Page 59 of A Storm Rises

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He had not thought of that yet. He’d never considered the severity of the pain inflicted on her—a mother’s child taken and replaced. And for what? He still did not understand. He cleared his throat. “Why would the Sublands want to switch a lowborn with a highborn?”

The fire crackled. His birth mother shifted in her seat. “An ancient question—why do the Sublanders do what they do?” She sighed, a heavy sound. “We have tried for so long to help that province. But they refuse our aid. They hold fast to the long-forgotten prophecy of an Only One—a uniter of the bloodlines who will supposedly bring peace to all of Faevenly.”

Mateo thought of Avalynn and how she repelled the dragon with those powerful blue lights and saved them from fate’s certain destruction like Finnian and the elk steed. Did that make her the Only One? He still did not understand it all. But he knew disclosing that information would put her at further risk. He wasn’t ready for that… just yet. So he kept his silence.

Her brows pinched together. “The poor Sublanders don’t understand that peace exists in Faevenly already. Their denial of the Stromms only harms themselves and the entire realm.”

“Denial?” He did not know what she meant. Surely, the Sublanders were blameless. Right?

“We offered them a seat on the Royal Court years ago. The lowborn that calls herself Lady Verona informed us that the Sublands refused. That is why the province struggles. That is why they are lacking. It is their own doing.”

Pinpricks raced up and down his spine. Goose bumps lined his skin. The Sublands had been offered a seat? “Why refuse a seat? That makes no sense.”

“I agree with you. It was senseless then and remains senseless now. Your father and I have grappled with that question too. All we can do is accept their independence and leave them be.”

Heat flushed his face. “Leave them be?” His voice rose. “You tried to manipulate the competition to assure my last place finish and my execution and the Sublands’ banishment! How is that leaving anything be?”

She shook her head. “Your father… He means well, but he is impulsive and does not always think things through or implement the best strategies. Our inner council decided that, since the Sublanders could not co-exist with us and the rest of the realm, then it was best for them to leave. They refused, and your father took matters into his own hands.”

Mateo had stepped into an alternate reality where everything he knew was turned on its head. And yet, everything the queen said made perfect sense. The Sublands could not complain that they lacked a seat at the table when it had been offered and refused. Such damning information should have been made public throughout the Sublands. It should not have been a secret. No doubt the political maneuvering of Lady Verona and Rhyka.

With regret in her eyes, she patted his hand. “We never meant to hurt the Sublanders. You must believe me, my son.”

Believe her? Although he wished not to trust a word, her explanation contained logic. Besides, if she really meant the Sublanders harm, she would not have approved and ordered the delivery of the much-needed seeds and food per his instructions. That kindness alone proved her good faith to him.

“I have taken up too much of your time.” Her tender voice soothed his aching spirit. “I will let you return to your rest. But, my son, will you please stay? If only for a little while?” She reached out and touched the slice on his arm that Raelor had made. It had stopped bleeding, like hers. “Perhaps your presence here can bring about a new understanding with the Sublanders. Isn’t that what you want?”

He placed his hand on top of hers. What would it hurt to stay and understand this royal life? He could even do what Lady Verona and Rhyka could not— really and truly help the Sublands. “Yes, I will stay for a little while.”

When she left the room, he turned back toward the fire. He found his life inside the flames again. “Everything is on fire.” Yet this time, his world burned without him knowing who he was or what to believe.

Avalynn opened the door to a frail child with long dark hair, big brown eyes, and tan skin. Behind the little girl stood the man they called Manny. He was of small stature and had the same dark features, but he was stooped over and holding a cane. Long gray hair hung past his shoulders. He leveled Avalynn with a narrowed glare that quickly softened. His eyes welled with tears. He pressed his closed hand to his mouth. “Dios mío. You look just like her—my Gabriela.”

Lady Sonia gripped his shoulder and made the introductions. “Manny, this is Avalynn, Gabriela and Leaf’s child. Avalynn, this is Manny Vela. He raised Mateo.” Lady Sonia rubbed the little girl’s head. “And this is Floriana, Manny’s child from his union with a fae named Faeyra who is no longer alive.”

Deep dark circles lined the skin under their eyes. They were bone thin. Their hair was brittle and breaking. A tear spilled down Avalynn’s cheek. She wiped it away, nodded, and then swallowed. “Hello.” Mateo had said they were ill with Dragon’s Bellow. It showed, and she saw why Mateo had risked his life. And now, because of her, there were no healing seeds. “It is nice to meet you all. Mateo told me all about you.” She wiped away another tear. “I am very sorry about your illness.”

Manny motioned to Lady Sonia. “We are okay. When Sonia brought you here, she had healing seeds with her. You needn’t worry yourself with us.”

“As Nia, I did not know Dragon’s Bellow was ravaging the Sublands until Mateo arrived,” Lady Sonia explained. “The Stromms keep news of the Sublands province hidden from the rest of the realm.”

“The Stromms,” Manny hissed. “They have my boy. Mi hijo.”

“I want my brother back,” cried little Floriana.

So, Avalynn was right. They still regarded Mateo as theirs. It was the definition of true love.

“We’ll get him back, mija.” Manny stroked Floriana’s brown hair. “Don’t you worry.” He held her closer, then brought his gaze back to Avalynn. His bottom lip trembled. “Can she do what Gabriela and Julio could do?”

“She can,” Lady Sonia answered.

Avalynn cleared her throat. “Do you mean the blue light?”

“Yes,” Manny whispered. “The fae called your mother and grandfather human witches. But really, it’s only your aura. The light is all around you, all the time. Like an invisible cloud that can be used as a weapon or a shield. The gift to manipulate it is passed down through your human side, and it seems you possess it too.”

“You can also see spirits,” Lady Sonia added.

She was descended from human witches and had powers this whole time and didn’t know? And she could see spirit forms? Her gaze drifted to Sonia. “The blue power came out of me. But I cannot see spirits.” She grappled with these abilities. “That part is not true.”

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