan, Dad.”
I couldn’t tell them she sacrificed her daughter so that Elena could live. I was so disgusted with that, but nobody even asked about the little Thunderlight that used to belong to Herbert and Tanya. Still, I was grateful for Cara. She gave Elena life.
“I just don’t get how they got out,” Dad said. “I mean, if it was the coward’s potion, the hold on us would’ve subsided by now.”
It wasn’t the coward’s potion. I didn’t answer him. I would not cause more shit for us. And Cara’s sacrifice could cause a lot of shit. We’d already lost too much. I would not play more with that one.
We moved back to the kitchen, and the conversation became lighter. Dad told us that Albert wore his cloak, and that Elena wasn’t happy that the leather from her bracelet came from my back.
I didn’t care. I would give her an entire collection of leather outfits from my skin if she wanted it.
The conversation turned to the old days, and Emanual and Dad laughed at the old stories. I never saw my father laughing that hard in years. I missed the joyous side of him. He really had a great laugh.
The staff was the first to show, and we moved to the patio. They brought us fresh coffee.
Helmut joined us next, with Jako in tow. They were all happy to see me and more laughter surrounded us as they told stories about their past. Jako had the most, as he was the oldest. He sort of raised King Albert, had to beat him too, as his rider ordered. Jako couldn’t. He loved him too much.
Then Lucian and queen Maggie joined.
My stomach fluttered every single time I heard footsteps, only to find someone else.
The breakfast got placed like a feast in front of us. I grabbed another plate.
“Blake, how many more?” my father asked.
“I’m hungry,” I replied as the queen laughed.
I started shoving forks of food in my mouth as Dad just stared at me with a cup of coffee in front of him.
My stomach twitched as I heard more footsteps running down the stairs.
It was my sister and mother. Sammy told Mom to go as she needed food.
She walked out onto the patio and started saying hello to everyone. My entire family was here?
She gasped and shrieked as her gaze landed on me sitting next to Dad. She ran over and flung her arms around my neck from behind, kissing me on my cheek.
“Mom and Elena went over to the arena,” Sammy whispered.
I jumped up and everyone laughed as I walked with huge strides to the arena.
They weren’t in sight when I neared. The door opened from the inside and Mom walked out first, with Elena right behind her.
She shrieked as she came running toward me. I opened my arms, and she jumped into them. Her arms clung around me like a monkey, hugging me tight.
