Page 99 of Valpar

But that was it. I know nothing else.

Valpar’s hand cupped my cheek. I felt his warm hand pull me closer and sighed when he pulled me into his body. “Where did you go, little fairy?”

I blinked several times before I stared up at him. “I’m sorry. I was thinking about my mom.”

Valpar hummed and played with one of my braids. “Yes, I must meet her and your father.”

I shook my head. “No, my real one. The one that gave birth to me.”

He stopped playing with my hair and dropped the braid. “What about her?” His voice grew hard, his body stiff.

“I was thinking what she was like. Why don’t I remember her? Why I don’t remember when I was little.” I rubbed my finger across my lip. “I remember nothing of when I was little.”

Thunder rumbled outside, as it’d been doing it all day. This time it was closer, louder and I swore it shook the cave. As I closed my eyes and scooted into Valpar’s side a little closer, another vision of that woman I saw yesterday came to mind She wasn't yelling at me. Her dark hair covered her face, and she had a stick in her mouth that lit up at the end. Smoke came pouring out of her mouth, and when my eyes opened again, the vision was gone.

She looked so sad. Not as scary as before, but if she was a connection to my mother, I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Call me a scared little chicken for it, but I just found my happy place with Valpar, and I wasn’t ready to see it, yet.

I let out a shuddering breath and listened to the thunder roll away from the cave.

“Little mate, do you want to know who your mother is?” Valpar’s hand touched the top of my head where a loose braid sat on top

I shook my head. “No, no, not yet. I just—I guess I was just wondering why I didn’t know.”

Valpar cleared his throat. “I know why you do not know. I have the answers you seek and if you want—I can give them to you.”

I pulled away from him. “You know why I don’t remember my past? How?” I lifted my brow in question and made to move away. He didn’t like this and wrapped his arms around me to pull me back.

I grunted in response, but he growled and pulled me into his lap.

“Why do you know?” I demanded.

Valpar buried his nose into my shoulder and took a long whiff of my scent. “Your uncle told me. He told me the day after I brought you to the cave.”

“He knows too? How many more people know?”

Does everyone know why I don’t remember everything? How could everyone just not tell me?

Because you never wanted to know, you dumb butt. You never asked.

My mouth hung open as Valpar told me Mom and Dad knew, too. That seemed to be all, just five people.I guess that is not so bad.

I wrapped my arms around his neck. “And how is it I don’t remember?” I whispered in his ear.

“The king and a sorceress put a spell on you to forget your past.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and that woman appeared again. She was angry and yelling at me. This time, she was waving her arms at me, shooing me away until a door slammed in my face and it all went dark.

My eyes popped open.

“Do you want to know why—”

“No.” I snapped. “I don’t want to know.” I shook my head violently. “Not yet.”

Valpar held me in his arms and rocked me. “If you ever want to know, I will tell you.” His thumb rubbed under my cheek. “I will help you and always be here. You know this, don’t you female?”

I nodded my head, not verbally answering.

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