by T. N. Hayden
His words shattered her perfect picture, and Gwen’s shocked gaze turned to her husband. Didn’t he realize who he was speaking to? None of them had imagined the dark-haired man had given her to a high noble family. Or perhaps it was Viktor Little himself who had kidnapped her.
“They do not.” Jerrika replied.
“I’ve heard a lot about the Little family.” Creedon’s face was red, as it always got when he was angry. “I know your father trains the Soldats and Soldatas. I know the king considers him a strong ally. I also know your reputations. Jerrika, you’re supposed to be the most hideous girl in Derbon. I see that is just rumor. Rayna, you only value your beauty. I hear you’re useless without it. Is that true, or is that also just rumor?”
Rayna closed her eyes, obviously fighting back tears. Aileen and Barrett gasped.
“Can’t you see?” Gwen stepped up to her daughter and cupped her jaw with her hands. “Creedon, this is our beautiful daughter.”
Creedon sat down hard, missing a chair. “You’re my Faryn?” He suddenly scrambled to his feet, threw himself toward his daughter, and grabbed her in a rough embrace as tears streamed from his eyes. “I’m so sorry my sweet. I’m so sorry.”
“It is okay.” Rayna whispered.
He held her back at arms’ length, seeming to take in every inch of her. “I’ve dreamed of this day for so long.”
“Faryn.” Peyton timidly walked to his sister and embraced her.
“Big brother.” She chuckled as she returned the hold.
“Delisa.” Barrett smiled. “Meet your sister, Faryn. Rayna, this is Delisa.”
“It’s good to meet you.” Delisa timidly embraced the sister she had never met.
Creedon spun and glared at Barrett and Aileen. “How long have you known about your sister?”
“Two months.” Aileen held up her hands. “We wrote you to come here as soon as we found out.”
“But you didn’t tell us why you wanted us to come.” Peyton stated.
“We didn’t want to put the truth on paper.” Barrett answered. “You deserved to hear it in person, to see her right away.”
“Well this birthday month will be the best ever.” Delisa looked between her family. “Mum, Barrett, and I get Faryn back for our birthday.”
“How did this happen?” Gwen cried. Her children would never trust nobles enough to figure out their sister was Rayna Little.
“This is my adopted sister, Jerrika Little.” Rayna introduced. “She is the Official Soldat Weapons Retainer at Krijar, and she fell in love with Barrett.”
“I did not know he had a twin sister.” Jerrika added. “So when I did not even think they could be related.”
“I was told I had been sold to a slave-trader.” Rayna whispered. “I thought you sold me.”
“What?” Creedon gaped. “No.”
Gwen felt a catch in her throat. “We would never do anything like that to you.”
“I know.” Rayna looked between her parents. “I am so sorry I believed it for so long. I was so angry, and I hated both of you.” She was crying, and Creedon gently embraced his daughter.
“It’s alright.” He touched her braid. “We’re all together now.”
“Jerrika introduced me to Aileen, and I thought Barrett was using Jerrika to gain wealth, like I thought you had sold me to gain wealth.” Rayna whispered. “Aileen and I got in a fight, and I convinced Jerrika that Barrett was not good for her.”
“So how did you meet?” Peyton kept a hand on his sister’s arm.
“Barrett came to Krijar to speak with me.” Jerrika explained.
“I found my twin.” Barrett grinned. “I knew I would know who she was the moment I saw her again, and I did. I couldn’t believe Rayna Little was my twin sister Faryn. That’s when we all figured out the truth and started trusting each other.”
“Jerrika and I joined the rebels down here.” Rayna added.
“How do you like training as a Soldata?” Peyton looked at Rayna. “Is it terrifying?”
“When I was six, I was terrified that someone would figure out I do not have nobility in me.” Rayna admitted. “But I soon realized that no one would believe I was common.”
“Just like we never believed you’d be adopted by a high noble family.” Gwen stated.
“And no high noble family would willingly raise a common child.” Rayna sighed.
“You and Barrett look so much alike.” Delisa couldn’t take her eyes off her lost sister. “I have a feeling I’m going to love getting to know you.”
“As I am looking forward to knowing you.” Rayna replied. “We will have to have a girls’ day sometime and all get together.”
“And we’ll have to have family dinners.” Gwen insisted.
“And we’ll all be together, working with the rebellion.” Peyton gasped.
Creedon looked back at his younger son. “You fell in love with Jerrika, never knowing her adopted sister was your twin?”
Barrett nodded.
“It doesn’t matter that you’re high noble anymore. It seems like you truly love my son.” Creedon looked at Jerrika and spoke words he’d never imagined he’d say to a noble. “Welcome to our family.”
~ Chapter 31 ~
Jipso 540
Creedon walked through Derbon, closing his eyes as the cool wind soothed him. It had been almost three weeks since he had been reunited with his daughter, and he was still amazed with how everything had transpired. On his way to Derbon, he had never imagined Faryn would be waiting. Creedon opened his eyes. His daughter was a well-educated, strong young woman with a pure heart. He’d seen her training young teenagers in the camp, and her friendship with Wilma and Jerrika expanded to her relationship with her siblings. Delisa wanted to be just like her sister. She wanted to go to Krijar and train to be a Soldata. It was too bad Delisa’s dream would never come true.
Creedon heard boots crunching the soil, and he turned. He held his breath as he stared into the shadows of the man from his nightmares. The dark-haired noble who’d attacked his family and kidnapped Faryn was in the streets of Derbon.
Creedon looked at the other common folk; they ignored him as he walked through their streets. The man was dressed in black leather and blood-red velvet shirt. Why was he here? Did he know Faryn had been adopted to high nobles? Was he here to kidnap her again? Would he hurt her? Try to kill her for acting as a high noble?
Creedon followed the man. He would make sure this dark-haired noble would never hurt his daughter again.
“You’re Creedon Quint, right?” Someone whispered.
Creedon turned. “Who are you?”
“My name is Jake.” The man answered. “I work with your daughter Aileen.”
Creedon nodded, and his eyes trailed back to the dark-haired noble.
“Why are you following Viktor Little?”
Creedon froze. “What? You know who that man is?”
Jake nodded. “He’s the duke in charge of Krijar. Viktor Little has his family estate a little ways away from here.”
“That’s Viktor Little?” Creedon pointed.
“Aye.”
Everything changed. Viktor was the man who’d attacked his family and kidnapped his daughter. That meant Viktor knew Rayna was of common blood. That meant everything she knew about her adopted father was a lie. What was Viktor’s goal?
Perhaps he had kidnapped and trained Faryn to one day kill her, making the king believe that it had been a rebel plot all along. Creedon didn’t know how evil Viktor was capable of being, but he was not willing to risk his daughter’s life to find out.
“Stay here.” Creedon put a hand to Jake’s shoulder. “I have to speak with the duke.”
Viktor Little walked through the streets of Derbon. He enjoyed the fresh air and moved through the edge of town into the side of the forest.
A steel blade slashed through the air, and the knife stabbed Viktor in the right thigh.
Viktor grunted as he pulled the knife from his leg and spu
n around, pulling his blade free. The man had dark blonde hair and deep-blue daggers in his eyes. He looked vaguely familiar, but Viktor didn’t remember why.
The man attacked Viktor again, lunging forward in perfect form. Viktor blocked and spun. This man must be a rebel. He was dressed as a common man, but he could handle a blade as well as any soldier.
Viktor blocked the next blow and spun behind a tree. The rebel’s blade sliced into the trunk. Viktor came around, jabbing the man. The rebel spun away and brought his forearm up to slam into Viktor’s face.
Viktor gasped and wiped blood from his nose. The rebel smirked as he successfully pulled his blade free from the tree trunk.
Viktor lunged, but the rebel easily blocked his blade and punched Viktor. Viktor took a few steps back.
“Surprised I can actually fight you this time?” The rebel taunted.
“I do not recall the last time we fought.” Viktor paced with the man. “I have not been in a fight with rebels for a long time.”
“The last time we fought, I wasn’t trained. You took me down with two blows. I didn’t stand a chance.”
A vague memory tried to surface, but Viktor still didn’t know what this man was referring to.
The rebel grimaced. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”
“I must admit, I have no idea.”
“Naturally.” The rebel spit at Viktor’s feet. “You took something precious from me, and you don’t even remember who I am.” The rebel attacked again, coming in with a high slice.
Viktor blocked and turned, kicking to sweep the man’s feet from under him. But the rebel jumped over the kick and came down with a painful blow to Viktor’s right side. The rebel slashed again, and Viktor blocked, their hilts almost locked against each other.
“You will not take any of our children.”
Viktor blinked as he suddenly remembered who this man was. All color drained from his face. “Creedon Quint.”
Creedon smirked. “I’m glad to see you remember me. I’ve never forgotten you.”
“I never hurt your daughter.”
“No, you raised her as your own.” Creedon pushed himself free from their entanglement. He glared. “You took her childhood from her mother and me. We didn’t know if she was dead or alive, free or slave, hurt, beaten, raped.” Creedon attacked Viktor again. “You made her hate us.”
How did he know all this? How did Creedon find out his daughter was Rayna Little? How much did Rayna know? Did she guess the truth? How could she?
Viktor blocked Creedon’s blow and grabbed his Wopler from his belt, flinging it out to become another sword.
Creedon glared. “I wondered when you’d bring that out.”
Viktor paused a second. Did Creedon guess? Creedon attacked once more. He must have no idea.
Viktor blocked and used his Wopler sword to cut Creedon’s steel to pieces. “I do not want to fight you Creedon. I want to explain.”
“You have an explanation as to why you kidnapped my daughter and raised her as your own?”
Viktor nodded. “I know you began the rebellion in Kapok in reaction to what I did to your family. I know your daughter started the rebellion here.”
“How do you know all that?”
“There is much you do not understand. I will explain it all tomorrow night at the General’s Inn in Ceder. Bring your family and rebels you fully trust. I will bring my lieutenant.”
“Your lieutenant?”
“The one man who knows everything I do.”
“How do I know this isn’t some sort of trap?”
“I could have told the king about your family long ago, but I did not. I will explain everything tomorrow.”
“What about my daughter?”
“I will tell her the truth myself.”
~ Chapter 32 ~
Rayna sat at her desk, her face beaming as she read the words of the poem Kurtis had written her that morning. She had never guessed he could be so romantic.
Someone knocked on her door, and Rayna hoped it was Kurtis. “Come in.”
“Hello Rayna.” Viktor stepped inside and shut the door. “I have something I need to tell you.”
“Sure.” She gestured for him to enter and sit in Jerrika’s chair.
Viktor remained standing as he looked at her.
“Are you alright?” Rayna frowned. “What happened to your nose?”
“Your father attacked me.”
Don’t react. Rayna kept her face calm. “What are you talking about? You are my father.”
“We both know Creedon Quint is your father.”
Was this the moment? Would Viktor try to kill her? She gripped the hilt of the dagger hidden under her desk.
“I am the one who kidnapped you when you were four.” Viktor’s eyes showed turmoil as he confessed.
His words seemed impossible. “What?” He would never knowingly raise someone of common blood as his own. No high noble would. Viktor was loyal to the king. He believed in the laws.
“It is a long story.” He began to pace. “Ederra was very young and pregnant when King Navion asked me to marry her. I never loved Ederra, but I married her out of loyalty to my king.”
Rayna stared. Her mind continued to whirl as she tried to comprehend the truth that he was the dark-haired noble who had kidnapped her. “Why are you telling me this?”
“You must know everything now. I have only loved one woman.”
“Not Ederra?”
“No. The love of my life is a woman named Rosewyn. Her parents were from Najos, from the village where prophecy magic is born. Rosewyn has that magic in her. She is very powerful, and she had a vision about the one who would fulfill the prophecy against King Navion.”
“Wait.” Rayna stood. “You want the prophecy to come to pass?”
“That is why I kidnapped you.” Viktor turned to watch her. “You are the one the prophecy is about. You are common, but your destiny is not. I had to kidnap you so I could train you. You had to become a Soldata and fulfill your destiny after you receive your Wopler. The poison in the Wopler can kill the king.”
Rayna stared at him. “The poison is only good against those with common blood.”
“To any other Soldata or Soldat. You will be different. The weapon poisons against the blood you do not have. You will be the only Soldata who has common blood. I know it was wrong to kidnap you and let Wynn poison you against your birth family. I know they love you dearly. They made that eminently clear when they tried to fight me that night. They did not have a chance, but they still tried everything they could.”
She glared at him. He had been the one who’d almost killed Peyton and wounded her parents and Aileen. Viktor was the man who’d put Barrett and her under a sleeping spell. He was the dark-haired noble to whom her family had sworn vengeance. But he was also the father who’d comforted her all those nights she’d cried herself to sleep. He had been the one who’d trained her to fight. He was the man who’d loved her as if she was his own daughter.
“They proved their love further after you were kidnapped. Your father started the rebellion. He probably thinks the prophecy is about him. He does not know it is about you.”
“How do you know my father started the rebellion?”
“Sage is loyal to me. He is not loyal to the king. He spent his joining year finding everything out about the rebellion and those who began it. He loves your sister Aileen. It has been killing him, knowing she is in Derbon without being able to be with her. She does not know he is Sage Little.”
“Sage knows about me? What about the others?”
“No one else does. Your mother…” He paused at the look on her face. “Ederra has no idea. She truly thinks your destiny is to marry Prince Navion. She does not care about prophecy or the fact that King Navion has been persecuting his people for a long time. She is fine with the class system as it is. Sage and I want to bring a new age of peace. You are the key to that.”
“But if I kill the king, the prince or
princess will just take over and rule as their father did.”
“The prince is heir.” Viktor smiled. “I know he will be a just and true king.”
Rayna raised a brow. “How am I supposed to believe all of this? You are telling me that you kidnapped me because a woman connected to prophecy magic had a vision and saw that I was the one who would fulfill the prophecy against the king. You raised me as your own and made me hate my birth family. You want me to kill the king you have always claimed to be loyal to.”
“Yes.”
Rayna faced him. “I cannot accept any of it.” She rushed around him and ran down the halls.
He called her name, but her feet never stopped moving.
~ Chapter 33 ~
Prophecy. Spells. Magic. Rayna ran, the wind whipping her straight blonde hair as she raced through the trees, pins falling out and loosening her locks. Viktor wasn’t following her, but she had to escape. It couldn’t be true. The father she’d loved since she was adopted had been the dark-haired noble who’d stolen her from her family. How was that possible? She refused to believe that a high noble would willingly raise a common born girl, treat her better than his own flesh and blood.
Viktor betrayed the king. He wasn’t loyal to him. He used to be loyal to him. What could have changed his mind?
He believed she was the one the prophecy spoke about. It couldn’t be possible. Why would the prophecy be about her? It was about her father, Creedon. It wasn’t about her.
But she was training to be a Soldata. She would have a powerful weapon soon. Her Wopler would be different than any other. Her blood didn’t have the magic of nobility in it, so her weapon would be able to use it against those with the magic of nobility.
“Rayna?”
She spun, gasping as she realized she wasn’t alone.
“Rayna.” Kurtis rushed to her. “Are you alright?”
“Kurtis?” She stared at him.
“Are you alright?” He repeated.
“Define alright.” Her mind twisted as she hated Viktor for kidnapping her and hurting her family, loved him for always being a generous father, worried about what her future would hold, irate at Viktor for keeping this truth from her all these year, and mourned everything she’d missed because of some woman who believed she was the person the prophecy foretold.