Page 24 of A Hint of Delirium

“I lied about where I come from,” she started. “I’m not originally from New York City. I’m from a little town in the middle of nowhere, Iowa. We lived a quiet life and tried to stay under the radar. With our family history, it was imperative not to draw attention.” She looked up at me to make sure I was paying attention, then she dropped a bombshell. “Our family is part of a secret society that has been entrusted to protect something very precious.”

I nodded slowly, trying to understand where this was going. “What were you protecting?”

“An orb,” she answered, “which held each elemental power of the Fae.”

My eyes widened in shock, but she kept going.

“It was said that many millennia ago, before the Fae were separated into two warring factions, a representative traveled to the human realm to give the orb to a special group of humans called the Ancient Order of Leviathans for safe keeping. The orb was incredibly powerful. If consumed by a fae, it would bestow upon them all the elemental powers. This would be an incredible gift, because each fae is only given one elemental power. The fae from long ago knew that having control of all the elements would be far too dangerous for one fae to have dominion over, so it was entrusted to our family. Throughout our history and through countless generations, we’ve guarded it without fail,” she said calmly.

I shook my head, my brain struggling to wrap itself around the implications of her big secret. “Okay, so you’re saying our family, along with this secret society of Leviathans, is still protecting this orb?”

She nodded. “Yes, but the only way to protect the orb is to consume it. The orb has no effect on humans, which was why the fae elders deemed it acceptable to put it into our hands for safekeeping. Since our society first took possession of it, the orb has been passed down through birth.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” I shook my head. “You mean to tell me the orb is inside a human body?”

She swallowed deeply. “Itwas.”

“Well, this explains how you know so much about the fae.” I snorted and leaned back in my chair. “You grew up learning all about them.”

She nodded.

I leaned my elbows on the table. “So where does my sperm donor come into play?”

My mother fidgeted in her chair and refused to meet my eyes. “He was an Unseelie guard sent to the human realm to search for the human who carried the orb,” she answered shakily. “But of course, I didn’t know that when I first met him. As humans, we can’t see through their fae glamour. He just looked like a regular human to me.”

I had a sinking suspicion I knew where this was headed. “So you had a relationship with him and …?”

She nodded again. “Once I found out who he was and what he was after, I ended it, but it was too late.”

“How’d you find out?” I asked gently.

“I’d gone into town and saw him using a pay phone. I thought I’d surprise him, so I tiptoed closer. But then I overheard his phone conversation. He didn’t know I was there, which is probably the only reason why I’m still alive today. I learned the truth about his mission, and it broke my heart.” She blew out a shaky breath. “That night, I had planned to tell him I was pregnant. But once I realized what he was, I realized my life as I knew it was over.”

I leaned over the table again, enraptured to learn about my humble beginnings on this earth. “What did you do then?”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I ran. What else could I do? I went home, packed as much of my belongings as possible, and left town.”

I furrowed my brows. “Wait. Why? What about your family? Did you tell them where you were going?”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand, Violet. Our training taught us to protect the orb at all costs – beyond love or family.Iwas the human carrying the orb.”

I gasped so loud I nearly choked. “What?” I exclaimed.

She grimaced. “And since I was pregnant, I knew the orb would soon be transferred to my baby. You, Violet.”

My hands automatically went to my stomach, even though I had no idea where the orb was located. “Ma … are you trying to tell me I’m carrying this orb?”

She winced and stammered, “It’s different for you, Vi … You’re half human and half fae, and you consumed the orb. Do you understand what that means?”

Tendrils of understanding struggled their way to the surface of my mind. I understood logically what she said, but at the same time I was locked in a state of disbelief.

I consumed the orb … as a halfling. Did that mean I …?

My mother reached across the table and placed her hand on top of mine, giving it a light squeeze. “You have all the elemental powers, Violet. That’s why you can never,ever, underanycircumstances, take that anklet off.”

13

ALEC

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