Page 52 of A Clash of Embers

"I am so happy you all could make it here today, I know it was short notice, Clara," my mother gestured to the woman across from me, "I'd like to reintroduce you to someone you might already know as Sophia, but this is Colette Artesia.”

The look on my face must have been evident by what happened next.

You need to calm down. Don't embarrass me.

I rolled my eyes at his arrogance as my mother continued. "She’s your grandmother.”

Now I knew my face was all over the place because this woman didn't lookthatmuch older than my own mother. What witchcraft was she using?

Seriously. Stop. You're acting childish.

You stop.

No, you.

Now who's acting childish.

I turned my head quickly to look at Eros and all he did was smirk.

Shithead.

"Sophia only did what she needed to do under the curse without Athiana and Theo knowing she was there. You have so many important people to meet, just like your cousin. You met her at the door, Mia.”

My somber expression overwhelmed me, and when I glanced back at Colette, she unveiled herself. The same woman I knew in Carondelet. The vein in my neck was thumping so loud that the blood drowned out all other noise in my head. I was trying to compose myself, to calm down and look at the two women in my life who were always supposed to protect me and tell me the truth.

I looked at Colette, who I had officially just met and asked her a question that I was only curious about. "So, this is why my father told me to find you. To find Colette. You must be the Doyen?"

All Colette did was smile and turn her attention to my mother.

My mother tilted her head at me and then glanced at the table before returning her attention to me. "My sweet Clara. Iamthe Doyen."

Chapter 26

"I'm sorry, I don't know if I heard you correctly. You just saidyouare the Doyen."

My heart was pumping loudly through my chest and I thought I would faint. My mother… Mymother was the leader in the rebellion against Athiana. What the fu—

"Yes. That is correct. I am the Doyen. And we obviously have much to talk about, but I know it's been a long trip for the three of you, so why don't we get you off to bed for the evening and we can talk tomorrow." She stood and we did the same. She reached out her hand to mine and I held on tight.

"I love you, my child. Sleep tight."

My mother and Colette both started their walk from the table as we stayed stationary. Before my mother left my sight, she turned and smiled, leaving me with one last comment, "Oh. By the way we only have one room for you because all of the others are being used as housing quarters for the young witches. Lachlan, you will be housed elsewhere—in the watchers’barracks. Clara and Eros, you will need to share your bedroom. It's the same one by the way."

When she left my sight, I hastily turned my head towards Eros, "You put her up to this, didn't you?" I pointed my finger into his chest.

He reached down and gripped my hand pushing it off of him and leaned down to look me directly in the eyes. "I did no such thing, Clara Bear."

My mouth dropped open at his comment.

I followed him slowly down the hall towardsmyroom. Which he obviously knows. When he pushed it open, it was different. It was the room I grew up in, but it didn't have all the changes that my mother had made after the wedding in Carondelet with the golden accents.

"After the curse ended, anything that had been altered to our homes, our lands, was all put back into place the way it was." He sat on the edge of the bed and started to untie his boots. "I know that's what you were thinking whether you consciously were or not."

I took a step towards him. "What are you doing?"

He looked at me like I was the most stupid creature in this world. "I'm taking off my boots. Is that okay with you… Princess?"

I narrowed my eyes at him and stormed into the bathroom. I noticed my mother had placed out some pajamas for me on the counter with a note etched on a small square paper.

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