Page 98 of The Throne Seeker (Vallorian #1)

R ose found her mother hidden away in her room.

As usual, it was immaculate. Each book, every piece of furniture, and even her hair brushes were meticulously arranged in a straight line on her desk. The familiar scent of her potent magnolia perfume lingered in the air, mixed with the taste of rain from the cracked window.

She stood at the edge of her mother’s canopy bed, glaring at her mother, who fell on the pressed sheets, still taking in her transformation.

“Goodness, you look just like him—how did this happen? How did you lift the blood spell? Did someone try to hurt you?” her mother asked all at once.

Rose narrowed her eyes. “No, no one hurt me, but I get to ask the questions right now. You said I look like him—him who ?”

She was terrified of the answer, but she needed to know, even if it turned her world upside down.

No more lies, no more half-truths, no more secrets.

She could recall only a handful of moments when her mother was this apprehensive. This would be another to add to the list.

“Your father, Rose. Your real father.”

Rose didn’t think she’d heard her right. “My real father?”

Her mother didn’t shrink away, holding her gaze as she let her absorb the news.

“What do you mean, real father?” Rose asked again, becoming more assertive. “If Rathe wasn’t my father,” she said, speaking his name for the first time in a year, “then who is?”

Her mother’s lips grew into a sad yet bright smile. “The most wonderful man I’ve ever known. His name was Thren Devereaux… and he was a siren.”

Rose’s jaw slackened. “You mean…”

Her mother nodded slowly, patting the spot beside her on the bed.

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 pick myself 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 did what ?”

“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.

Turned out her expression was all her mother needed.

“You mean…” A hand flew to her mother’s mouth. “Oh, Rose. That poor boy.”

A punch to the gut, if there ever was one.

“Am I that horrible?” she asked with a sharpness.

“Of course not, just—give me a moment,” her mother snapped, pausing. “Has he proposed?” She eyed Rose’s empty hand, which she hid behind her back.

“No, we’ve just begun seeing each other that way.”

Her mother couldn’t fathom it. “I don’t understand. I thought you and Roman didn’t get along. What changed?”

Rose reflected thoughtfully for a moment. “Everything. I thought he’d never understand me, but he does, Mum.” Her heart ached just thinking of him. “He sees what I am and lets me be just that… His love comes with no expectations.”

“Exactly how close have you two become?” Her mother tilted her head, attempting to look her in the eye.

Rose’s cheeks burned as she looked away. “As close as you can get.”

Her mother’s brows raised. “That didn’t take long, but I suppose I should’ve known after I found him in your bedroom after the wedding. You were just so broken. I didn’t know what to do.” She paused. “Has he gotten sick yet?”

Rose’s eyes shot to meet her mother’s. “How’d you know about that?”

“I experienced something similar.” Her mother went to her desk and opened the drawer, rummaging through its contents.

“It’s something that happens when your siren desires them, draws them in.

It’s powerful magic, to be sure. It can make him unable to survive without you if it’s strong enough. It’s quite a painful way to die.”

Rose’s heart faltered for a few beats. “You mean he really could’ve died?”

“Yes. And you’ll need to be careful if you’re—” her mother paused, looking for the word, “— intimate with him in your full siren. As a human, he may never be able to move on from you… Ah!” Her mother found what she was looking for, holding up a small golden band.

Her mother brought it to her, placing it into her palm.

“Take this ring, give it to him. It’ll help him remain unaffected by your siren when you’re apart. ”

Rose looked down at the thick golden band with runes inscribed on it. “How do you have this?”

Her mother held up her hand, showing the ring she never took off. “Because I had to wear one, too. Your father had it made for me by the same seer who cast the protection spell over you. We had two made, knowing this day might come. He’ll need to wear it always.”

Rose inspected the ring. She had always believed it to be a cherished family heirloom. “Why hasn’t this happened to Tristan or anyone else?”

“I don’t know for certain; the magic affects everyone differently. It’s not your choice. It’s your siren’s—your magic. For some reason, it desires Roman above anyone else.”

Rose needed a moment to process. She stood from the bed and went to the window, gazing out. That night on the balcony, when she first laid eyes on Roman, she’d felt something stir within her—that unfamiliar energy… Could it have been her magic?

“How do I know if he truly loves me?” Rose asked almost rhetorically into the night sky, now free of storm clouds. “How do I know his love isn’t just my siren luring him in? Forcing him to stay?” She faced her mother. “How did you know it was love and not infatuation?”

Her mother rose from the bed. “I didn’t. Perhaps I never will. But it didn’t make our love any less real to me.”

Rose looked back to the window, wishing she could be so sure.

Her mother joined her. “I know you must have more questions, but it’s getting late, and we need to decide what we’re going to do. I say we take the risk and leave. Go into hiding. We have the resources now, and we aren’t defenseless.”

“What about the queen? I can’t ask Roman to leave her now.” She had already kept him away too long.

Her mother bit her lip, tapping her foot. “You’re right. We’ll wait until the queen is at peace… I fear it won’t take long,” she said, her voice saddened. “Then the three of us will go back to Highland Haven until we figure out what to do next.”

Rose slowly nodded, agreeing.

Her mother took her hand, looking her in the eye. “Whatever you do, don’t tell Tristan about Roman. He’s had enough trouble getting accustomed to his marriage as it is, and I don’t want him interfering again.”

She didn’t have to tell her that.

Her mother gave a firm nod. “Right. Now let’s go… Roman must be going stir-crazy without you,” she muttered from experience.