"Well, I see they've prepared for our arrival." Syrus chuckled. "It's a little odd to be shown to a guest room in your own house. I guess that means it's not mine anymore."
"Of course it is!" Forest said forcefully. "You're the future king."
He kissed her lightly. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Come on."
Syrus opened the door and walked into the room, leaving Forest standing on the threshold.
"It's not booby-trapped," his smile was teasing.
Forest came slowly into the vast room, trying to not be impressed at the luxury. Never had she felt so misplaced. The view from the window drew her magnetically, and she drifted toward it when something in the corner caught her eye.
"Oh!" Forest ran to her locker. "Thank you, Syrus!"
"For what?"
"For getting my locker from Fortress." She caressed the carved wooden doors, unlocking them with her touch.
"Forest, I didn't. I didn't do any of this."
"Then who? Kindel must have done it." The doors swung open. Happy tears rose behind her eyes as she spotted her sword. Snatching it up, she held it to her breast, running her fingers along the hilt. "Oh, Syrus, my sword is here! I thought I'd never see it again."
Syrus came up behind her and placed his hands lovingly on her shoulders. "I'm glad you're happy."
Having her sword back momentarily eclipsed everything else, but her questions and nerves resurfaced quickly. She laid it down and closed the locker.
A sharp knock vibrated the door.
"Syrus?!" the voice on the other side was rife with desperation.
Syrus moved toward the door. "Dad?" He lifted the latch.
King Zeren charged through the door and engulfed Syrus in a rib-breaking hug. "Oh, my son! You're safe! I'm so glad to see you!" Zeren released him reluctantly and looked at him thoroughly. "Your sight?"
"No, Father. I will always be blind."
"You must tell me everything."
"I will. And I'll start with the most important. Father, this is Forest."
Zeren fixed his eyes on Forest. Her heart leapt into her throat. She wasn't prepared for formal introductions. She had no idea what her face, hair, or body looked like, and she was wearing plaid boxer shorts and a faded T-shirt. Groaning internally, she straightened her spine and lifted her chin. She would apologize for nothing. If she had a call to be nervous, then so did Zeren. The glare of inspection he used on her, she served right back to him. Zeren noticed. He raised one imperious eyebrow for a moment before smiling at her as though she were the cutest thing he'd ever seen.
Syrus got his looks from his father, Forest noted. Zeren had the same grey in his eyes and the same bone structure to his face. His long braided hair was greying at the top, and his skin was wrinkled with age and decades of worry.
Zeren walked up to her. "Forest, it is an honor to meet you." He took her hand and kissed it. "I look forward to getting to know you. There is so much going on right now. Regia is in such upheaval, but never fear, we shall have a grand party to celebrate your connection, very soon."
"Oh…"
Damn, a party. Crap.
"There's no need to…"
"I know there is nothing I can really do to apologize for Christiana's behavior. I swear I did not know about it. I am your servant." He gave a little bow. "If there is anything you desire, if it is within my power, you shall have it."
"Uh, thank you."
"Oh, here. I was supposed to give you this." Zeren pulled a sealed letter from his cloak and handed it to her.
She knew who must have sent it. Everything around her seemed to fade into shadow. Zeren and Syrus talked, but the words turned into an incomprehensible murmuring in her ears. She stared at her name written on the paper. When she finally looked up again, Zeren was gone and Syrus sat quietly on a chair by the bed. Hesitation took its time. There was knowledge in this letter. Did she want the knowledge? Did she need it? Or the man who offered it? He had always known who she was, where she was, and this was the first letter her father had bothered to write. The temptation to burn it or throw it out the window, unread, pushed into her hands.
The temptation proved hollow.
Forest opened it with shaking hands. She didn't know if she was ready for this but it was happening. Her eyes fell hungrily on her father's handwriting.
Forest,
You cannot know how happy it makes me to have you reading this. I apologize if this letter comes off wrong. I do not often suffer from indecision, but the words I should use here elude me. I am anxious for our first discussion and will be waiting for you in a protected and private place. Take your time and when you are ready, ring for the maid, and she will lead you to me.
Your father,
Rahaxeris
Forest took a deep breath. What had she expected? It said nothing really. She read it over twice then read it aloud to Syrus.
"So what do you think?" she asked.
"Seems pretty straight forward to me. He just wants to talk to you."
Forest wanted to ask Syrus to come with her, but pride stopped her. That would look weak. She analyzed her thoughts, amazed to discover the natural desire of a child to please the parent was inside her. Through all of the emotions she had ever had regarding her father—hate, anger, disappointment, indignation, and heartbreak—she still wanted his approval, and she innately knew weakness would displease him.
Why the hell do I care?
She couldn't answer her own question.
Well, she knew one thing for sure. She wasn't going to meet her father in her pajamas. She opened the closet and groaned. Nothing but dresses and elegant gowns. Tiny healed slippers, embroidered with designs and shiny beads, winked in the light along the floor. What the devil were those good for except breaking your ankles?
As she ventured deeper into the uber-femine space, she found drawers of stockings, and corsets, and jewelry. A word she had not yet formulated in her mind since completing her connection with Syrus swam sickeningly into her awareness.
Princess.
She grabbed the skirt of the nearest hanging gown and rubbed the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. She envisioned the grand party Zeren promised they'd have and countless other official functions and dinners she'd be expected to attend. Her heart sank, and the urge to run away overtook her. Fate had made a terrible mistake. She should never have been paired with Syrus.
Forest took a deep breath, scrubbing her hands over her face. These clothes might be her size but they would never really fit. She would be ridiculous to everyone who witnessed her attempt and worse, she would make a laughingstock of Syrus. The idea of anyone laughing at Syrus put a fire in her belly and she instantly snapped out of her self-pity.
What was she thinking? She used to be a Fortress operative. Playing a part was easy for her. More than anything, she just wanted to be herself, but she could do the public stuff…for Syrus. Parties and functions aside, no way was she going to meet her father dressed like a Disney character. She pushed further back into the closet and discovered a small treasure. Three basic, unassuming drawers, filled with clothes she could actually use. Shirts, socks, pants, all made of Regian fabric, but there in the very bottom, four neatly folded pairs of jeans and a stiff new pair of combat boots!
Yes!
Forest bathed quickly, hardly noticing the elegance of the private bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, she wiped the steam off the mirror and considered how to arrange her appearance. She shifted through a few faces, but nothing seemed right. Forest looked at her true face for a moment. Physically incapable of showing her true face to anyone but Syrus, she decided to mimic it as closely as she could.
She ran her hands through the length of her hair, enjoying its natural appearance. She altered the color of her warm chestnut curls to a slightly metallic bronze. When she finished creating her look, she could have been mistaken for her own sister. Bracing her hands on the sink, she looked directly into her own eyes in the mirror.
I know who I am.
I'm ready.
Forest stared at the wood grain on the door, wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans. The servant had vanished as soon as she showed Forest where her father was waiting, leaving her utterly alone. Did he know she was there, just on the other side of the door? Could he hear her heart thrashing? Smell her fear?
The thought appalled her. She shook herself and squared her shoulders. The door swung open a little faster than she had intended and banged loudly against the wall. She submerged a grimace and kept her face blank.
Rahaxeris rose fluidly from his chair, his red eyes fastened tightly on her. She visibly absorbed everything about his appearance. His hair hung straight to his shoulders, and the light glimmered on the golden shafts. His face was narrow and harsh like a manga character. His hands were long and sharp as if they could slice through skin just by touching. His eyes were the same shape as hers. Aside from that, she didn't see any other physical resemblance to her true form. He had an odd kind of beauty but beauty nonetheless.
Father
. Her mind tested the word carefully. No rejection or denial arose inside her.
She licked her lips. "Father?"
"Yes, I am."
Silence. Just a moment, necessary after verbal confirmation. Rahaxeris sat back down and gestured to the empty chair opposite his. Forest closed the door and sat down. She stared openly at him. He was terrifying, yet she was not afraid. He waited passively for her to speak. A whole minute passed.
"I know you have questions, Forest. I swear I'll answer anything you ask honestly and unedited."
Forest took a deep breath.
All right. Here goes.
"Why? Why now? You could have contacted me at any time. Why now?"
"It's the first time I have been at liberty to contact you. If I could have been a part of your life before now, I would have."
"I don't understand," Forest said slowly.
"I think we should begin at the beginning, don't you?"
Forest hesitated, feeling as though she were standing on the edge of cliff. She could go on without this knowledge. Did she really need it? Did she even want it?
"I'm listening." Her voice was barely more than a whisper.
Rahaxeris nodded his head approvingly and began. "I haven't always been the High Priest of the
Rune-dy.
Before you were born, I worked in the science department. I began a proposal for a long-term experiment that I presented to my fellow priests. They all agreed, and everyone was involved on some level."
"I don't care about how you rose to power. I want to know if you loved my mother, and why you abandoned me." Forest cut in.
"I'll get to it. May I continue?"
Forest crossed her arms over her chest. He plunged ahead.
"The experiment was my idea, so I was the foreman. My fellow priests followed my instructions with the exception of Menjel, the High Priest at that time. He was mildly interested in the project. However, it's important that you know I only had limited control."
"So what was this all important experiment?" Forest demanded impatiently.
Rahaxeris took a slow, shaky breath. "Splicing."
Run. Plug your ears. Leave. Leave now!
Forest's mouth fell open, and she turned her eyes to the floor.
"The experiment was designed to discover what, if any, combinations of our races would create a superior being. Women and men of every race were screened for the trial…there was no sex. Every child was created in the lab…except one.
"I never intended using my own DNA in the process, but when I met Liasia… I had a premonition. She was so strong, had such a fire in her spirit. I reviewed every male donor and found I couldn't stomach the idea of watering down her fire with lesser material. I knew, instinctively, it had to be me. It could have been there, cold and sterile in the lab, but she attracted me. We became lovers."
Forest closed her eyes, placing her head in her hands.
"Forest?"
"I'm nothing more than an experiment? Created for the sole purpose of data collection?"
"Yes."
She stood up abruptly, her chair skittering across the floor behind her. "You have no heart!" she shouted. "Why couldn't you have lied to me? I always believed it was nothing more than shame on your part. I was the product of a secret affair you had to hide to reach your political ambitions. That would have been so much better. I thought you knew nothing about my life, but I was wrong. You have notes! Pages!
Files!
Don't you?!"
Rahaxeris pointed a long sharp finger at the chair behind her. The chair slid across the floor, back to its original position. "Please sit back down. There is more I need to tell you."
Forest turned and brought her foot down on the seat, splintering the wood. His expression remained stoic as he pointed at the broken chair, repairing it instantly. Forest's eyebrows shot up as she regarded the chair, shocked momentarily out of her pain. "Will I ever be able to do that?"
A smile broke across his face. "Perhaps. Please sit back down."
Forest sat, building walls quickly around her heart, and looked at the floor again. "What happened to the other hybrid children?"
"Destroyed. Most deemed
unsuccessful
."
Forest cringed away from him.
"Yes. You're right, Forest. I'm a monster."
"Why was I allowed to live?" she asked.
"My instincts told me you would be a successful product. The whole experiment provided no surprises, except one…I never anticipated I would love my child."
Forest lifted her eyes.
"Your mother told you, I named you, on the day you were born?"
"Yes."
"And that I never saw you again?"
Forest nodded.
"That was a lie. I saw you. Many times. I rocked you to sleep every night until you were two. But I had to cease all contact. It was becoming dangerous for me. My position in the
Rune-dy
was shaky. I couldn't let the others know how I felt about you. They questioned my decision to father you myself as it was. Menjel called for your destruction. I convinced my fellow priests to allow you to live so we could see how your gifts might mature as you became an adult. They all agreed so long as there was no interference in your life. Simply observe and nothing more."
Forest grated her teeth together, pushing back tears. "You know everything about me, don't you?"
"I know the events of your life, but I don't know how you feel or what you think. I want to."
"Then you must know about Leith." Humiliation slammed down on her.
Rahaxeris stood up abruptly and strode to the window. His shoulders shook as he braced the frame with his hands. "I'm so sorry, Forest. I thought I was doing the right thing by sending you to the Academy. Once I saw the mistake, it was too late for me to undo it. I'd fought so hard against the other priests to get you in there…After…after you caught Leith's attention, Menjel morbidly wanted to know what the outcome would be. It was then I knew I had to do something. I began planning to take over the
Rune-dy.
"I've done unspeakable things, Forest. Things I hope you never learn about. But I achieved my goal of becoming High Priest."
"Wow," Forest said acidly, "that's terrific. I'm gratified you could do the things you set out to do. All the while leaving me a slave."
"Maybe I chose the wrong path. But I'm here now to fix things. I had to become High Priest to make a better world
for you
. That's the only reason I've done all this."
"
Fix things!"
Forest spat. "How are you going to fix things?"
Rahaxeris turned to face her. "I am the High Priest of the
Rune-dy
. I have more power than any person or government in Regia.
And you're my daughter
. And now the world will know it." He strode back to his chair and sat down. "I have two gifts for you," he said, pulling the green stone necklace and the key from his robes. He reached out and placed both in her palm.
"I've done fine on my own. I don't think I want people to know I'm the monster's daughter. I'll figure things out on my own." Forest lifted her hand to throw the necklace and key but he was too fast for her. Rahaxeris caught her hand and gently folded her fingers over the gifts.
"I understand. But please just hold on to these for a while and think about what I'm offering you."
Forest looked down at her clasped hand and curiosity got the better of her. "Just what are you offering me, exactly?"
"This is your birthright." He pulled the necklace out of her grasp and held it up. "A title, created uniquely for you. All you have to do is accept it. I know of your political ambitions, now you can surpass even your wildest dreams. If you accept, you will be
Hailemarris.
Supreme judge."
It was as though he were speaking a foreign language. Her mind couldn't process his words. There was just too much happening to her too fast. She moved past it, deciding she could think about it all alone, later.
"And this key?"
"That key opens the door to your captive enemy. You may dispatch him any time you wish, or I will happily do the honors if you don't want to."
A lump rose in Forest's throat. "Leith? Leith is here? In the castle?"
"Yes. And you might consider keeping the information to yourself until you're prepared to kill him, otherwise your mate might tear the castle down stone by stone, trying to get him first."
Forest stared at her hand, shaking. Her lungs refusing to fill completely when she breathed.
"It's all right," he said gently. "Take your time. Consider what you want to do. I will support you no matter what you decide. And if you want to talk to me again, I'll be here."
He walked to the door and opened it, hesitating before turning back to her. "Remember, monster that I am, I love you. I have from the very first, and nothing matters to me as much as you do."
The door closed behind him, leaving her alone.
Forest walked slowly back to her room in a daze, the key and necklace clasped tightly in her hand. A void inside swallowed everything, leaving her lost and confused. Her emotional nerve endings had stretched too thin and gone comatose in defense. What was she going to do now?
Syrus greeted her when she opened the door but there was nothing but ringing in her ears. Unaware of what he said, she shoved the necklace at him. "Please keep this safe for me."
He followed her to her locker, muttering unintelligible words, while she strapped her sword around her waist. She had to side step him as she went into the closet. Heading straight for the jewelry, Forest grabbed the first necklace she saw with a sturdy looking chain. She removed and tossed the jewel aside, then strung the key on it and fastened it around her neck.
Syrus was still talking to her, waving his hands agitatedly.
"I'm sorry," she said carefully, unable to hear her own voice over the ringing. "I have to go now. I'll be back soon. Don't worry. Don't follow."
She ran from the room into the hall, the ringing fading away. Turning down a corridor, she almost collided with someone blocking her way.
Rahaxeris stood dead center, preventing her from passing. Merhl stood demurely behind him, his eyes turned to the ground.
"Where are you going, Forest?"
"What do you care?! Am I a prisoner now?"
"Hardly." Rahaxeris held out a silvery, End of the Bridge to her. "Tell Merhl where you want to go."
Forest hesitated, not wanting anyone to know where she was going, but the urgent desire to get there superseded. She snatched the End of the Bridge and pocketed it.
"I want to go to the Wolf's Wood."
Rahaxeris stepped to the side as Merhl gave her a little bow and then struck the air. A black portal opened, and Forest ran into it without a backward glance.