Page 2 of Silent Secrets

“Fine, my name is Grace, and I knew your mother.” She settles into a chair, but keeps her eyes locked on me as she speaks.

Grief floods me at the mention of my mom. It’s been just over three months and even the mere mention of her threatens to send me into a panic attack. My entire body droops and I can’t keep myself standing, collapsing into the chair as tears fill my eyes. I focus on my breathing, forcing myself to count the breaths to center myself. It takes a few minutes, but Grace doesn’t say a word as I calm myself.

“You knew my mom?”

Grace makes a face. “Not the woman that raised you, but your birth mother.”

Now I know for sure that this woman is completely insane—though I feel like I should have known that before this moment.

“Look, Grace, you’re obviously confused. I’ve seen the pictures of my mom and me at the hospital. She is my birth mom.” I pause. “Was. She was my birth mom.”

Grace’s sigh is heavy as her eyes shoot up to the ceiling. “No, she really wasn’t. Gods above, there is so much that you don’t know.”

You know what? I don’t have time for this. I just worked a long-ass night at work after a full day of classes and all I want to do is crawl into my bed, which is exactly what I tell Grace as I stand up.

“You need to let me go, or I’ll call the cops.” I pull out my phone, barely believing that she didn’t think to take it while I couldn’t move. What the hell kind of kidnapper is she? A bad one, obviously. Unlocking my phone, I realize that there’s no signal and frown. Now, what am I supposed to do?

Grace sighs again just before I get a face full of that powder.

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. How did I not notice her moving? My reflexes are failing me tonight.

“It’s late and we both need to sleep. I don’t have time to deal with this, so I’m sorry. Let me explain and then I’ll unfreeze you and you can ask your questions.” She pauses as if waiting for an answer from me, but it’s not like I can give her one.

“Oh, right.” She giggles, causing me to let forth a growl that doesn’t make it further than my throat since I can’t move my mouth—if I could have, there would’ve been a whole hell of a lot said beyond a growl. “You and I are Fae. The only difference is that you are a changeling, one who was exchanged for a human child and therefore raised in the mortal realm. And yes, there are many realms besides our two. The easiest way to explain it is probably to allow you to see my memories.”

Grace reaches into her pocket and pulls out another orb like the one that had lit up the sky before we’d appeared in this room, except this one glows teal. She speaks the strange language again, though it’s so quiet that I can barely make out the exact sounds she makes.

There’s another bright flash of light forcing my eyes to close once more. Once opened again, I see that I’m in an unfamiliar room… again.

How is this happening?

It takes a moment for me to realize that there are two other people in the room, though they are slightly blurry and I can’t quite make out their words. But at least I can move here, so I walk closer and try to focus on the two inhabitants.

“Lilian, are you sure there is no other way?”

As I focus on the speaker, they come into sharper focus and I realize that it’s Grace.

“We have no other choice, Grace. She won’t have a life if she stays here. They will kill her to make sure that they don’t lose their positions. We both know that.”

The woman that speaks is laying on a large bed, holding a bundle close to her that she stares at while she speaks to Grace. Focusing on the bundle, it slowly comes into focus and I realize it’s a baby.

“You must take her away to L’Airid. The mortal realm is the only place that she’ll be safe. She is the one that will save us all.”

I stare at the woman and the longer I focus on her, the clearer she becomes. A gasp falls from my lips as her face finally comes into focus—she looks just like me, or I guess I look just like her. This must be my birth mom that Grace was referring to. She was telling the truth?

Pain rips through me at the thought. How can this be?

Though I want to deny the fact that my mom isn’t my mom, staring at the woman before me, there is no doubt in my mind that I am related to her. Our facial features, our hair—all identical. The only difference is our eyes. Mine are a bright green while hers are a pale blue.

“You’re sure, my queen?”Grace glances between my mother—I can’t think of her as my mom—and the baby she holds. The baby that must be me. Holy shit. “You’re sure that there is no way that the child is your husband’s?”

My mother shakes her head. “She is King Oliver’s. There is no question in my mind. Ethan and I have not been intimate in years, not since Ella was born.”

“So she really is the one that the prophecy speaks of?”

Prophecy? What prophecy?

“Sweet child, I wish it did not have to be this way.”My mother kisses my head softly. “I hope we will be able to make it safe enough for you to return one day. No, we will make it safe for you. I will come for you one day and you will get to meet your father and your siblings. I swear it.”

Tears stream down both women’s faces as my mother passes me to Grace. “Do you wish to know what her name is to be?”

“No.”My mother turns away from Grace. “I want to know nothing. Please take her away and I expect you to raise the mortal child as your own.”

“Of course, my queen.”Grace pauses a moment, maybe to see if my mother will change her mind before heading for the door. Once it’s shut behind her, she leans forward to press a kiss to baby me’s brow. “It will all work out, Hadley, you will see. The woman that will raise you will love you and we will return you to your home as soon as we can.”

Everything around me goes fuzzy, Grace’s face blurring as a buzzing fills my ears. My hands clasp over my ears and my eyes squeeze shut as a bright light flashes once more.

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