Shadowfever
Page 158
Who is us? Id been alternately eyeing Pieter and peering into the dimly lit conversation area, keeping a careful watch on the other figure seated there. There wasnt enough light to make out her features, but there was enough that I knew it was a woman. I had butterflies in my stomach and a strong sense of foreboding.
Pieters pale-green eyes drifted from Barrons to me. His features softened.
I was instantly uneasy. He was looking at me like he knew me. I didnt know this man. Id never seen him before in my life.
MacKayla, he said gently. How lovely you are. But I knew you would be. Letting you go was the hardest thing we ever did.
Who the hell are you? I didnt like him. Not one bit.
He extended a hand toward the person on the sofa.
She rose and stepped into the light.
I gaped.
Although time had worked delicate changes on her face, softening the jaw, brushing creases at the corners of the eyes and mouth, and her hair was much shorter now, barely brushing her shoulders, there was no doubt who she was.
Blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful. Id seen her, twenty years younger, standing guard in a warded corridor at the abbey. Shed said: You do not belong here. You are not one of us.
I was looking at the last known leader of the Haven, Alinas mother.
Isla OConnor.
Howwhat I stammered.
Please forgive me. The plea was soft in her words, anguished in her eyes. You must know it was necessary. I had no choice.
Barrons said, You died. I saw you. You were in a coma. I went to your funeral.
I jerked. Hed just confirmed it. She was Isla OConnor. I didnt know why I cared. She wasnt my mother. Alina had been her only child. I was the Unseelie King.
Its a long story, she said.
Barrons shook his head. And one were not listening to.
But you must. Or youll make a terrible mistake, Pieter said grimly. And MacKayla will pay for it.
Hes right. We need to talk now, before its too late. Isla didnt seem to be able to take her eyes off me. You want to hear it, dont you?
I shook my head. I didnt trust myself to speak. How did I keep getting so brutally blindsided by life? When wed walked into the Silver, Id fully expected to walk out the other side, get in a car, and go driving around, hunting for the Sinsar Dubh.
Not for one moment had I entertained the possibility that Isla OConnor might be waiting for us in the bookstore, long black limousine parked out front, a wide-shouldered chauffeur by the passenger doors, scanning the street up and down. I was willing to bet that beneath that dark uniform Id find a gunor two. What was the Triton Group, besides the company that owned the abbey? Why did Barrons dislike them so much? What was Islaone more person who was supposed to be dead but wasntdoing here?
Her fine-boned features crumpled and tears spilled down her cheeks. Oh, darling, giving you up was the hardest thing I ever did. If you will hear nothing else from me, hear that. You were my baby. My sweet, helpless baby, and they said you were going to doom the world. They would have killed you if theyd known about you! Both my daughters were in danger. We all knew about the prophecy. Knew it had been foretold that sisters would be born to one of the most potent bloodlines. Rowena was watching me. Shed hated me since the day my talents began to manifest. She wanted her daughter, Kayleigh, to become Haven Mistress, wanted the OReillys to run the abbey forever. She never forgave Nana for turning her back on the order. She would have done anything to get rid of me. If shed known I was pregnant again I had no choice. I had to give you up and go away, pretend to be dead.
You werent pregnant when I helped you leave the abbey, Barrons said coolly.
Nearly five months. I carried well and dressed to hide it. It was a miracle my baby wasnt injured when I escaped. I was so afraid I would lose her. More tears spilled.
I was still shaking my head. I didnt seem to be able to stop.
Oh, MacKayla! It was torture every day, knowing you were out there, being raised by someone else, knowing that I could never see you or Alina again without putting you in danger. But youre here now, and youre about to do something that would have terrible consequences. Its time for the lies to stop. You need to know the truth.
I shoved my fists in my pockets and turned away.
Dont turn your back on me, she cried. Im your mother!
Rainey Lane is my mother.
Unkind and unfair, Pieter said. You arent even giving her a chance.
Why do you care? I said irritably.
Because Im her husband, MacKayla. And your father.
46
I had brothers: Pieter, Jr., who was nineteen, and Michaeleveryone called him Mickwho was sixteen. They showed me pictures. We looked alike. Even Barrons seemed rattled.
We staged your mothers death, cremated a Jane Doe, and smuggled the two of you from the country. Took you to the States and did our best to find you a good home far from danger. Pieter took Islas hand and clasped it between his own. Your mother nearly didnt survive it. She didnt speak for months afterward.
Oh, Pieter, I knew it had to be done. It was just
Pieters pale-green eyes drifted from Barrons to me. His features softened.
I was instantly uneasy. He was looking at me like he knew me. I didnt know this man. Id never seen him before in my life.
MacKayla, he said gently. How lovely you are. But I knew you would be. Letting you go was the hardest thing we ever did.
Who the hell are you? I didnt like him. Not one bit.
He extended a hand toward the person on the sofa.
She rose and stepped into the light.
I gaped.
Although time had worked delicate changes on her face, softening the jaw, brushing creases at the corners of the eyes and mouth, and her hair was much shorter now, barely brushing her shoulders, there was no doubt who she was.
Blond hair, blue eyes, beautiful. Id seen her, twenty years younger, standing guard in a warded corridor at the abbey. Shed said: You do not belong here. You are not one of us.
I was looking at the last known leader of the Haven, Alinas mother.
Isla OConnor.
Howwhat I stammered.
Please forgive me. The plea was soft in her words, anguished in her eyes. You must know it was necessary. I had no choice.
Barrons said, You died. I saw you. You were in a coma. I went to your funeral.
I jerked. Hed just confirmed it. She was Isla OConnor. I didnt know why I cared. She wasnt my mother. Alina had been her only child. I was the Unseelie King.
Its a long story, she said.
Barrons shook his head. And one were not listening to.
But you must. Or youll make a terrible mistake, Pieter said grimly. And MacKayla will pay for it.
Hes right. We need to talk now, before its too late. Isla didnt seem to be able to take her eyes off me. You want to hear it, dont you?
I shook my head. I didnt trust myself to speak. How did I keep getting so brutally blindsided by life? When wed walked into the Silver, Id fully expected to walk out the other side, get in a car, and go driving around, hunting for the Sinsar Dubh.
Not for one moment had I entertained the possibility that Isla OConnor might be waiting for us in the bookstore, long black limousine parked out front, a wide-shouldered chauffeur by the passenger doors, scanning the street up and down. I was willing to bet that beneath that dark uniform Id find a gunor two. What was the Triton Group, besides the company that owned the abbey? Why did Barrons dislike them so much? What was Islaone more person who was supposed to be dead but wasntdoing here?
Her fine-boned features crumpled and tears spilled down her cheeks. Oh, darling, giving you up was the hardest thing I ever did. If you will hear nothing else from me, hear that. You were my baby. My sweet, helpless baby, and they said you were going to doom the world. They would have killed you if theyd known about you! Both my daughters were in danger. We all knew about the prophecy. Knew it had been foretold that sisters would be born to one of the most potent bloodlines. Rowena was watching me. Shed hated me since the day my talents began to manifest. She wanted her daughter, Kayleigh, to become Haven Mistress, wanted the OReillys to run the abbey forever. She never forgave Nana for turning her back on the order. She would have done anything to get rid of me. If shed known I was pregnant again I had no choice. I had to give you up and go away, pretend to be dead.
You werent pregnant when I helped you leave the abbey, Barrons said coolly.
Nearly five months. I carried well and dressed to hide it. It was a miracle my baby wasnt injured when I escaped. I was so afraid I would lose her. More tears spilled.
I was still shaking my head. I didnt seem to be able to stop.
Oh, MacKayla! It was torture every day, knowing you were out there, being raised by someone else, knowing that I could never see you or Alina again without putting you in danger. But youre here now, and youre about to do something that would have terrible consequences. Its time for the lies to stop. You need to know the truth.
I shoved my fists in my pockets and turned away.
Dont turn your back on me, she cried. Im your mother!
Rainey Lane is my mother.
Unkind and unfair, Pieter said. You arent even giving her a chance.
Why do you care? I said irritably.
Because Im her husband, MacKayla. And your father.
46
I had brothers: Pieter, Jr., who was nineteen, and Michaeleveryone called him Mickwho was sixteen. They showed me pictures. We looked alike. Even Barrons seemed rattled.
We staged your mothers death, cremated a Jane Doe, and smuggled the two of you from the country. Took you to the States and did our best to find you a good home far from danger. Pieter took Islas hand and clasped it between his own. Your mother nearly didnt survive it. She didnt speak for months afterward.
Oh, Pieter, I knew it had to be done. It was just
