“Did you know that he loved her?” Jack asked. “Still does from the sound of it.”
I nodded. “Antonio knew them when they were together. He happened to mention it.”
Ezra exploded, “And you didn’t bother to tell us? A King falling in love with someone from a different Mys faction is huge!” He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s just not done.”
Pearl added, “Don’t forget, it sounded like Elder Farrar was with her mother for a time.”
I cringed, and gave the only excuse I could. “She was my mom.” I shrugged. That should be enough said. Nobody likes to gossip about their mom. “And Antonio didn’t actually say they were together.” I shook my head. “I never thought they were, anyway.”
Still rubbing his hand, Jack squatted to look me in the eyes, since I wasn’t meeting any of theirs. “You should have told us, even if she was your mom.”
Ezra bent next to him, directly in front of me, glaring. “If anyone had made a crack at my King on this subject, I would have been left high and dry, feeling like a fool for not knowing the truth.”
Pearl dipped next. “We have to know these sorts of situations in advance. Be prepared for any snide remarks that would, and probably still will, come out once he’s no longer King. That’s when they really hit. When you’re no longer their Ruler.”
My lips pinched even more, and I reiterated, “She was my mom.”
“We’re not saying anything bad about her, Lily. It wasn’t illegal, it’s just not done, so if others know about it, there could be talk,” Jack stated slowly and softly. “We need to have the correct information to know how to deal with situations like this in the future. You could have put Ezra in a really bad situation when he became King.”
Their love affair may not have been illegal, just a horrendous taboo, but I sure was. The old fear came back to me, even as I nodded, saying, “Fine. I understand.”
Jack nodded and stood, rubbing his palm.
Pearl patted my leg, kissing my forehead as she straightened.
Ezra’s nostrils flared. He held the breath in. His arched brows slammed together right in front of my eyes. Jack and Pearl were already heading toward my bedroom door when Ezra asked, “You smell of fear. What else aren’t you telling us?”
My heart rate broke into a wild gallop.
Ezra growled under his breath.
Jack and Pearl turned and stopped, watching. Waiting.
I focused on my own personal brand of fear training, thinking of a warm and safe place, a tree with beautiful, fat green leaves on a cool, summer’s day, and said what would only make sense, since he knew I was scared, “Nothing you need to know.”
His glare intensified, and I pictured that peaceful tree as he said harshly, “We know everything about each other, and only a threat scares someone this bad.”
Jack took a step toward us, his eyebrows lowering. “What is it, Lily? We’ll help you, no matter what it is.”
Pearl snorted. “You know we’ll kill for you.”
I almost laughed at that, my lips even twitching, which was a mistake on my part, since they noticed, so I stated honestly, “This is nothing that any of you can help with.” You’re the ones who will kill me if you know.
“Lily…” Pearl murmured, taking a large step forward, now even with Jack.
I held up my hands to stop their barrage. “Trust me when I tell you it’s nothing you should know, and it’s nothing you can help me with.” I paused, and added, “Please. Just let me keep this one to myself.”
Jack sucked in a harsh breath, glancing to Ezra and Pearl, and then back to me before he asked, “Are you being threatened?”
“No.” Truth. Not right now, anyway.
“Have you been threatened in the past?” Pearl asked.
“No.” Truth. I hadn’t directly been.
“Are you afraid of being threatened by someone?” Ezra asked.
“No.” Lie. Damn if my heart didn’t race, my safe-place not holding.
His Vampire actually hissed. “Who the hell are you afraid of?”
Jack’s eyes started to glow.
I sputtered, “Look, I love you all so much, and I know you’re worried about me,” obviously, “but just let me handle this. If you know…” I scanned my bedroom for an escape, but found none. “I won’t let you know. It’s mine to bear. Not yours. Please, just stop.”
Pearl stared to the side at nothing, her gaze now glowing, spells and time flittering the air before she gasped in a dreamlike voice, “She’s afraid of us.”
They stilled.
My control snapped with her power usage, which had untangled the answer they wanted. Unable to breathe, I jerked back from Ezra, and started scrambling over my bed, because if Pearl pulled the truth out of me with a damn spell, I was a goner. I lunged off the bed, flying at the window, prepared to take a header out my second-storey window and just praying that my Shifter abilities let me land on my feet.
Instead of the glass I expected, my head slammed against Ezra’s chest. He had moved so fast I hadn’t even seen him. Nothing new, but it still hurt like hell. I hit the floor, rolling and holding my head. I went for the gun I had under my bed, and got a hand on it, but Ezra grabbed my legs, jerking me back across the carpet. I grunted, and dropped the damn gun as he lifted and tossed me onto my bed. I bounced once, then dove for my weapon on the floor, but it suddenly glowed golden and hurled through the air, straight to Pearl’s hand.
I froze from my perch, half off my bed, staring at the gun.
There were silver bullets in the clip. I hadn’t planned on killing them with it. I did love them, so I wouldn’t do anything too drastic, but I had been prepared to stop anyone from following me. Now, they had my weapon.
Flabbergasted, Jack shouted, “What the hell was that?” His brown eyes swung to Pearl. “Is she under a spell?”
Pearl’s eyes were still glowing but, instantly, her skin glowed and her flared gaze began traveling up and down my body, her power pushing against me. She shook her head as I slowly started creeping up onto the bed, and she muttered, “No. No spell. I have no clue what’s wrong with her.” She lifted the gun and I froze again, but all she did was check the clip. “They’re f**king silver!” She glared. “You were going to shoot us with silver bullets?”
Voice croaking in fear, I said, “Not to kill. I wouldn’t do that to you guys.” That was true, I wouldn’t do that even to save my own life, which seemed a little foolish now as I stared at the person holding my means of escape. And death.