Page 293 of His Sunshine Baby

“I kept trying to run away as soon as my magic could heal me. I always ran north, a bit farther every time, until I finally escaped those beasts long enough to reach the border.”

I can already tell what happened next.

The border and its protective barrier. Diane put it up when she realized her sister wasn’t returning to protect her children. It’s like hearing Reagan’s story all over again, except that this time, her story makes more sense as to why the barrier was up. The vampires were close because of Nephera.

“As it turns out,” she says, “my mother’s magic couldn’t even recognize her own kin. She couldn’t recognize her own daughter, coming back so many years later, not when my entirebody was filled with vampire venom. The barrier Danica had put into place with Diane to protect the twins was keeping me outside. It couldn’t even recognize me as a witch. Just a creature broken by vampires, reeking of them. I tried to break that damn barrier so many times!”

I’m starting to understand the tragic truth. Reagan and Nephera were trying to go back at the same time. Whether Nephera’s venom was preventing it from opening for Reagan, or Reagan’s jealousy was adding to the problem, both women were locked out, probably around the same time. If I think about the timing, that should be around my birth and Nora’s too. That barrier must have been more cautious than ever to protect us.

“Every time I failed to enter, the vampires would catch me, and the cycle of pain and suffering would start all over again and again and again… Imagine that torture. Knowing your own mother is there, behind that barrier, but she doesn’t recognize you, because she’s busy protecting someone else’s children. Her new daughter too.”

She glances down at Sylviana. That’s right, if they are half-sisters, it means Sylviana was born during that time as well… and she was originally from the same place as us.

So many things make sense now: how Sylviana knew about me and Nora, our connection, and our relationship to the Sapphire Moon and Blue Moon packs! No wonder she helped us so much; she kept watching over us all this time. But when we talked about it, she always remained so enigmatic! She never gave me any answers, aside from my birth parents’ death.

“You were born in the same place as us?” I can’t help but ask.

Sylviana slowly nods.

“I was. Just a few years before you and Nora. I was just a child back then. I barely remember Queen Diane, just the dayshe passed away. I remember your birth and Nora’s though. Your parents were so nice to me.”

“Oh yes, I bet you lived a great life there, Sylviana,” says her sister, “just as great as the twins that our mother was so focused on protecting, and their children too. I had suffered so much, yet you were all living happy lives up there. My own mother had thrown me away for someone else’s sake, and was leaving me to suffer at the hands of those vampires, while you were growing happily by her side.”

“Mother had no idea, Nephera,” Sylviana said. “Her barrier was just acting on its own, she couldn’t have known it was you.”

“Shut up!” she yells. “I don’t want to hear a damn word about my mother and me. Danica was the worst! All because I was born first, you had a great life while I was sent to Silver City!”

“Damn, someone has mommy issues.”

“Shut up, Liam. We need to talk about your girlfriend choices too.”

“I swear I had no idea…”

“Yeah, that’s the problem.”

I don’t blame Liam. Sylviana kept the truth from all of us. Liam couldn’t have known the truth, and neither could any of us. I turn to her, ignoring Nephera’s fierce glare.

“That day… You know what happened? To our parents…”

Sylviana nods sadly.

“After Queen Diane’s death, the barrier was weakened. Mother could barely hold it up, and the vampires were trying to get in too. She decided to keep it closed to everyone, but Princess Lilyan was worried about Reagan. They had to open it sometimes, but it was getting more dangerous every time… until Nora’s birth.”

“Reagan didn’t know about Nora,” I say, “and you pretended you didn’t know about her either.”

“Reagan really didn’t, I think Princess Lilyan had just gotten pregnant when she saw her for the last time. I thought keeping your identities a secret was the best. The vampires were after the Royals. Royals have incredible power, and they wanted to get rid of them. They had found the perfect source of power to fight them and my mother’s power, too.”

“Me,” sneered Nephera. “The more they abused me and drank my blood, the stronger they became, just like Judah Black. It was only a question of time before that damn barrier would break, wasn’t it, Sylviana? Our mother was getting old for a witch too. With Diane gone, she couldn’t hold on much longer.”

“She knew the vampires would attack the minute they could,” said Sylviana. “Princess Lilyan tried to take over her mother’s role in helping maintain the barrier, but the day Nora was born…”

Oh, Moon Goddess. It’s the same as now. The witch does maintain the barrier, but the Luna is the one channeling the Moon Power. However, a Luna giving birth just can’t possibly focus her power properly. Nora is experiencing the same thing as her own mother, Princess Lilyan, did more than twenty years ago!

“Nora, you’re hearing that?”

“Yes. I can’t believe it. My birth was…”

“Don’t you start saying shit about it being your fault.”

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