Trendan was glad to see Liri was there when they arrived. Quinton and Victor elected to wait outside, along with Tor. It was probably for the best. They were a little more intimidating, and the woman they were going to see was already on the defensive. His insides were in knots, and he couldn’t understand why.
Jeri stopped outside the door and took off her pendant. When he gave her a questioning look, she motioned to the door. “I don’t know if this affects those with diluted Solrelm DNA, and don’t want to shock someone by mistake.”
He nodded. He hadn’t considered that.
She gave him a look. “Are you all right?”
How did she know? Were their souls that connected already? He glanced at Bastian, but as always, the only emotion he was displaying was amusement. He sighed. “I think I’m a little nervous. She may be my niece.”
Bastian’s eyes widened. “I didn’t even think of that.” He smiled. “That’s strange. Meeting your three-hundred-year-old niece.”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Liri suggested, and it surprised Trendan that she was the voice of reason. Usually, she ran into a situation without thinking it through. “Ready?” She looked at him.
Trendan nodded.
The first thing he noticed when he walked in this time was that the house looked more lived-in than it had on his previous visit. There were items on the counter and shoes at the door. He hadn’t paused in all of his tasks to inquire how many women and children they had found. He frowned and went into the sitting area. He also hadn’t asked how the woman they were here to see had found out that this house existed, and they were looking for the others of the men from his realm.
Liri stopped, and he was so distracted he almost walked into her. “Eleni.” She spoke to the woman he needed to talk to. She was sitting in the chair in the corner reading.
“Have you found him?” She stood up and looked at Trendan.
He felt the tingle go through his arm and knew that Jerika was stepping around him.
“Eleni, I’m Jeri. We’ve come to talk to you.”
The woman’s dark eyes assessed her for a moment. “About what?” The disdain in her voice was very clear.
“You wanted Tredan to find your father…”
“He abandoned my mother and me when I was born.” She scowled. “You have no idea what she…”
“How old are you?” Bastian blurted out.
She turned cold eyes to look at him. “What does that matter?”
Bastain shrugged, his expression void of any concern. “It does trust me.”
She gave him a hard look and then glanced around. “I’m older than I look.” She said without emotion in her voice.
“We know,” Jeri said and then turned and looked at Trendan. “I believe it’s possible. I can’t see the same woman I did with your brother because she’s older than when she was with Elyas…”
“That’s his name,” Eleni growled. “Where is he?” She stepped by Jeri and got in Trendan’s face. “He needs to see what he’s done.”
Liri moved around Bastian and put her hand on Eleni’s shoulder. “Eleni, there are some things you need to know.”
She looked at Liri. “What?”
Liri cleared her throat and looked at Trendan briefly. “Your father didn’t leave your mother on his own.”
Eleni gave her a look that said she didn’t believe her. “What do you mean?”
Bastain stepped up beside Liri. “We need to know if you recognize someone.” He pulled out his phone and tapped the screen. “This man may be the reason your father wasn’t there.”
She put her hands on her hips and gave him an impatient look. When Bastian held the screen out for her to see, Trendan could see in her expression that she recognized Fatik. She nodded. “That’s—” She blinked. “I don’t remember his name, but he used to come around a lot when I was a kid. Then he just didn’t anymore.”
“Fatik is his name.” Trendan fought to keep from growling. “He told your father that you and your mother, Inara, died during your birth.”
Her head snapped, and she gave him a wary look. “What do you mean? Why would he do that?”
“Is your mother all right?” Jeri asked, a concerned look on her face.
Eleni’s expression broke from anger to sadness in a blink. “No. No, she’s not. I don’t know how to help her. I’m only here for answers. I check on her a few times a day.” She turned and looked back at Trendan. “That stuff they gave us to drink. They don’t bring it anymore. Not for months, and I need it.” She stepped closer. “Can you get it?” The angry woman transformed before his eyes into a concerned and upset daughter.
Trendan nodded and then glanced to see Liri taking out her phone. “Yes. If you take us…”
“I am not taking you anywhere near her.” She glanced at Bastian and then back to him. “If you find that man—” She pointed to Bastian’s phone. “I will consider it.”
“Eleni.” Jerika put her hand on the woman’s arm. When she looked at her, Jerika motioned to him and then Bastian. “These are your uncle’s—your father’s brothers.” She offered an understanding smile. “I don’t expect you to be all forgiving in any of this, but there are reasons and things you should know.”
Eleni looked at her for a moment and then turned and looked at Trendan. “I don’t understand. Are you saying my mother had to suffer for…”
“No.” Trendan shook his head. “No, she should not have. We are going to find all those responsible and bring them to justice, starting with Fatik.”
She blew out a breath and nodded in a shaky way. “Okay. You do that, and then I’ll take you to my mother.”
“Riaz is bringing the elixir.” She smiled at Eleni. “The pure elixir, not that bastardized stuff they’ve been giving you.”
Eleni put her hand over her mouth, tears in her eyes. “Thank you.” She nodded.
“Your mother will need more care than a dose of elixir,” Trendan said in a soft voice. “We will find you and her a home and guarantee your safety.” He wanted to go. Now. If he stood here much longer, he was going to turn into a rampaging lunatic. His brother’s child was right here in front of him, a damaged, abused child that had grown into an untrusting woman, and he didn’t blame her. He stepped closer and held out his hand. “Trendan.”
With a wary look, she took his hand and shook it quickly.
Trendan glanced at Bastian. “This is Bastian.” He nodded. “We are part of the royal family of Solrelm. Your mother and you are part of that family.”
Eleni didn’t hide the shock. “My father is royalty?” She shook her head. “I always thought mother made that part up.” She stiffened. “Is my father still living?”
“Very much so,” Liri said with a smile. “He is going to be so happy that we’ve found you.”
Eleni gave her a quick look. “I don’t want to see him until my mother is well and everything is explained to us.”
“Understood.” Trendan nodded to her and then glanced at Liri. “This is your cousin, Liri. She’ll look after you until we can return.”
“I’ll explain everything,” Liri said quietly.
Jerika wiped her hand over her eyes and then gave Trendan a brief look. “We have to go meet with someone, but we’ll be back.” She turned to Eleni.
Eleni nodded but wasn’t really seeing anyone at this point. She looked so lost in her thoughts that Trendan felt guilt all over again. He should have been aware of what Elyas was going through. None of this should have been allowed to happen.
“We will return soon.” He nodded abruptly and then looked at Liri, whose expression assured him that she wasn’t going to let anything happen to her.
He put his hand on Bastian’s shoulder so he would turn and leave the room as well. If there was one thing his brother was good at, it was saying too much too soon, and he didn’t want that for—his niece.
As soon as they stepped outside, he moved off of the pathway, bent over, and rested his hands on his knees.
“I can’t believe it,” Bastain said in a quiet tone. “Elyas’ other and child both live.”
Trendan blew out a breath and then straightened up. “Mother is going cry.”
Bastain nodded. “Oh yeah. Buckets full.”
“I take this to mean you have confirmed what you sought?” Victor looked from one to the other.
“We have a niece. My brother’s other is alive, not healthy, but living.” Trendan took a deep breath and felt a calm fill him. Not a peaceful one, but one of cold vengeance. “Fatik is the one responsible for lying to my brother.”
Victor glanced at Quinton. “Let us not keep him waiting.”
Quinton grinned.
Trendan nodded and pulled out his phone. “I’ll tell Tor we’re on our way.” He looked at Jerika, who shook her head.
“I’m going to stay here with Liri until that’s done.”
Trendan wanted to object.
“I will stay here with them.” Ulric stepped forward. “You have no need of me when you see Fatik.” He gave Victor and Quinton a sideways glance.
“Okay.” Trendan nodded and then took Jeri’s arm gently and pulled her away from the others. He stopped and leaned down closer to her. “Stay here until we return.”
She nodded.
He frowned. “Maybe we should get one of the Alterealm princesses to come wait with you. The one that shoots fire from her hands.”
Jerika smiled at him and shook her head. “We’ll be fine. There are alarms on the doors, and with Ulric and Liri’s guard, we will be fine.”
He straightened up and blew out a breath. “All this magic stuff has me nervous.”
She laughed softly. “If anything feels off, I’ll call Capri, okay?”
He grinned. “That works for me.” Leaning down, he kissed her mouth quickly and then released her arm. It wasn’t until he was walking toward his brother that he realized what he had done. He hadn’t thought about kissing her. It had just happened.
Bastain gave him an amused look. “You would look smashing in the royal robes with that flashy pin on.”
Trendan scowled at him. “I think I’ll ask Capri if she can spell your mouth to stop talking.”
Bastain looked offended. The princes with him both grinned.
“Let’s go get Fatik and squeeze some answers out of him.” He growled.
“I like him,” Quinton said quietly to his brother.
“Indeed,” Victor answered before he reached over and put a hand on both Bastian and Trendan’s shoulders.