Page 94 of Dueling the Suitors

“Astoria, this is not how I wanted it to go, but it seems like this is how it is supposed to be.” The General sighed. “Your mother is the woman I fell in love with.”

Astoria spun around to him with a withering glare. “You are lying! My mother is dead! Trust me. I’ve carried the guilt of being the cause of her death all my life.”

Her words seemed to stun him. He opened and closed his mouth several times in an attempt to talk, but failed. “I—I didn’t know… I’m so sorry…”

“You better be. That was not a joking matter.” She took back everything she thought of him. He wasnota good man.

“That—that was not… It wasn’t a joke, it was real. It’s the truth.” His eyes turned desperate and guilty all the same. “Please believe me.”

Astoria stared at him in disbelief. “So, you are saying that my mother didn’t die at my birth? Or that you brought her back to life with magic?”

“No, we faked her death,” he admitted, his face crumpling in guilt. “She never died. I cast an illusion over her so that, to everyone, she was dead. I got her out of the coffin before burial and brought her to Windlewade.”

Tears pricked Astoria’s eyes. Anger, disbelief, shock, betrayal… She didn’t know what she was supposed to feel, but joy or relief wasn’t part of it.

Astoria turned to look at Joaquin. “Is this true?”

“As far as I know, General Sean doesn’t lie. And he has absolutely no reason to lie in this case,” he said with a solemn expression.

She turned back to the General. “Why?” she demanded. “Why did you—why did she do that?”

The man looked at her like she was supposed to know it. “Because your so-calledfatherhated her. He was already in love with that woman he is now married to and always treated your mother like she was the third wheel in their relationship. She was never loved, and she longed to escape him, but she was trapped. Like I told you earlier, she was crying when I met her. It was one of those days she snuck away from her guard to find solitude and cry. We fell in love. And when she realized she was pregnant with you… we planned to run away, but the palace kept her busy, and we had no foolproof plan. So we were forced to wait. When the king found out your mother was pregnant, he had no doubt it was his child. The loathsome fool.” He scoffed.

“So, our only chance was to fake her death after your birth. We had to make her absence believable, or else her family would go looking for her. Not that they would’ve found a clue as to what caused her disappearance, but we didn’t want that chaos.”

Astoria cut in before he could continue, snorting. “So, you thought it was bestIcarried the blame for killing her at my birth, right, got it. Do you haveanyidea what I went through from my own brother? Silas was so crushed by Mother’s death that he blamed me and hated me until just recently. All while our mother ran away with the man she loved.” She laughed coldly. “I mean, what kind of mother does that? Leaving her kids behind with the man she hates—heavens, I was only a newborn child! Didn’t she care that I would need her, the boys would need her?”

“You think she was happy with the sacrifice she made?” The man narrowed his eyes at her, a defensive edge to his voice.

“Then she would’ve never left us behind!” Astoria shot back, her voice rising. “She would’ve brought us along with her. Why didn’t she do that, huh?”

“Astoria, it’s not like how you think it is.” He sighed tiredly, a hand on his hip and the other running through his hair.

“Then what is it?” she snapped, her temper now fully on the surface.

“Bringing non-mages into Windlewade was against the law, so I married your mother in the human world and bonded ourselves as per the loophole the king found. But bringing your brothers along… it wasn’t possible.”

But Astoria couldn’t accept it. She shook her head violently. “Mother only thought of herself! Do you know whatIwould’ve done if I were in her place? I would have never abandoned my children. And if I couldn’t bring them with me, I would’ve turned down my chance at happiness!”

The General shook his head solemnly. “You wouldn’t know that…”

“Factually, I found myself in a loveless marriage like her—even worse, to my enemy. One I’ve grown to care for and like more than I thought was possible. But if that wasn’t the case, I would never abandon my children. IknowI wouldn’t.”

Her biological father only stared at her sadly. “She misses you, you know?”

Her tears slipped, but she hardened her heart against his words. “I missed her too, but not anymore. Not after this truth, not after how her selfish choice ruined me and my brothers.” She clutched her hands in her hair and groaned as she thought of how her brothers would react when they heard this. Silas especially; he was still affected by her departure. “Silas is going to be crushed!”

“I’m so sorry, Astoria. She wishes to see you all, you know. She told me to tell you that she loves you and wishes she could be here—”

“Stop!” This was more than she could take. “I don’t want to hear another word! Goodnight!” She turned and stormed towards Cyrus’ room, not bothering to spare a glance at him or Joaquin—if he was even there. She had a feeling that he had slipped out the moment their conversation grew too private and intense.

Princess…

Not now, Sky.

Astoria walked towards Cyrus’ bed and climbed up next to him. She was half tempted to use her healing powers and see if he would wake up so she could tell him what just happened. But she decided against it. He needed rest. She hoped he would wake up in the morning.

She had never been as desperate for anyone as she was for him now. How had he become someone so important to her, someone she knew she could rely on and confide in? Normally in such situations, she turned to Emmett. Indeed, she could write to him now and send the letter using Cyrus’ ring. But she didn’t. She wanted Cyrus.

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