Page 153 of Emylia

What if there was something fundamentallywrongwith me?

She exchanged a look with Sebastian, who had stood wide-eyed through the entire conversation. “Have you ever been inside the Aelinthian Forrest?”

“Yes, the night of the Goddess Festival.” It was the night of the air jellies and the sweet nothings with Maalikai. It’s where I’d started to fall for him.

Sebastian and my mom exchanged looks again, making my apprehension rise. “Maalikai took me to a gigantic tree that looked like it could be the Tree of Life?” I admitted.

A slow breath left her, and her eyebrows knit together in thought.

“What?” I demanded, anger at her forgotten.

“I’ve heard whispers of secrets about that tree, but it is nottheTree of Life.” Another captured breath escaped her. “That specific tree is said to hold an ancient power, one that can be absorbed and harnessed. It is one of the eight trees that are interconnected to the Tree of Life. When the Tree of Life was split by lightning, eight Gods were created. The tree in Aelinthian Forrest, this region, was the birthplace of Elessandria.”

I looked between Sebastian and my mother, not sure whether I believed her or not. “Maalikai touched it too, he wasn’t affected,” I shot back without even thinking.

She shrugged in her own confusion, but I sensed there was more she was keeping secret, like she still didn’t trust me. “I knew the tree was the birthplace for Elessandria, but I didn’t consider how much truth the rumor held about harnessing magik. Many people before you have tried and failed to harness the magik. But maybe it only reacts to a person’s individual bloodline. Maybe it didn’t affect Maalikai.”

“So what? It gavememagikal powers? What in Nexus kind of bloodline of ours would do that?” I shouted incredulously.

Her face shifted. That same hidden look–guarded, distant. Like she was pulling a veil over something sacred… or dangerous. But again, I wasn’t certain if she was trying to protect me–or protect herselffromme.

Or maybe it was simply because she hated talking about her past–because of the horrors she’d witnessed during the fall of Agertheria. The same atrocities Sebastian had survived. The ones that had claimed his parents… before Thrainn swooped in and pulled him from the wreckage.

“From everything I have read, you essentially have powers. But only for a short time. If you touch the tree, you will hold the powers until they’re expelled.”

Okay, so I only turned into an unhinged weapon of destruction when I touched the magikal Tree of Life. That was manageable.

“How long will the powers last? How are they expelled?”

My mother shook her head. “I would need to research it. I’m sure there are tomes in the capital, places we could go to find the answer. But I do not have the knowledge here. I do not have an answer for you.” She looked disappointed in herself.

“That still doesn’t explain why you never told meyou’rea mage,” I murmured.

My mother ran a hand through her dark hair, tossing it over her shoulder. “I did it to protect you.”

A laugh bubbled from me. “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

“Emylia Isabelle!” Her self-righteous tone didn’t have the same effect whenshewas the one who had lied tome, but she was still my mother, and I was still silenced by her. “You watch your tone with me, young lady. I understand you are mad. But you are not entitled to every facet of my life. When you get ahold of that anger, we can continue this conversation.”

“It really was for your protection,” Sebastian chimed in.

My eyes shot to Sebastian’s as he answered for my mother. I looked between them, then it all fell perfectly in place.

Oh. My. Gods.

“Did Sebastian know?” Their silence answered my question. “Fucking unbelievable.”

“Em, wait. Thrainn knew, and I overheard it years ago. They swore me to secrecy,” he shouted the last part but I ignored him, storming from the room as betrayal seized me.

He sprinted after me outside. “Em.”

I spun on Sebastian, taking two steps forward and invading his personal space. “Mom lying to me I kind of get. But you?Youwere meant to be mybestfriend.”

“Wearebest friends,” he said softly. He sounded wounded and weary.

And I didn’t blame him. I was so tired.

Tired of the lies.

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