Amory and I. We need you.

What? Amory? Where are you? The surprise in his thoughts was evident. He stopped moving completely to focus on our conversation.

Somewhere in the Romanian mountains. I’m not sure exactly, but we need you to come pick us up. I kept my mental tone light and I laughed a little when I realized that I was driving Avalon crazy. He was completely focused on his extraction mission, which he happened to be currently in the middle of. A pang of guilt hit me though and I was suddenly worried about Lilly and the team.

Can’t it wait? I’m kind of in the middle of something. Although I could feel his irritation, I could also sense his concern for us. He would have easily given up the mission to come to our aid.

“He’s in the middle of the mission. Can we wait until he’s finished?” I explained to Amory out loud.

“No, we need to get you out of the country immediately. Tell him to bring Jericho and two cars. Ryder’s team can finish the mission,” Amory was stern and commanding.

Amory says to let Ryder take over the mission and come now. He says to bring Jericho and two cars. And he says I have to get out of the country immediately. I was embarrassed to admit the last part.

What are you even doing here? Fine. Where are you? I felt his body turn in the opposite direction then he was originally headed and signal to Jericho. Whatever he was in the middle of he had dropped it instantaneously to follow Amory’s orders.

“Where are we?” I asked Amory in order to relay it to Avalon.

“He can follow your magic,” Amory said without giving any more details.

Follow my magic. I relayed to Avalon and felt him internally irritated, but he didn't ask any more questions.

“I want answers,” I demanded of Amory again when I could sense Avalon on his way.

“I will answer any question you ask,” Amory continued to stare off into the distance. I folded my arms stubbornly and opened my mouth. He’s damn right he would answer any question I had.

Chapter Forty-Three

“Ok, first of all, I’m glad we survived and all, but why on earth was that necessary?” I vented.

“You’re survival is absolutely essential,” Amory was quick to respond. “I’m afraid this war can’t be won without you and your brother,” Amory said firmly, although without actually answering my question.

“Yeah, I know; at least I’ve heard that before. But the question I am asking is why was my survival in question to begin with?” I turned to face Amory full on. I needed answers.

“Well that answer is a little more complicated. The short answer is because you look exactly like your mother; I’m sure you’ve also heard that before,” Amory paused for only a moment; just long enough for me to give him an encouraging look. “The long answer is because your mother happened to be engaged to Lucan before she ran off and eloped with your father, Lucan’s personal bodyguard. He would like nothing more than to find your mother and make her pay for a lifetime of sins.”

My mouth dropped open in surprise. That wasn’t exactly the answer I had been expecting. A million questions began to swirl around in my mind, but Amory, sensing my confusion, continued with his chronicle.

“Let’s see, I suppose I should start from the beginning. Lucan became King at a very young age because his father, Cedric, died suddenly from the King’s Curse. At that time Kings usually waited until they were 100 or so to choose a wife; Cedric had done exactly that, fathered a son and planned on living a long life. When he died, Lucan was only a teenager. His advisors tried to guide him, but he has always been stubborn. His personal body guard was a teenager as well, and although the Royal guard advised him to choose an older, more experienced Titan, he refused. You see, a King’s personal body guard is chosen at birth; they are always the same age so that they grow together and learn to trust each other. They are naturally the best of friends. The same was true of Lucan and Justice, your father. Lucan at that time, not having finished school but not wanting to be alone, had a special group of students chosen from all over the world to study with him at the Royal Palace. Your mother was one of those students and I’m afraid Lucan fell head over heels for her the moment he laid eyes on her; I suspect Justice did as well. Your mother was a very special girl; beautiful of course, talented beyond any other Immortal and smart, very smart. So naturally, Lucan pursued her. I’m afraid she saw his faults from the beginning and although she tried to persuade him to find someone else, he was persistent. When all of his attentions came to no avail he finally commanded her to be his wife. You are so much like her in every way that I’m sure you can imagine how she would react to a direct order such as marriage. But like I said, Lucan is stubborn, and blind to all reason, and so he gave her no choice.”

“But why didn’t Lucan try to find someone who actually liked him back?” I asked, confused why anyone would fall in love with someone who didn’t feel the same way.

“There are several reasons I believe; you see Lucan was scared. His father had died suddenly, leaving him the sole heir to the throne. Having no children of his own, and a fear of also dying young he was pressed to find a wife and begin a family. Since the Curse, no King has ever been able to produce more than one male heir. I believe that he is simply afraid of death; even still to this day. He is afraid of his precious bloodline dying. I believe he hoped your mother would cure all of that. You see, she is a very powerful Witch; probably the most powerful of her generation. And I believe that Lucan thought with their combined bloodline they would be able to save the line of kings.”

“What does her blood have to do with anything?” I asked, trying to stay focused. I suddenly yawned and realize how exhausted I was.

“She is the daughter of the last remaining Oracle. If you remember, the Oracles were the most powerful Immortals before the King’s Curse. Yes, that makes you the granddaughter of course.”

“But I thought all of the Oracles were dead?” I was really confused now.

“One remains, but I believe his soul died a long time ago,” Amory mumbled the last part, and I saw true sadness in his eyes. But then he continued quickly, “So, with that kind of magic mixed, Lucan was hoping for a super-child. He was hoping to bring back the old magic; the magic that disappeared when Derrick cursed us. Unfortunately though, for your mother, it was more than business that drew Lucan to her; he actually fell deeply in love with her. All of his attempts to win her over failed; and sometime during all of this Delia and Justice fell in love instead,” he shook his head as if frustrated with the memory of it.

“Delia,” I repeated softly, saying my mother’s name out loud for the first time. “So, he killed them?” I asked, terrified of the answer.

“No, he didn’t. They outsmarted him, but he hasn’t stopped hunting them to this day.”

“They’re alive?” I was shocked and stunned. My entire life I had been told my parents were dead. How was it possible they were still alive? And where were they?

“Truthfully child, I don’t know the answer to that question. Nobody has heard nor seen them since I received you and your brother on my doorstep when you were just infants, and even then you were the only proof I had seen that they were still alive. In all likelihood they probably are dead. I don’t how anyone could still be hiding from Lucan after this many years,” he looked at me with such sadness in his eyes that I was not sure I could bear to ask him another question.

“So how did they escape?” I forced myself to ask, remembering my interest in his story and accepting his answers so far.

“The same way we just did. They planned it very carefully. They must have practiced for months, maybe years, but they were eventually able to dismiss their magic and survive. They were the first Immortals to ever be able to live without magic. They conditioned their human bodies then to withstand the flight and one night they simply left. The wedding was planned and preparations were made, and then one night, when court was being held here, without a word to anyone they just left. Justice’s mother was a Shape-Shifter, one of the old ones, when she discovered her son missing; she shifted to look like your mother and played the part of Delia until she believed they were given enough time to escape. When Lucan discovered what she had done he had as many Shape-Shifters as he could get his hands on, executed gruesomely until she finally came forward. Once she was dead, he lifted the decree from execution to exile; but that is only part of the hell Shape-Shifters have lived through over the millennia. Your parents seemed to have disappeared forever, when about one hundred and fifty years later, you and Avalon showed up on my doorstep. Justice actually left you with Angelica and she brought you to me per their wishes, informing me that you were twins and that you were theirs. At that time they were still alive, but that was sixteen years ago. I do know she was healthy enough to bare twins, something that hadn’t been done since before Derrick was King.”

“And Lucan would kill me just because I look like my mother, although he thinks she’s dead?” I clarified.

“I am certain Lucan believes they are alive; I don’t doubt he has ever given up his search. If he were to uncover that you were Delia and Justice’s daughter, he would not only have you tortured, but most likely use you to bait out your mother and father. If he ever found out you had a twin brother, then I’m afraid all hell would break lose.”

“Why? Why does it matter that Avalon and I are twins?”

“Twins have always been rare within the Immortals, but since the King’s Curse they have been non-existent. With the old magic, twins were unparalleled for strength and power and on top of that they have a telepathic connection so they work together flawlessly. I have yet to see yours and Avalon’s true abilities, but the fact that you are twins is proof that you have all four types of magic in your recent genealogy, which is a miracle in itself. The interesting part is, you do not have the old magic, you have a new magic, something Immortals have never seen before. You are a rare and precious commodity Eden, something Lucan would do anything to possess…. and use,” Amory spoke with awe in his voice, and I found myself embarrassed by all of these facts. I was not sure if I wanted to be the secret weapon in a war I didn’t even know if I agreed with yet, for either side.

“How do I have all four types? I thought intermarriage was forbidden or whatever?” I asked, changing the subject a little.

“Let’s see, your grandfather was a Witch and an Oracle; your grandmother was a Medium; they also married in secret, but she was later killed because of it. Justice, you're father, was a Titan and his father a Titan, but his mother was a Shape-Shifter; something nobody knew until the fateful shift that began it all. That’s all four types and Avalon too; but your strongest traits are Witch and Avalon’s are Titan, although we try to make him play up his other ones. If he were to appear like a Titan, people would be suspicious why he isn’t with the Guard,” I lay back on the grass, unable to sit any longer and listened to the melodic tone in Amory’s voice.