Page 204 of The Throne Seeker

Rose didn’t move. “How could you keep that from me?” Her heart stung, full of betrayal. “How could you let me believe that monster was my father?”

“Because I was trying to protect you.”

Rose scoffed. “From what?”

“From the same men who killed Thren.”

Rose’s brows grew together, silently pleading for her to elaborate.

Her mother cast her gaze to a distant memory. “I met your father when I was young. Younger than you. He was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen.” She smiled like a lovesick girl. Rose nearly toppled over at the sight. “And as luck would have it, I was out in society and looking for a suitor. I was quite the popular item, if you can believe it.” Rose had no trouble imagining that. “I went to the lakeside estate with my family for a celebration and that’s when I met him. I fell for him at first sight. Who wouldn’t? He was incredibly handsome, quick-witted, and could make me laugh like no one else. I didn’t know what a siren was back then, but I quickly learned. We spent a blissful summer together. By the end, he said he was in love with me and wanted to get married. I said yes, but my family disapproved, convinced it was only his magic luring me to him—‘a deadly infatuation,’my father said. When I told them I’d marry him with or without their blessing, my family disowned me.” Her gaze fell.

That couldn’t be right.

Rose folded her arms. “You told me they died before I was born.”

“To my knowledge, they are still very much alive and well. As far as I know, they’re still living in Catalena, happy and as wealthy as can be. I tried to reconcile with them a few times—I thought time would help—but they had no interest in contact.”

A vengeful fire sparked within Rose at her mother’s crestfallen expression. She should punish her extended family for such a crime.

“Turns out your father drew more attention than we’d bargained for. He made enemies, and long story short, we had to go into hiding—to be safe, because we had more than ourselves to think of.” Her mother rested a hand on her stomach with a small smile. “You see, it was never Henrik and I that were old friends. It was Thren and Henrik,” her mother explained. “Henrik had just become king when we learned I was pregnant. He helped us settle into a small town in Carnthe, where we thought we’d be safe. As time passed, we were lulled into a false sense of security. The men found us, somehow discovering I was pregnant, and wanted the child, wanted you. Your father distracted them while I ran… They killed him because he refused to give me up.” Her mother’s eyes sparkled with tears. “Luckily, before he died, we found a seer who could help protect you. We had her place a protection spell over you while you were still inside me—to suppress your siren and make you appear human.”

Rose didn’t blink, afraid she’d miss something if she did.

“I wanted to die that day,” her mother admitted with sorrow. “I can’t explain the utter agony I experienced those weeks after. I thought about ending my life every day, but I had to pickmyself up off the floor. I still had you. My best chance was to get remarried quickly. I was in a village market one day when I met Rathe. Even though I had no money or a family, he didn’t care. He had more than enough for us. He seemed like a dream catch. He fell in love with me quickly. Soon after, we were married, long before he found out I was pregnant. I made him believe you were his and we were content for a time, at least as much as I could be without Thren.”

Her mother smoothed her hair back. “But when you came two months early, a fully grown baby, he started questioning me. I stuck to my story, insisting you were his child. I thought he accepted it… until I realized he didn’t want to hold you, or play with you, or do anything of the sort. My heart ached that he disliked you for no fault of your own.”

Her mother sniffled and grabbed a folded handkerchief from the side table, dabbing her eyes. “I believe he knew you were not his child and resented you for it—a constant reminder of how I’d deceived him. But I had to stay. I was too afraid for your safety to go off on our own. I tried to shield you as best I could. My hope was for you to marry well, to find a man who would love you the way your father would’ve.” Her mother cast her gaze at the stone walls surrounding them. “That’s when I thought of the castle. What better protection for you than inside these walls? I reached out to Henrik, telling him what happened to Thren, and I asked if I could bring you here each summer to see if any of his sons might consider marrying you… You know what happened after that.”

Rose plopped down on the bed before she fainted, absorbing the history her mother had just revealed. The men looking for her were the same men that had killed her father—her real father. After all these years, they hadn’t given up looking for her.

“They’re coming for me,” she whispered, piecing it together. “They know I’m here.”

“I believe so,” her mother replied solemnly. “That’s why I agreed to your training—why I joined you. Why I’ve been so adamant about finding you a suitor. But Tristan’s made it impossible. I’d say we could try to make it on our own, but without the protection of the castle or wealth, we’d be sitting ducks.”

Protection they might not have, but money, they did.

“I have news on that front.”

Her mother straightened with eager eyes. “Well, don’t make me wait! Tell me.”

“I may have ridden a sleipnir, raced in the Snorri, won, and now I’m the wealthiest woman in Cathan,” Rose proclaimed, proud of it all, really.

Her mother’s eyes widened in horror, putting a hand to her heart. “You didwhat?”

“I raced in the Snorri. It’s a race between?—”

“I know what the Snorri is,” her mother snapped, waving her handkerchief. “But why in Vallor would you risk it? Do you realize how lucky you are to be alive?”

“It’s a long story, but it was important and… quite thrilling.” Rose grinned despite herself.

Her mother rolled her eyes. “Indeed,” she huffed. “You’re your father’s daughter, all right.”

Rose built her courage before saying, “There’s more.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “More?”

“Roman and I…well, we—before I came into my full siren—we…” She searched for the words, looking down to fiddle with her dress.