Bonded Spirits: Book Three
Page 6
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Liliana discovered she was pregnant shortly after the Whitehalls were overthrown. The father you’ve known all these years was not actually your father, although he loved your mother. Your actual father, and unfortunately the man you will never get to meet, was Henry Whitehall.
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Because of her trusting nature, she confided she was pregnant to a young man whom she thought she could trust. Farnell Talon was his name. Tell him William says hello when you eventually kill the bastard.
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I should mention, human cores were cursed over a hundred years ago at the conclusion of the Great War. What most people and monsters didn’t realize, however, was that there was a second part to the curse. A counter curse if you will, a loophole.
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If a monster and a ruler of Aurilon ever had a child, that child would be born human, with a pure core. You guessed it, that applies to you.
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Soon after your mother gave birth to you, Farnell, or Striker, as he liked to be called, led Augustus to the house Liliana and Henry had built near the waterfall. With a strong bit of magic involving you, me, your mother, and Master Teng, we escaped with our lives, and you, a brand new glowing scar on your chest.
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Your mother always swore that the secret to Aurilon’s prosperity was held within your scar.
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Liliana’s core was severely damaged during our escape, and she ended up taking in a massive amount of tainted spirit before we crossed over to safety.
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We thought she had avoided the worst of it, but we were wrong.
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Two years after arriving in the Otherworld, or Earth, she met the man who you have believed your entire life to be your father. He loved her dearly. Unfortunately, the time away from Aurilon did not help her heal. In the Otherworld, there is no spirit to replenish and strengthen our cores. She fell incredibly ill only six months after they were married and passed away shortly after. He promised her he would raise you as his own.
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I gave him a small portion of the money I earned off of the sale of some incredibly rare gems I brought with us when we left Aurilon. He used the money to start his business.
* * *
It was an incredible burden for him to bear; I know that now. I also know the sight of you only makes him miss her that much more. That is why I had you spend so much time with me while you were growing up, to help ease that burden a little.
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When you went off on your own to start your lodge, I know that hurt him deeply. But I believe it was your destiny.
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Teng said that if a day came that you were to return to Aurilon, it would be my last day alive. That the last bit of magic used to save me, the same magic that was keeping me alive, would be consumed and returned to your core.
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Don’t worry, you didn’t kill me!
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Again, this is your destiny!
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I have left everything I own to you in my will. Although, the only thing left that holds any value is still locked in a chest in the small armory of the house Liliana and Henry built. I trust you will know what to do with what you find.
* * *
Now, fly high, Logan Whitehall. For you are the rightful heir to the throne of Aurilon. Hopefully, there is still a kingdom to return to.
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Continue to see the good in humans and monsters alike. I trust you will be an honorable king.
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I’m so proud of you.
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Your Grandfather,
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William West
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My mind was reeling. I shuffled the papers to the next page and looked down at William West’s last will and testament. Under assets, there was only one thing listed.
* * *
Aurilon - Whitehall House Chest
Chapter Eight
I looked up at my brother, and he let out an uncomfortable laugh. “See, dad told me how much grandpa, well I guess William, gave him to start his business. And if that was just a small portion of what he made off of those gems he brought from this place, I’d have to believe he has more in that chest he listed in his will.”
I stood, still slightly shaky from the realization that my entire life had been a lie. “So, how in debt are you?”
Matt stood, nearly kicking DeVito. The bulldog stared at him uninterestedly from the ground. “Logan, you don’t understand. That money would bail me out, big time! The old man only left a short note behind that said, ‘Speak to Logan about my will.’”
I glanced toward the stairs and spotted Gwen, who was standing in the shadows. I knew she was scouting out the situation. She closed her eyes and spoke to me by using her Sight. “Is everything okay? Do I need to kill him?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Instead of using my Sight to respond, I spoke out loud. “It’s fine, Gwen, come on out.”
Gwen stepped into the main room in one of my shirts. She was wearing a pair of purple satin panties that peeked out from under the shirt as she walked.
I was still trying to deal with the bombshell of everything I’d just read. My grandfather wasn’t truly related to me. My father is not actually my father, and apparently, I’m the rightful heir to the throne of Aurilon. All at once, the tales my grandfather used to tell me as a kid came rushing back. I thought that everything he’d told me, that I believed he’d made up, had actually been true.
Matt gasped as Gwen stepped into the light. Her nipples pushed against her sheer white nightshirt as she moved. “What… are you?”
“Gwen’s a satyress,” I said before she could answer. “She’s amazing, and I love her.”
Matt turned his head back around slowly. “Satyrs only exist in fairy tales, and they’re always male.” He lifted the flask and shook it. The strong alcohol inside swished around for a second before he brought it to his lips and finished its contents. “I’m not drunk enough to be here.” He turned back to Gwen and his eyes settled on her feet. “Are those… natural?”
Gwen laughed and sat in my lap as she responded. “Yes, I can assure you, they’re natural.” She paused and stole a quick glance at her chest. “Everything about me is natural.” She reached down to her side and made it look like she was adjusting herself on my lap, but what Matt couldn’t see was her running a hand over my pants along my length. She turned to face me. “Who is our guest?”
“Gwen, meet my brother, Matty,” I said. I saw the look of surprise wash across Gwen’s face, and I was sure I’d be spending some time explaining things later.
Matt held his hand out nervously to greet her. “It’s Matthew, actually.” He seemed to choose his words carefully. “Uh, pleasure to meet you.”
Gwen looked at me with wide eyes and then noticed DeVito laying on the floor next to my chair. “Holy shit, that is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!” She hopped off my lap and crouched down next to DeVito. He immediately flipped onto his back to reveal his stomach for a few scratches. “Oh my, we have to keep him! He’s amazing!”
Gwen let her beautiful silver hair fall down and obscure her face as she scratched the spoiled bulldog’s belly and used her Sight covertly to communicate with me. “Can I trust him? He doesn’t seem like you.”
I responded with my Sight. “Yes, he’s harmless. I’ll explain more later. I don’t think he’ll be around long.”
Matt watched Gwen curiously and shook his head. “What is this place? I thought I was hallucinating the first woman’s wings. I know for a fact that I can see… her feet.”
“Oh, she’s definitely real. Just like Alysain, the griffon that led you here. You’re in Aurilon. Things here are… different from what you’re used to.” I gave Gwen a small smile before refocusing on Matt. “This is my home now. I have no use for anything back home any longer.”
DeVito snorted as Gwen scratched his armpit, prompting a giggle from the satyress.
I let out a long breath. “Well, there’s only one way to find out. Let’s head down to the armory and see what we can find.”
I rose from the seat and Gwen joined my side. DeVito remained on his back with all four paws in the air, as if expecting the scratches to return any second.
Matt rubbed his hands together nervously as he moved to follow me to the armory.
Deep down, I wanted to see what was in the chest without Matt staring over my shoulder. Aurilon was not a place for Matt. In his trip here alone, he probably spent more time outdoors than he had in the past ten years combined.
I walked toward the stairs leading down into the cellar. “Follow me. Might as well see what we’re working with.” I stopped and grabbed a small lantern that Wofferd had been using earlier as a reading light, and started down the stairs.
Gwen motioned for Matt to follow me. “After you.” I knew she was keeping a close eye on my brother.
I reached the bottom and waited for the others to join me before heading into the armory.
Matt rubbed his eyes, as if doing so would help them adjust to the light faster. I closed my eyes and activated my Sight skill. In times past, I had not been looking for anything but the entry door. Although, that was before I had reached King rank in Sight.
I was incredibly thankful for all the bonding I’d been doing recently. Now it was almost like I was in the Matrix when I used the skill. I could see through most doors, which had already proven incredibly useful more than once. I may have used it once or twice to check in on my bonded while they dressed. Not that they wouldn’t let me watch them normally, but there was just something about watching a woman dress while she was in her element that was sexy as hell.
It only took me about thirty seconds to find a small hidden door behind some half-filled crates of old traps. I hadn’t really thought about there being a hidden area inside the room, and even if I’d seen this door, I would’ve thought it was more traps.
I handed Matt the lantern and crouched down to the small iron door. It had a small slit, but it didn’t look like a normal keyhole. Even with my Sight at King rank, I couldn’t see inside. “Will you bring that light a little closer?” I asked. I hadn’t seen any keys lying around the manor, and I figured William’s letter would’ve mentioned one if I needed it, but then I remembered the coin that fell out when I opened the letter upstairs by the fireplace.
I fished the crown out of my pocket and flipped the coin over in my hand. It glinted in the lantern's light as I moved it up to the slot in the door. Here goes nothing.
I pushed the coin inside and the door immediately swung open, as if it were spring-loaded. I reached inside and pulled out the chest. My heart was racing faster than it had the first day I arrived in Aurilon.
A part of me didn’t want to open whatever was in this chest. The top of the box was covered in dust from the years it had been locked away. When I felt how heavy it was, I got excited. Could this chest possibly hold more information about my mother and father? Would there be a magical weapon? Or even a map to a hidden treasure?
I pulled it up to my chest and stood with a small grunt. “Well, it’s heavy, whatever it is.”
Matt and Gwen eyed me cautiously. I knew it was still hours before any of the others would wake. With Matt on my left and Gwen on my right, I gave them each a nod and set the box on the long wooden table. The same wooden table I’d bent Gwen over multiple times for a little afternoon delight.
Matt shifted and stammered. “This is some real Goonies shit. I’m not sure I want to be here when that thing is opened.”
I shrugged. “I think we’ll be okay.”
Matt held his breath and I gripped the sides of the box. It was about the size of a shoe box and made of high quality maple or mahogany. I popped the lid open and peered inside.
At the bottom was a flame-shaped pendant, a small burlap bag that reminded me a little of a bag of marbles, and a rolled-up scroll. I picked up the pendant and inspected it. When I focused on the beautiful craftsmanship, it was almost as if actual blue and yellow translucent flames were dancing upon its surface. I flipped it over in my hand several times before I handed it to Gwen and picked up the bag.
Matt was still holding his breath as he stood next to me. I knew he was hoping more than anything that he’d find some of those gems that could bail him out of whatever mess he’d gotten himself into back home.
I opened the bag carefully and poured its contents out on the table. Several gems, ranging in colors from blue sapphire, topaz, emerald, aquamarine, ruby, and citrine, spilled out across the table, prompting an audible gasp from Matt.
“What do you think?” I asked, breaking his unwavering eye contact with the gems.
“I’ve never seen gems like this before. It’s amazing,” he replied and lifted a ruby red gem off the table and held it to the dim light of the lantern.
I reached in and pulled out the scroll while Matt continued to appraise each of the gems on the table. He looked up at me after several seconds. I knew his mind was locked on the gems.
I picked up a flawless opal and held it up. “These gems are beautiful. Let’s get everything upstairs so we can see what we’ve got a little better.” We returned upstairs by the fireplace and took an inventory of everything that was inside the chest.
I picked up the scroll and held it in my hand. It was ripped and torn, like someone had hastily removed it from an ancient book. I wanted to ensure it didn’t crumble in my hands the second it unrolled, so I took my time. Fortunately, it held.
The writing on the scroll was in a sort of cursive but I couldn’t decipher it. I turned and showed it to Gwen, but she only shrugged. If there was anyone who could read it, I knew it was going to be Master Teng. It just so happened, he and I needed to have a nice long talk.
Chapter Nine
I rolled the scroll carefully and placed it in my leather bag, where I’d been carrying my extra ammo. I looked at Matt, who seemed to catch a second wind after we opened the chest. It was good seeing him, and having some semblance of the Matt I grew up with. There was so much that I wanted to show him. “So, if you think some of those gems will help bail you out, then you can take as many as you think you will need. I’ll escort you back to the tunnel tomorrow, so you can get back home.”
Matt found Wofferd’s flask once more and took a long swig. He shrugged and let out a slow breath. “Mom is covering the shop for me while I’m gone, so that’s good.” He paused and rubbed his head. “But yeah, I should probably take care of that shit sooner rather than later.”
I smiled and nodded. “How about you sleep on it tonight? You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish.”
Matt held up a hand as if he were about to protest, but lowered it slowly. “Hmm, well it might be interesting to see what else Narnia holds.”
“Like I said, you’re definitely welcome. Hell, who knows, maybe it will grow on you.”
Matt rubbed his eyes and nodded. “Are you sure I’m not dreaming this all up right now, and it’s not just this shit I’ve been drinking from the flask?”
I smiled and shook my head. “I can promise you, this is one hundred percent real.”
He turned toward me and furrowed his brow. “Why don’t you come back with me? I’m sure we’ll make enough from the sale of those gems where neither of us will need to work again. We can fish all day every day, just like when we were growing up.”
I glanced at Gwen and then back to Matt. “I’m where I belong. I love my life here. You read the letter. Apparently, I’m the rightful king of Aurilon. Things just keep looking up.”
Gwen stretched and pushed up against me as we moved toward the fireplace. I felt her hard nipple brush up against m
y arm and gave her a small smile. She turned to face Matt. “Well, it was so great to meet you, Matt. I hope you have a wonderful trip back home.”
He cocked his head and looked at her instead. He let his eyes linger a second too long. Enough for me to notice. I wasn’t even about to play those games with him.
I turned to Gwen and gave her a kiss. “Go up to bed. I’ll be up shortly.”
Gwen nodded and headed for the stairs. She stopped as she reached the first stair and looked back over her shoulder. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.” She smirked and continued upstairs.
Matt shook his head and turned to me. “Well, I have to admit, I knew I’d find you. What I didn’t expect was to find out you’re King Fucking Arthur of the monster world. This is a wild dream, that’s for sure.”
We spent the next hour going over everything that I’d experienced over the past couple of months since I’d arrived in Aurilon. I had to pause every few minutes while he rubbed his head in disbelief. I found out that Matty had gotten himself into a bit of debt by opening his own business. He’d taken one too many under the table deals, and ultimately blew all of his reserves in Blackhawk at one of the small casinos. We were not talking a few thousand either.