They looked shocked but no more than Bryce. “What?! You had another child and you never told me?”
“That was a long time ago.”
“What happened to her?” Cadence asked, her voice filling with sorrow already.
We looked at Jaylyn and she tried to keep her poised outer shell. We could see passed it to how she was really feeling and Troy rubbed her back. “Are you sure you’re okay to talk about this?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She pulled back tears of the past to keep her dignity. “She died when she was four.” Cadence, Lana and Naomi all awed in sadness at the same time but Bryce continued to sit in a dead silence while he listened. “This was when we were coming back to Seni to make peace and we left her with Kole’s witch of a mother.”
“Ooh, who’s Kole?” Lana asked as she leaned forward on the table.
Jaylyn laughed by her reaction. “Um—that’s a little complicated.”
“Oh, not really.” Ruby cut in. “Kole is Ellie’s father.”
Cadence and Naomi both gasped and Lana leaned back. “Ooh, awkward.”
“Kole, really?” Bryce sighed as he pushed back his chair and started to get up. “That just makes this worse.” He stood up from the table and started to walk away.
“Bryce!” Jaylyn called but he kept going. “Perfect.”
“It’s all right.” Troy said. “I’ll go.”
Jaylyn didn’t say anything and Troy went out after him.
Chapter 4
Bryce
What was happening to me? This grief that I held didn’t feel like mine.
“Bryce?”
I just lit a cigar in my room and my father walked in to check up on me. “How could she?”
“You can’t blame her.”
“Shouldn’t I? She had another life before us, doesn’t that bother you at all?”
“Bother? Of course not. I won.”
“What happened to him? I never heard how Kole died or when. Did you kill him?”
Father laughed. “No but there were times when I wanted to. He died on our way back to Seni. It was a rough trip for us, your mother most of all. She lost them both.”
“Is that when you won? After he was dead?”
“No. I won long before that. We didn’t actually find out the truth about Ellie until that trip.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s a little more difficult to explain. Ellie is your mother’s daughter but she wasn’t born from her.”
“How is that even possible?”
“Your mother’s little experiment so she could still have a baby but it wouldn’t interfere with her work and it actually worked. If you could see Ellie, you’d be able to tell. She looked exactly like her.”
My father actually sounded happy while talking about this and I came to one chilling realization. “You liked her, didn’t you?”
“Of course I did. Despite who her father was, she accepted me to be with your mother. She was a remarkable child. It’s too bad she died.”
“Would you have raised her?”
“It was actually the plan. You see, Kole knew he was going to die on that trip and he agreed to let your mother and I raise her but then she was taken and it would have no longer been possible.”
I felt sad for mother but something distracted me from going on with it and I looked towards the door.
“What is it?”
“I feel something strange. Like when Aleksander came.”
My father’s eyes got wide and his gaze shifted to the door. “They’ve called him. Come on.”
I snuffed out the cigar and we both started heading downstairs to find out why.
Chapter 5
Cadence
I almost couldn’t believe it or I guess I just didn’t want to. Thinking about it, I remember Kole being mentioned before during our training a few years ago but nothing was ever mentioned about Ellie or that Jaylyn had another child.
“I’m sorry it was ever brought up.” Trever said, leaning in close to Jaylyn to try and comfort her. She still seemed upset about it.
“No you’re not.” She said. “Call him.”
“What? No. Bad timing with the Black Witch visiting.”
“The others can handle her. Call him.”
“He’s not allowed to come here.”
Jaylyn sighed. “Now you’re just making excuses. He has to come if you call.”
“Jay, it’s not a good idea.”
“Just do it!” Her voice was loud and demanding and everyone was just staring at her anxiousness. “I think we’ve been out of the loop long enough. I need to know what’s happening. Please.”
Trever sighed. “All right. Fine but if something goes wrong, everyone agree that we’ll blame Jay?”
“I guess.” Adele said.
“Great. Let’s get this over with. Kole. I need you.”
He was looking around slightly above him like he knew Kole was already watching.
“Did it work?” I asked.
I heavy sigh followed my question but we still couldn’t see anyone.
“Kole?” Trever called.
“It’s been too long.” Kole’s transparent form appeared before us but he smiled, showing we could be eased. He was pretty cute with that smile. “And would you look at this. Just look at what twenty-ish years have done. You don’t look that much different to me. I had myself prepared for worse.”
“Thanks, I guess.” Adele muttered.
Kole laughed then looked over at the other side of the table where we were sitting. “Oh, and I see you’re all together. I’m sure these ones had a strong hand in pushing that. So which one of you lovely ladies is the odd one out?”
“Kole.” Trever said in a deep serious voice. “Don’t. I didn’t call you here to cause trouble.”
Kole smiled as he sat down and put his feet up. “Now why would I want to do a thing like that? It’s been too long. This should be a happy occasion but you’re missing some.” Troy and Bryce walked back through the door and Kole turned to their footsteps. “Ah, Troy. Good of you to join us.”
“Kole. Why am I not surprised?”
Kole laughed, doing well to keep the mood light, though I didn’t know how Bryce was taking it. He didn’t seem at all happy. “You shouldn’t be really. You couldn’t have possibly thought this would have been forever.”
“Of course not.” He sat back down with Jaylyn and Bryce sat with Naomi but kept a sharp eye on Kole.
“All right. So, why exactly am I here?”
There was a pause and Trever looked over at Jaylyn. “Well? You wanted him so here he is.”
Jaylyn sighed and looked towards Kole. “You have to tell us.”
“Tell you what?”
“What’s been happening. It’s been too long. I want to know.”
Kole’s expression changed. He folded his arms over his chest and his eyes struck a serious stare. “I don’t think you really do.”
“How could you say that? Of course I do!”
“You don’t know what you’re saying. Things haven’t exactly been getting easier.”
“What happened?”
“Time happened. They’re getting desperate to get Ellie as the time draws closer.”
“Time for what?” Zayden asked.
“When the six of you join us.”
I looked over at the older generation and confusion struck everyone, not just me.
“Why is that so special?” Adele wondered.
“The prophecy in life gets carried on through death. You’re powers are going to be astronomically greater than anyone’s except for Ellie’s. That’s why they need her so badly now. If they get to her before the great six are reunited in death, it will be over for us but if they don’t, they’ll be destroyed with your help or solely by you. However you want to see it.”
“What about the war that was coming?” Trever asked.
Kole laughed. “Ellie took care of it. One against a million seems hopeless but n
ot when you have powers like hers. They retreated within five minutes.”
“I want to see her.” Jaylyn snapped.
“Absolutely not. The elders would never allow that. She’s being protected by all of them as we speak.”
“So, I want to see her.”
“I’m going to be completely honest with you, Jay.” Kole stood up and started pacing around. I was unsure if that was a sign for us to be nervous again or not. “If I could possibly get them to agree to let her come here, you have to be aware that she won’t be coming without protection of the elders. They will insist on coming with her in case the Dark Ones follow her here.”
“And?”
“And you have to think about what that will do to everyone sitting here. Don’t make this all about you.”
“If they have a problem with seeing them, they know they can just leave.”
“You see that? You are making this about you just like you always have.”
“Well, it’s the truth! They know they don’t have to stay here!” Kole didn’t reply. He turned his back from her and sighed. “Kole, please. When have I ever asked you of anything?”
Kole tilted his head back and laughed before he turned completely around. “Should we really pull out that list right now, Jay? I’ve given you everything you ever wanted! I gave you Ellie when you wanted her so badly! What more could you want from me then that?”
“But that was then and this is now. Now I want you to go get her. Talk to the elders. Bring them all here if need be but I will see her.”
Kole sighed and started pacing the floor. “All right. I’ll talk to them.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m not making any promises. If they indeed all choose to come here, will anyone have a problem with that?”
Everyone looked around at each other. I know I didn’t have a problem with it but my parents were still both alive. I guess it was up to someone else.
“No.” Ruby said, seeming to have a comforting hand on Darius under the table. “We’ll be fine.”
“Very well. Give me five minutes to plead your case and I’ll be back with their decision.”
Jaylyn nodded as Kole disappeared and there was a long pause. Everyone was seeming to look at Jaylyn while she was rapidly tapping her finger on the table. “What?”
“Nothing.” Trever smiled as he looked away first. “It’s just been an interesting day.”
“What do you mean?”
“Remember when they would come by a lot? It was like we forgot they were dead. We’re doing it again, you know?”
“Don’t think of it as dead.” Ruby said. “They’re living other lives now just not with us anymore. Deep down we’ve always known our parting wouldn’t be permanent. Just the thought of not having them here anymore is the part of us that mourns.”
Zayden smiled and nodded. “Thoughtfully said.”
“Thank you. I thought so.”
There was another one of those pauses where no one knew what else to say through this wait but Dirk spoke up with a smile. “I’m sorry, I just have to break this silence and laugh.”
He started to laugh and Bryce looked over at him. “What the fuck is so funny?”
“All this time I’ve thought of what it would be like to run into someone that turned out to be my sibling but instead of me, it’s you!”
“It’s totally different.” Bryce said as he looked across the table at his parents. “They all knew and kept if from me.”
Jaylyn sighed. “Bryce. That wasn’t our intention. We haven’t mentioned her since you were a baby. We were truly convinced that this was never going to happen again.”
“So, everything was completely fine as long as I wasn’t going to find out?”
“Don’t use that tone on your mother.” Troy cut in. “We’ve already talked about this.”
Bryce just sighed and looked away. Arguing it was pointless and he knew it.
Kole soon reappeared and Jaylyn perked right up, anxious to know the decision. “Well?”
“Well, first of all you’re lucky that your father is head of the league. Most of them didn’t like the idea about bringing her here but he thinks it might be good for both of you.”
“She’s coming?!”
“They all are but I have to warn you. Ellie isn’t going to be how you remember, Jay.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, we discovered something she can do a couple of years after you last saw her. Her power is greater than everyone’s and she is the only one ever to be able to age herself beyond the age when she died.”
Jaylyn started to get tears in her eyes. It just became sad again. “What? She’s dead and I still missed everything?” Kole laughed to himself. “Why do you find that so funny?”
“The way she grew wasn’t normal. She’s a very unique case in our world. Her mind continues to develop as if she were still living. In six years’ time, her mind was of that of an adult. Talk about wanting to grow up quickly, she could even make herself look like one when she would have only been ten in this world and even though she can, she won’t make herself older than me. That would just be weird.”
“So what should I expect?”
“You should expect to see a younger you. She’s tested out all of the ages and the one she chose to stay with is twenty. It makes her not feel like a child and helps her fit in a little better when mostly everyone stays in their twenties.”
“Okay, so I have a question.” Seth said. Kole turned to him and got ready to answer. “If she’s so powerful, more so than everyone else and she can take out armies by herself, why does she need to be protected?”
Kole laughed like the thought was amusing. “It could take one a lifetime to try and understand the ways of our world and they won’t exceed to know but the basics. Ellie maybe the greatest of us but she could never be caught alone. The Dark Ones have ways of meddling with a single soul to get them to do their will. As long as the elders are with her, that will never happen. The Dark Ones haven’t even laid eyes on her since the time she arrived. They still seek a child because they don’t know the extent that Ellie is capable of.”
Kole turned his head to the other side of the dining hall.
“Kole?” Jaylyn wondered.
He got a smile on his face. “They’re here. You ready?”
“Of course I’m ready.”
“As for the rest of you, Ellie will be the only one you see. The elders have chosen not to reveal themselves for their own reasons but they will be present.” Everyone nodded as Kole turned and took a few steps away from the table and started talking to what appeared to be no one. “Okay, she’s ready. Come on.”
He held out his hand and we watched a hand appear in his then a transparent form slowly started to be visible with the head and face showing last. No one could seem to hold in a reaction. It was like looking upon Jaylyn herself.
“Ellie?”
“Hello mother.” Kole nudged her forward and she went on as she got closer. “I know it’s weird for you to see me like this and I’m sorry but I just couldn’t stay four forever.”
Jaylyn was getting tears in her eyes as she got up from her chair and approached her. “Can you?”
Ellie looked back at Kole as he sat down. “What the fuck are you looking at me for? This is why you came.”
Ellie looked at Jaylyn with a smile and her skin started to gain its color. Jaylyn smiled back as she brought up her hand and touched Ellie’s face. A tear escaped her eye as she quickly moved in and hugged her.
The moment was just beautiful. I tried not to sit here and cry while watching. They were united again after so long. Jaylyn must have been so happy.
“I’m sorry it’s been so long, mother. Things just weren’t safe.”
“I understand. You didn’t want me to get hurt.”
“No worrying about that anymore. They shouldn’t follow me here. They think I’m still a child.”
“It’s hard for me to not see you
as one.”
“I know but things have been better for me this way.” Jaylyn walked back to her chair and sat down while Ellie did the same next to Kole. “I was actually hoping we’d get this chance to come back again. I’ve been wanting to see how things changed and wow, they haven't really. You look the same.”
They shared in a laugh.
“Well, we have that going for us.” Zayden said.
Ellie laughed again. “So, what have you been up to? How’s this life of peace treating you?”
Darius sighed playfully. “It sucks.”
“That’s too bad but I’m not really surprised. You were built to fight, I remember. Wow, this is exciting. I haven’t done this in a long time.”
“Done what?” Jaylyn wondered.
“Talk about the living. I mean, the last time we really did was when you had the cute little babies.”
“Oh, you mean them?” Zayden asked as he pointed across the table at Seth, Dirk and Bryce.
Ellie looked and got a shocked look on her face. “Na ah. Really? It's been that long? Then you must be my little brother.” Bryce remained silent as he was sitting back in his chair with his arms folded. “He looks just like you, Troy. Wow, it's amazing.”
“Don’t get too close.” Kole whispered. “That one might bite.”
Bryce rolled his eyes and sighed as he started to raise to his feet. “Before the day gets any worse, I’m leaving.”
“Bryce!” Jaylyn called.
He didn’t reply, just kept walking. Naomi looked away from the door over at me and I nodded so she would follow. He shouldn’t be alone. She got up from the table without saying a word and left after Bryce.
“He hates me, doesn’t he?” Ellie asked.
Kole laughed. “He doesn’t hate you, baby. He hates your mother for not telling him about you.”
“Kole!” Jaylyn shouted.
“I’d much rather he hate me. Who’s the woman that left after him? Is she his mate?”
“Mate?” Ruby asked.
“Well, that’s just what one's other half is referred to.” Kole said. “And Ellie, world of the living.”
Despairing Tides (Fate's Intent Book 12) Page 2