Chapter 224

Charles

The frantic call from the lead enforcer in Silverlight sent a jolt through me as I navigated the bustling streets of Silverlight. Eva had arrived, as expected, and my soul told me that I had to be there and that exactly what I expected to see--what should have been impossible--was exactly what I'd be walking into.

I hurried toward the house I'd left Ryon in. My heart was hammering. Hope and abject terror filled me. There were only a few reasons that Eva would be who I thought she was, and there were only a few ways this could end. I opened the door, expecting pandemonium. Instead, an eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by muffled voices and the crackling of magic. My senses went on high alert. I activated the shielding on my clothes and got ready for a fight. If Eva was even half as dangerous as she'd been projected to be when she was younger, this wasn't a fight I could just waltz into.

There was no one on the ground floor. All of the muted sounds and the tingling sense of magic were coming from upstairs. I approached the stairs and ascended slowly, silencing my footsteps as I broke through the sound barrier.

Someone cried out in pain and went flying past me with a shock. He landed hard with a thud and groan before struggling to stand. It was the lead Enforcer.

"What's going on?" I asked. He shuddered, pushing himself to his feet and pointing down the hall.

His face was grim and bloody. He spat out a bit of blood.

"Your guest is here... And pissed off."

He didn't need to elaborate. I turned and headed down the hallway. My steps quickened as I made my way towards the source of the commotion. Pushing open the heavily warded doors, I was met with a sight that stole the breath from my lungs.

Standing in the center of the room, her dark hair cut close to her head, a brilliant, fiery red gem resting between her brows. The light of it set a blazing red glow in her hair and eyes. The air swirled with magical energy, but there was no mistaking her.

She looked every bit her mother and father's daughter: Astarte's lips, Set's nose, Astarte's curves, and Set's height. She looked very much like a young Astarte.

I could hardly breathe, stunned at the sight of her and the familiar power and defiance that filled her expression. While her power wouldn't hurt me, she could still attack for other reasons.

Then, the shock was quickly overtaken by the realization that everything about my treaty, my truce, and my agreement with Lucian would have to change with regard to Ryon. Eva was just like her mother. She'd chosen Ryon and Moon, help whoever she decided to punish for his current state.

I looked over at the bed and found Ryon still seemingly asleep.

Then, I looked back at Eva. Her eyes flickered with dangerous light. There was no recognition in her eyes.

"Who are you?" She snarled.

I hesitated. An Enforcer jumped up, and I held out my hand.

"Hold!"

He stopped mid-step, still tense and keeping his eyes on Eva. I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders.

"Eva, right?" She narrowed her eyes. "Please, calm down. You don't have to drop the barrier, but this conversation would be better held without the light show."

She conjured a blade of pure light. It was one of Astarte's signature moves. I almost smiled, thinking how proud Astarte would be to see that she'd inherited the ability.

"You haven't answered my question."

"I'm Charles," I said. "Charles Blackwoods, Lycan King... If that matters to you?"

She shifted a bit, blocking my view of Ryon's face. She narrowed her eyes.

"You don't come any closer."

I held up my hands and stepped back. She seemed more suspicious by the action, but the magic in the room started to fade. The fear and accusation in her eyes seemed to dull a little bit. A sense of temporary truce settled over the room. No one moved, and Eva looked ready to attack if I said even the slightest thing wrong.

I took a deep breath. "Please lower the wards on the rest of the house."

She narrowed her eyes. "What are you planning to do with Ryon?"

I glanced at Ryon. "What do you think I should do?

"Let him go," she snarled. "He's done nothing wrong."

"He was a part of the attack in vampire territory."

"It wasn't his fault!"

Tension crackled in the air. Eva was shaking. The air sparked with magic. Her eyes glossed over.

"They forced him."

"I know that." I searched her face.

"Then, why are you holding him here? He's injured! He needs help."

"He's getting all the help possible," I said gently, searching her face for some glimmer of recognition. There was none. It was unnerving. Suspicious rose in me like wildfire. There was no doubting that this was Eva. Her magic felt exactly the same as Astarte's, but why did she not remember me?

Something was different, something… wrong.

The silence was shattered by Lucian's entrance. She went back on the defensive, snarling at him. Her magic pulsed in the air. I turned back to look at him. He looked shocked and pale. His footsteps faltered as his gaze met Eva's. A gasp escaped his lips. I saw his lips moving, saying her name. My own breath hitched. He felt it, too. Then, there really was no mistaking it.

So why didn't she remember me?

How many heads were going to roll?

Lucian, usually stoic and controlled, was visibly shaken. More unsettlingly, Eva mirrored his reaction. Her eyes widened, her hand flying to her chest as if struck by an unseen force.

"Why… why do I…" she stammered, confusion etched on her face.

Ryon groaned and rolled onto his side, panting. She turned back to him.

"Just lay down--"

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her down. She said something gently, soothing him, pressing his head to her chest.

"You're too injured to--"

"Stay away from her," Ryon snarled.

His eyes were filled with flickering red light. I could see the blood stain growing in his bandages. I heard the pain in his voice. I growled at him, and he went still. His eyes shot to me.

"Nothing will happen to her," I said. "You have my word." I looked at Eva. "Ryon isn't slated for jail time, Eva, or exile. Okay?"

Her jaw trembled. She didn't look convinced, but her eyes dragged over to Lucian. He approached slowly. She strengthened the barrier, but as expected, he glided right through it. He didn't even slow down as he approached. She went pale with fear and reared back, but he kneeled in front of her. His voice was so gentle as he spoke, the way I imagined he probably spoke to her when she was much younger.

"Little 'Eva," Lucian whispered. "You've worried your mother sick. Where have you been all these years?"

She blinked down at him, clinging to Ryon. "How... How did you get through my barrier?"

"It's... a blessing or a curse, depending on how you feel," Lucian said. "On all vampires. We are unable to hurt those with whom we share a blood tie. Your father... is my dearest brother. I told you about it when you were a little girl. Don't you remember?"

"I've never met you before," Eva said. "Who the hell are you?"

Lucian lowered his head and took her hand.

"Please try to remember, Eva. Think. Take your time."

"Blood... tie?" Ryon asked. "Brother?"

"Ryon," I said, stepping forward. "I need you to remain calm. Everything is... much more complicated than before, but that doesn't mean anything has changed."

They were easy words to say, but I couldn't make up his mind about how he felt about Eva's lineage.

Ryon lifted his gaze to me, then to Eva. "You're... a vampire?"

She blinked, confused. "I'm a witch."

Ryon shook his head. "He just said you're related to the High Vampyr. You don't..."

And he was right. She didn't smell like a vampire. Not anymore.

"Well, he's lying!" Eva said, gripping Ryon's hand. "I told you who my parents were. I--"

"I'm not," Lucian said gently. She looked back at him and sneered.

"You have to be because my family is dead," she said. "Murdered by werewolves."

Lucian looked back at me, and I rubbed the back of my neck. She seemed convinced, and while that wasn't exactly untrue, it wasn't the whole truth either. It seemed like everything was going to be way more complicated than I first thought.

I pulled out my phone and tapped out a message to Grace. I'd rather call her, but there really wasn't time to right now. I'd have to call her after I'd gotten some of this settled.

Grace, I won't be back tonight. Things have gotten more complicated.