“Your real mom didn’t abandon you.” He wipes a few tears from my cheeks with his fingertips. “She thought she was protecting you by leaving you with humans.”
“What was she protecting me from, though? Darkness? Because, if so, why does he want me? Just to be his stupid queen like he said? Or is he trying to kill me because I’m an elemental enchanter?”
He gives a hesitant pause. “Do you remember how I mentioned an urban legend about how some believe that, when the gods and goddesses died, they put their power sources somewhere else?”
I nod in confusion. That wasn’t what I was expecting him to say.
“Well, after I kissed you and you unleashed enough energy to create the portal, the rest of your wall collapsed, and we were able to read all the secrets hidden behind it.”
“Oh.” The question burns at the tip of my tongue, but it takes a lot of effort to say it. “What did you find?”
He circles his arms around my waist and holds me in place, as if he’s afraid I’m going to bolt. “That almost eighteen years ago, right before the god of elemental enchanters was about to die, he sent his power into the nearest and most powerful force he could find, which happened to be your mother, who was working for him at the time.”
“My mom worked for the god of elemental enchanters?” I ask in shock.
What the…
How…
What?
“Yes. Although, no one was aware of this. She kept her past hidden very well, probably to protect you.” He smooths his hand up and down my back. “When the god of elemental enchanters put that force inside her, he created an actual life.” He presses his lips together for a beat. “That life is you.”
Oh, my God … No … This can’t be true … It just …
I swiftly shake my head, my pulse soaring, my power crackling underneath my skin. “No. There’s no way I could be the power of a god. It’s just … weird.”
“Weird exists everywhere in our world. And I know this is a lot to take in, but what’s hidden be
hind your wall is the truth. And it makes sense when you really think about it; how you were able to open a portal to Elemental Enchantment.” He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “You were also sent to live with Marla and Scott until your powers were strong enough to start rebuilding our world. You are going to do amazing things, Sky, but until your powers reach full strength and the rest of the power sources are found, we have to keep you hidden. If not, things like darkness can find you and will either use your powers for evil”—he swallows audibly—“or kill you.”
My queen. Darkness had called me it so many times, saying I either had to join him or die. It makes sense now … sort of.
“How do you know there’re others?” I whisper as my mind struggles to process everything.
How can this be real? How can everything change so quickly? How did I never know any of this?
How?
How?
How?
“We’re not positive yet, but we’re assuming the other gods and goddesses had done what the elemental enchanter god did,” he explains. “Like with my brothers and you, their powers were merged by an enchantment so they could all sense each other and what they were thinking and feeling. Which means, more than likely, in their final moments before death, they all did the same thing to protect their powers.”
“So, how do you find out for sure?” I ask, digging my fingernails into my palms again because I can’t deal with this agonizing pain tearing at my chest. “And what about my real mom? Can I …? Can I meet her?”
“My parents and others are looking into how we can figure out where the other gods and goddesses power sources are, but you might be our best bet since you’re more than likely connected to all the power sources. But you might not be able to feel the connection to them until you learn how to control your powers better.” He reaches down and pries my fingernails out of my palms, then smooths his thumb along the open, crescent shaped wounds. “Until then, we’ll stay here, and you’ll not only practice controlling your powers, but practice trying to open a secure portal that you can control what gets in and out. Until then, it’s too dangerous to leave.”
He lifts my palm toward his mouth and places a soft kiss against the sensitive flesh. It’s a sweet gesture and I probably would’ve enjoyed it more if I hadn’t just found out my life was one giant lie.
“As for your real mom,” he continues, then places a kiss to my other palm. “No one’s seen or heard from her in a very long time, and she wasn’t at the place in the mountains like she told Marla and Scott. But, if she’s still alive, we’ll find her. She might know more about this, too, which will help.”
I just nod, unable to form words as tears gather in my eyes. I attempt to blink them back, but end up bursting into tears. I move to climb off his lap, but he tugs me closer, pressing me against his chest and letting me soak his shirt with my tears while the sky outside weeps with me.
Chapter 13
I cry myself to sleep, and thankfully don’t dream of darkness or anything for that matter. After Foster speculated my dreams might carry a bit of the truth, I’m reluctant to ever dream again.