Page 42 of Their Trials

I compressed my lips to hide my smile, pleased to hear that he hadn't felt the same way about her. “Why is she such a big deal? Other than being the Queen's favorite?” I asked Arryn.

“She's quite powerful and skilled with her magic as it is, but she's been selected as one of the Chosen as well. So now she has access to the magic of her Consorts. She's ruthless and willing to do whatever it takes to get the crown.”

He looked up at Callum, who nodded once, before continuing. “Callum's heard from the servants that she's been trying to garner information about you. She sees you as her primary threat, the only person with a chance of keeping her from becoming Queen. She will be coming for you in the next trials and doing anything within her power to ensure that you lose, even if it means killing you.” Arryn explained.

Well shit. Bitch takes her chance at a crown seriously. “I'd like to see her do her best. I can handle one uppity bitch.”

“Don't be so sure, Princess.” Lennox smirked at me. “While I find your confidence to be quite alluring, I have to warn you that Genevieve shouldn't be underestimated. She's better with magic than you are, without any need to be near you to harm you. You can't rely on your hand-to-hand combat skills in this.”

“She sounds like a bucket of fun,” I snarked, trying to make light of the situation. While I was taking this seriously, she wasn't my top priority. Survival was. “If one of y'all can point her out next time, then I'll be sure to stay as far from her as possible.”

Lennox winked at me, helping to ease the tension that was now sitting heavily on my shoulders. “I'd be glad to assist you with anything. All you need do is ask.”

I laughed just as a knock on the door sounded out, Callum moving to answer it. Our protector, always playing bodyguard and keeping himself slightly separate from the group. The others seemed happy to let him take that role upon himself. If it gave him a way to fit in, I would accept it for now. Somehow, I would get him more involved with us as a whole and make sure he became one of us.

Callum spoke to whoever was on the other side, before opening the door wide and allowing them in. Master Jude entered. “I hope you all are doing well today?” he asked us as he grew closer.

“As can be expected,” I said automatically, giving him a wide smile.

He sat down at the other end of the table, where he could see us all. “I'm sorry I couldn't make it here yesterday. Some things came up that I needed to handle.”

“No worries,” Arryn said for the group, sitting back in his own chair, sipping on the coffee that Baer had gotten him hooked on. I smiled at that thought, one of the few weaknesses he allowed for himself.

“In that case, I thought I would start with the information I was able to discover,” he said, getting right to the point.

I sat up in my seat, leaning on the table. This was news to me, and I was desperate for any information he could give us. Had the guys known? By the look on everyone's faces, they had.

“As promised, I’ve been doing research, consulting my tomes and such whenever I had a spare moment. The night before the first trial, I stumbled across something,” he explained.

“Something pertaining to my magic or my glamor?” I asked eagerly.

He smiled at me indulgently, a tinge of sadness lingering in his eyes. Instantly, I tensed, preparing for what he had to say. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to like it, but I needed answers.

“Both.” He sighed, looking his age as he did. He met my eyes. “From the information I was able to locate, your magic and glamor were created by someone else. Either one person with immense powers, which is highly unlikely, or a group of people.”

“Okay...” I knew there was more. Something that was making him hesitate in answering our questions.

“Before I continue, I must ask who your parents were, child?” He watched me carefully as I sat back, crossing my arms over my chest, trying to create space.

My mother had asked me not to tell anyone this information. She had made it seem like life or death. My eyes scanned over the guys, feeling fairly certain I could trust them all with the information. As much as I liked the older fae male, I still was sure I could trust him. Something about him made me let down my guard, drawing me in. Whether it was just my desire for family or something else, he felt like what a loved one should.

“Why do you ask?” My brows furrowed in suspicion, reminding myself to be careful despite my inclination to trust him wholly. After discussing the hidden side of the Court, I needed to be mindful of what I revealed.

“I ask because there are very few fae who would have the capabilities to manage such a spell and even less with a reason to do so. One of those fae, both with capability and motive, disappeared twenty-four years ago. No one has heard from him since. For all intents and purposes, he just vanished along with his wife.”

I watched him as he spoke, his face and eyes revealing a deep sadness at the loss of whoever he was speaking of. I couldn't help but wonder what their connection was and if the fae he spoke of were my parents. I wanted to trust him. At some point, I would have to make the decision of whether to go all in or not. I could no longer walk the line.

The guys watched me as I came to a decision. “My mother is Lenora Hunt. I don't know who my father is. She would never talk about him, except telling me when I was chosen that he had left us on Earth with plans to return, taking precautions to keep us hidden. She never heard from him again.”

Arryn's hand found mine while I was speaking, and I watched him tangle his fingers with mine. Baer's hand found my thigh, rubbing in a soothing motion. I gathered courage from them and met Jude's eyes, not really sure I was ready for this information, but needing it anyway.

Jude sighed sadly, his shoulders slumped, and the slight glimmer of hope that was previously in his gaze was dashed with my words. “I'm sorry to hear that. Every child should know their parents. However, I still believe that the man I spoke of was responsible for the lock on your magic and your glamor. This man's wife was Lenora Ashgrove before marrying Jonathan Whitethorne.”

Baer and Arryn's hands tensed, and I caught the widening of Lennox's eyes. “Who is this man to you? Why does everyone seem so surprised?” I asked.

“Jonathan was my son. Although, I was not aware that he and Lenora had a child, I believe he’s your father.”

Chapter Seventeen: Rhowyn

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