Page 62 of Ellie 3

“I’m sorry,” I whispered when she sniffled. “That wasn’t the picture Aurora ever painted for me.”

She gave me a dry glance. “Yes, because she’s fucking sane to trust on anything. Ever.”

Funny she felt that way and was so vocal because she was still helping Aurora get her pound of flesh for what had been done to her. I’d heard from Alexis several times that Theresa was vicious in a way she wasn’t and giddy at going after her mother’s family.

I would have felt the same if there was any Reed family worth going after.

I swallowed loudly and met her gaze. “You startled me into waking up, and now hundreds of years later, I can see that nightmore clearly with the information you’ve given me.” I waited until she nodded. “You were muttering that you had to kill me so he’d love you.”

She sighed. “I remember feeling like I was breathing through fire. Things were blurry and it was a miracle I’d even snuck in to find you. I figured out later that people were paid off, but luckily Aurora was smart enough to fill those holes. I don’t blame you for that night. I blame both of you for after when no one would even hear me out.”

“Yes, I would be upset too if Aurora wouldn’t even hear you out. I never said anything either way—”

“You wouldn’t even see me so I could explain,” Theresa snapped. “I was trying to warn you that you were in danger still, not finish the fucking job!”

I blinked at her for a full minute and she slowly lost her anger. “I’m confused.”

She snorted. “No, apparently, I’m still the fool.” She let out an upset chuckle and quickly wiped under her eyes. “You were never given my letters. Aurora lied. You didn’t refuse to read them or see me. She blocked—fucking liar. Gods, why can’t I have at least one decent parent? You did even if you never knew her.”

Which led me to ask the question I needed answered and part of why I had finally agreed to this meeting. “Do you think she’s alive?”

“No, I’m sorry, but I’m very sure Kenneth killed her,” she said gently, pain in her eyes as she met my gaze. “I looked for her. I desperately looked for her after my escort ditched me. I knew she would help me even if she could never love me. She was kind and decent like that. Truly, she was.” She shook her head. “Nothing. I searched…”

“What?” I pushed after a few tense moments.

“One of her plans was to go back to her family coven where her father or brother was now in charge,” Theresa told me. “She said it wasn’t worth the gamble until you were ever abused because they might be just as bad if they knew you were special. I thought that was what she did when she ‘ran.’ I truly did.”

“She wasn’t there?” I checked, understanding she’d gone to my maternal family’s coven.

“No, and I didn’t just—I worked there for months as a maid to get real information. She was erased from the family’s history basically. Your grandfather remarried and acted like his first wife never happened. And the woman he married was a good woman. If she—she wouldn’t have killed your mother if she’d shown up. She was too kind. Abused and kind.”

I nodded, hearing her loud and clear. “I have finally received permission to privately ask Kenneth questions under potion. I have an hour next week. If you would like to join me and ask what you need to, I’m fine with it.”

“I would. I need… I need closure on him. There have been some updates and how many years he will spend in prison and where. He was convicted again and the total is up to sixty years,” she told me before pulling out her phone.

It was maybe fate that she had a packed calendar with trials but one had been delayed at the exact time I was to meet with Kenneth.

Theresa seemed to hit her limit after that and stood, clearing her throat as she gathered her things. “I prefer people be clear in their intentions so please don’t take this negatively. It’s my respect for all you’ve done that makes me be blunt.”

I snorted and apologized when she twitched like her temper was ramping up. “I say the same all of the time. I respect people’s time and just say what needs to be said. That doesn’t mean it has to be harsh or crass. Just enough with the bullshit when the world is full of it.”

“Agreed.” She let out a slow breath. “I have no desire for some sisterly bond or trying to have a family relationship after hundreds of years and what we’ve both been through.However, we are sisters and the world is harsh. I would like to have you as an ally and vice versa. If nothing else, I think we are each other’s key to healing from the past.”

I let out the slow breath this time and considered what she said. Yes, she had a lot of information about my mother and such. I did for her. “I’d like that.”

“Good.” She reached for the glass she’d brought with her and snorted when she looked at me. “We bring our own drinks to a coffee shop.” She looked at me. “Do you have an aversion to this place?”

“Not at all, but I prefer my own concoctions and favorites. This place—I ordered treats for my staff. Their bakery is delicious.”

She glanced towards the counter and nodded. “Then I’ll give it a go before the portal opens to bring me back. Any recommendations?”

“Several,” I told her and we went up to the counter. I opened my mouth to say I had an order to pick up but was interrupted by the woman at the counter.

“Oh, finally ordering something instead of bringing outside drinks in?” she mocked.

“There’s nothing posted saying outside drinks are unwelcome and you don’t offer what I drink,” Theresa said easily. “But nice of you to get that in before we order.” She dismissed the woman, focused on me. “She doesn’t make the baked goods, does she? I would worry they were oversalted if she did.”

Yeahhhhhh, we were related.

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