Genesis (12 page)

Eldrea, or, as I thought of it, the
earth realm, was no more like what I had expected than Uldran had
been. In fact, from what I could see it was as much of a wasteland
as Ignis, only now I was in a vast desert instead of a winter
land.

Hills of sand rolled as far as I could
see. Jett stood beside me, gazing sidelong at me as if measuring my
reaction. The queasiness from the ride here was starting to subside
finally, and I was now capable of noticing so much more than when
we landed.

As much as I attempted to not let him
intimidate me, it wasn’t working at all. His nearness brought out
all sorts of reactions from me, but I doubted they were the ones he
hoped for. He was the kind of man that dominated a space, his very
presence demanded attention. Worst of all, he still scared the wits
out of me. His frown deepened.

No. I needed to be objective. I had to
give him the same chance I gave Taylor.

He offered me one of his rare smiles,
and I have to say the effect was astonishing. “You should smile
more often,” I said conversationally.

He reached for my hand, his deep voice
finding the inner part of me that melted at the sound, “I’ll have
to remember that.” The touch of his warm skin sent tingles up my
arm. He stopped just before we crested the hill. His brows puckered
together as he studied my face. “Why are you so afraid of me,
Rayla?”

Memories flooded my mind. My first
recollection blotted out the rest. Me hidden in a closet while he
yelled at my mom. Even back then I had reacted to his power, his
demanding nature.

“
I see,” he said. “I had
hoped to have enough time with you to set a few things straight.
Unfortunately, I have received word from Tabitha. You are to be
delivered to Altasia in three days. There will be no fanfare here I
am afraid.”

I nodded. Fanfare never really turned
out great for me anyway. I guess Tabitha already heard what I had
done in Uldran. She probably didn’t want me here long enough to
cause more trouble. It was better this way, but a tinge of regret
snaked through me. I had hoped to have more time because of one
reason. The only reason that really mattered.

My mother was somewhere within this
kingdom. Anticipation shot through my veins. Would I be able to see
her at all now? I quickly covered that thought with one about how
hot it was. Jett could use my mom against me. I let my
insignificant thoughts rush onward.

Even though sweat already beaded on my
forehead, I lifted my face longingly toward the sun. Being under
water for nearly a month had gotten to me. The warmth cocooned me
in the familiar comfort of home. With my hand still in his, Jett
set off, pulling me up the hill again.

Once over it, my jaw dropped. A
megalithic structure rose from the depths of the sand. Jagged and
terrifying, it towered over us like a mythical beast from the
darkest depths of hell. I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if it
grew arms and legs just to crush me sooner.

Jett laughed. “You’re imagination kills
me.”

I raised a brow. “You seem to be
breathing just fine to me.”

He let out one last chuckle before a
solid mask settled on his face. “We had best get
started.”

Gigantic metal slabs that some might
call doors swung inward at our approach, grating my eardrums in the
process. “Is this place alive?” I asked, quite serious.

He led me through the passage and into
another doorway. Much smaller, thankfully. “My lady, I will explain
everything to you when the time comes, but first, I thought you
might want to see someone.”

Was he actually saying what I thought
he was? I turned my head, following his gaze behind me. Grey eyes
identical to my own met mine from across the empty courtyard. My
feet moved before my brain processed what I was doing. She smiled,
hesitantly at first, then, it was her complete, glorious smile I
thought I would never see again just a short time ago.

I choked back a sob. “Mom.” There could
never be a more beautiful word.

I was there in her arms, taking in the
sound of her ragged breath against my ear within seconds. She
breathed my name so softly, I wasn’t sure I actually heard it. Not
saying a word as I cried into her hair, she held me forever. Her
silent tears trickled against my neck. No matter what else Jett
ever did, I would always remember this—him giving me back my
mom.

When I finally pulled away from her, I
glanced around, trying to find him. He was gone.

“
We don’t have much time,
baby.” She cupped my face. “There is so much I want to say to you.
I wish I could find the words.”

“
Me too, Mom.” I circled
her, lifting a strand of her bright blonde hair. “You’re just how I
remember you.”

She laughed. “I wish I could say the
same for you, honey. When I saw you in Lombarda, I could hardly
believe how much you had grown. You are so beautiful,
Rayla.”

A blush heated my cheeks. I hesitated,
unsure how exactly to say what I needed to. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I
know I messed up everything you worked for. If only Aunt Grace had
told me.”

Her lips turned in a thoughtful frown.
“It was too risky. We had no way of knowing initially if the
sanctuary could truly conceal you.”

I nodded, but I still didn’t understand
why it was so important to keep me hidden. “Were you worried about
Jett finding me?”

A strange look crossed her face before
she sobered and motioned for me to follow her over to a shaded
corner. I slid in beside her on a stone bench. Not the most
comfortable thing in the world.

She folded her hands across her lap,
taking a sharp breath before she spoke. “Jafan is easy to
misunderstand. I’ve told him this countless times, but as far as I
know, it isn’t a priority for him.”

I couldn’t believe she was defending
him. “I don’t want to marry him, Mom.”

She gave me a sad smile. “Then
don’t.”

Her reaction confused me. Time to get
to the point. “He said you and he had an agreement about your
firstborn.”

She grimaced then chuckled, her gray
eyes twinkling. “He knew very well that I meant the children I will
have when I am released to the mortal realm. None of us could have
ever anticipated you.”

I snapped my head around, staring at
her blatantly, feeling a rant coming on. “So you admit it. You
promised him? Why would you ever do such a horrible thing?” I still
needed time to gather the courage to ask her who my father was. I
was hoping it was just some random guy she met somewhere. Well,
that’s what I kept telling myself anyway. Truth was, I still didn’t
know if I could handle it if my father was fae.

Her fingers covered mine. She should
have had the hands of a forty-five year old, not the supple skin of
a teenager. In some ways I couldn’t keep from thinking like the
four year old she had left, but I wasn’t four anymore.

What she did bites. I waited for her to
explain this great decision of hers. She had to have a good reason
for agreeing to something so drastic; however, even with the
imagination I had been blessed with, I couldn’t think of
one.

She glanced away from me, making me
believe she was ignoring my question. Then she looked at me again,
her hands worrying the fringe of her gold dress. “Fear, Rayla. I
did it because I had to leave the fae realms. Things had become too
complicated for me. Jafan was the only one I trusted to keep my
secret. I did my best to hide you from him, but he searched the
earth until he found me. I had hoped to disappear completely once I
realized I was pregnant. I wanted to raise you myself. Leaving you
with Grace was my only option when he found us. It was only by the
grace of God that he didn’t feel you in that closet.”

The image resurfaced, filling my heart
with old terror. My voice came out a whisper. “I thought he had
killed you.”

She feathered her fingers along my
cheek. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.” I found myself in her arms. I was
grateful. I didn’t want her to see the fear that had crippled me
for so long. “I never wanted this,” she whispered.

I straightened, wiping my eyes. “It’s
okay. I’m figuring things out.”

She chuckled, giving my
shoulder a nudge. “Well, that’s good to hear.” Her soft eyes grew
hard as if she had just lowered a shield over them. “There
is
something I need to
tell you.”

“
Okay.” Why did I suddenly
think I wasn’t going to like what she had to say?

She folded her hands in her lap once
again. This time I noticed a gigantic diamond ring on her middle
finger. I wasn’t sure how I missed it before. Her not so subtle
bling caught the light like the north star. Seemed someone was
trying to make an impression. Her voice trembled once she finally
spoke. “When I learned the lords had found you, I contacted Jafan.”
I’d barely had time to process what she said before she tipped my
chin up to meet my eyes. “Know this, Rayla, I asked him to compel
you. I asked him to invoke the contract. I asked him to claim
you.”

I couldn’t even gasp, I was so shocked.
My voice squeaked. “Why would you do that?”

“
Too many reasons to discuss
now, I’m afraid. There is only one thing you have to understand. I
trust him completely. I know how you see him, but you are wrong.
Everything you dislike about him was because of me.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“What about when he came to Ignis?” I thought he had opened up to
me. Why wouldn’t he tell me something this huge? Why wouldn’t he
jump at the chance to give me an excuse for his actions? “He hasn’t
mentioned it.”

Was my mother being compelled right
now? I hadn’t seen her in sixteen years. Had I romanticized who she
was? How could she want me to be with someone so cold?

She went on casually, as if what she
had just told me was commonplace. “He has most likely been trying
to protect me.” She actually laughed. “Either that, or it’s his
pride.”

Pride I could understand about Jett,
but him using compulsion on me because my mother told him to just
didn’t compute. In my estimation, she had given him leave to do
something he would have done anyway. “No matter what agreement he
had with you, he’s made it clear to me he only wants my power, Mom.
I can’t love someone like that.”

She shook her head. “This is all my
fault. It seems you have inherited more than my looks, Rayla. It
will do you no good to make such judgments. Jafan is a good
man.”

Zach had told me the same thing when he
begged me to find Jafan to bond with. I no longer saw Jett as an
evil overlord; yet, I couldn’t look at him and ever think soft and
cuddly. Snuggling up to him would be like hugging a prickly-pear
cactus.

A man entered the courtyard,
his eyes settling on my mother. He was dressed like a peacock
prince in purples and reds. I did
not
care for the way he looked at her,
as if she were his property. “Alithea, come,” he
ordered.

I stood before Mom was able to get her
hands on me. Straightening to my full height, which compared to him
was laughable, I walked up to him then stuck my nose as close to
his as I could get it. “Who are you?” I demanded.

He stared at me through cold eyes. “Get
out of my way, child. This is no concern of yours.”

“
That’s what you think.” I
inched nearer. “Who the hell are you and why are you barking orders
at my mother?”

His eyes widened as if he were
surprised. For a second I worried I had ruined her secret, but
discarded the thought as fast as it came. He’d have to be as blind
as a mole to not see the resemblance between us. I raised my brows
at him. Thankfully he dropped the act.

“
Your mother is
my
bondmate, and we are
late.”

Late? “For what?” He couldn’t take her
now. I had missed years with my mom because of this man. If he
thought I was going to let him take her away now, he needed a new
brain. “If you hadn’t noticed, we are talking. She’ll find you when
we’re done.”

Tense fingers settled on my shoulders.
“I am sorry, Theran. Time got away from me. I will be along
shortly.” I whirled around, but Mom pressed her index finger to my
lips before I could say anything else. The wild look in her eyes
was the only thing that kept me silent.

I faced the man that had claimed my
mom, giving him a cold look. I didn’t throw out threats, nor did I
flinch when he gave me an equally icy expression. Compared to this
guy, Jett was a marshmallow.

Theran clenched his teeth together
before he stormed away. I didn’t know much about him, but I had to
get my mom away from this man. I could feel the evil radiating from
him.

I spun back around, giving Mom a
questioning look. “Tell me this douchebag doesn’t beat
you.”

“
What?” She laughed. “Is
that what you thought?”

I didn’t respond to her smile. “It’s
how it looked. Why are you such a wimp when he’s around?” This was
not how I remembered her. She had always been so strong. So
confident, but what did I know? I was four when she left. Damn
Theran.