Page 102 of Kingdom of Chaos
Turning her head, she says to everyone waiting in the hall for us. “I think they may need another few minutes to, ah . . . finish.”
Imogen!
Pulling away from Talon, I rush to the door and throw it open, finding everyone loitering just outside.
“I’m sorry. I’ve got control again. You can all come back in.”
Ensley gives me a strange look, but I can’t hold her gaze. Ducking my head, I retreat into the room and take my seat. Talon resumes his place beside me without a word, but even without looking at him, his presence is suddenly all-consuming.
I do my best to pretend it isn’t. I shove down whatever just happened between us, locking it away in the deepest part of myself. It’s not something I have the capacity to deal with right now.
Once Kade, Ares, and the others are seated again, I pick up the birth certificate still lying on the table. I study the photo, trying to recognize any part of me in the tiny, scrunched-up face in the corner. But honestly, it’s impossible to tell. All babies look so similar when they’re born.
Looking up, I catch Kade’s eye. “Okay, I’m ready, tell me everything.”
“Are you sure?” he asks.
I let out a sharp laugh. “No, but tell me anyway.”
He nods. “Fair enough.” Leaning forward, he steeples his hands on the table in front of him. “We believe that you’re Rose Emilie Velgrave. Daughter of Colin and Sophia Velgrave.”
“And why do you believe that?”
“Because Colin was Lucian’s last living descendant, which would make Rose one as well.”
“Was?” I ask, picking up on Kade’s use of the past tense.
“Sadly, after Rose was born, the whole family was attacked. The bodies were never found, but there was a lot of blood. Up until now, we presumed everyone had been killed.”
I give him a doubtful look. “It’s a bit of a leap to assume I’m this missing baby. And it still doesn’t account for how I ended up in the creature world.”
“There is a sector of creatures here in the human world who know about the prophecy,” Kade explains. “Over the years, the Order has done their best to hide the identities of Lucian’s line because we never wanted anyone to be exploited because of it. But a week before the break-in, a group of creatures managed to get their hands on some computer data that included the true identity of the Velgrave family.
“The leader of the Order at the time was trying to hide the family after the data breach. They were in a safe house when they were attacked. Our theory is that creatures killed your parents and took you. We believe they removed your parents’ bodies to make it look like you were killed too, then smuggled you into the creature world so you could fulfill the prophecy.”
“Why would they want to fulfill the prophecy?” Ensley asks.
“Not all creatures are happy here in the human world,” Kade says. “Some believe they are superior to the human race, and so they see the fulfillment of the prophecy, essentially the end of the human race, as a good thing. They see whoever is coming to take over almost as a savior-figure.”
“But that creature is supposed to destroy the creature world too,” Talon says.
Kade’s gaze shifts to him. “They believe the human world will fall first, and that this figure will lead them back to the creature world, where he’ll ultimately rule.”
“Well, that’s messed up,” Imogen mutters in disgust.
“I don’t disagree,” Kade replies.
Now that the shock has passed, I’m able to think more clearly.
“Okay, so there’s a motive,” I say. “But how would they have gotten me to the creature world if all the gates were sealed and guarded?”
Kade leans forward, resting his forearms on the table. “About eighteen years ago, a small group of creatures breached one of the gates. Apparently, they had a piece of tamalite that had been passed down through generations, originating from one of the first creatures to travel to the human world.”
At the mention of the stone, my gaze flicks to the tamalite ring on Talon’s finger before bouncing back to Kade.
“They slaughtered a dozen Order members guarding the gate,” Kade continues, his voice grim. “And were never seen again. The assumption was that they went through the gate. We think that’s how you ended up in the creature world.”
“Okay, then if I’m a descendant of Lucian like you claim, how am I human?”
