could also remove his warrior status. Even though he’s retired, it would still be a big deal.” Bree settled back in the chair, resting her hands over her still-flat stomach. “Faelan said if they had, every warrior there would’ve told the Council where to stuff their robes. They all stood up in support of Cody.” Bree studied Shay. “Seems like you two have worked things out.”
“I guess so.”
“Why do you seem so worried, then?”
“I did something stupid. I told Cody something I shouldn’t have, just like you’re worried about distracting Faelan. There was another reason that I ran away all those years ago. Right before Cody told me who I really was, something else happened…” Shay licked her lips and stared out the French doors. She had opened the curtain so she could see the night. There was something compelling, almost seductive about it lately. “I’d just turned eighteen, and Cody was home for a few days. He was hardly ever there, off fighting demons, I guess. We were in the hayloft one night, looking for something, and one thing led to another.” Shay sighed. “Nina came into the barn right after we’d finished. She didn’t know what we did, but it was just awful, scrambling to get dressed, afraid she would hear. Cody and I didn’t even have a chance to talk about it. He tried, later that night, but I was so embarrassed, thinking we’d committed incest or something, that I wouldn’t talk to him. He tried so hard, but I couldn’t even look at him. He finally caught me out on the back porch when Nina was gone. That’s when he told me about my past. He was frustrated, and I guess it slipped. When I left, it wasn’t just because they lied to me, that my best friend had deceived me. I wanted to get away from Cody because of what happened in the hayloft.” She had never confessed this much to anyone, not even Renee.
“A few weeks after I left, I realized I was wrong. What we did wasn’t incest. He wasn’t my brother, just the hot guy who happened to live next door. I tried to call him, but a woman answered. I thought it was a girlfriend. Then I found out I was pregnant.”
“Oh, Shay.” Bree took her hand and squeezed it.
Shay remembered staring at the pregnancy strip in disbelief. “I was scared, but I thought he had a right to know, so I wrote to him. Twice, asking him to call me. Begging. But he never called, never wrote back. I assumed he was still angry with me for running away, or that for him, what happened between us was just a moment of teenage lust.” Shay swallowed with the memory. “I hated him after that, and I blamed him for what happened next.”
“You lost the baby,” Bree said softly.
Shay nodded. She didn’t want to go into detail, since Bree was pregnant. “But it was all a mistake. I hated him for nothing. He never got the letters. Remember when Renee called, she said something about letters? She was supposed to mail them.”
“Oh no, she didn’t—”
“I spent years hating him, but he never even got the letters. He had no idea. He even came after me, left in the middle of hunting an assigned demon to try to find me. Renee told him I didn’t want to see him. I know she thought she was trying to help, but she ruined everything, and I can’t be angry with her, because she’s dead. And it’s my fault she’s dead. I didn’t plan to tell him until this was over, but it slipped out.”
“What did he do?”
“He was devastated. Heartbroken. Guilty. I think the kidnapping took his mind off it, but I’m still afraid for him.”
“Then comfort him, don’t hold anything back. If he already knows and he senses you’re withdrawn, it’ll make things worse.” Bree patted Shay’s hand. “He’ll be okay. A lot of warriors are here to help. You know it’s weird, we’re both strangers here, but this is our home too. Our father was part of this clan.”
“I’m torn between awe and anger,” Shay said. “I wish they’d told me before, but I understand why they didn’t. For the same reason I didn’t tell Cody about the baby after I came back. I guess we always try to protect those we love. Have you talked to your mother yet?”
“No. I’m still too mad at her.” Bree leaned forward. “I just can’t grasp it. I was so much like my father—Robert. We did everything together. I had this incredible connection with him. Orla, ha, that’s more understandable. We never had anything in common. I loved her, but we were totally different.”
“Can you remember anything about your real mother, Layla?”
“No, I was young when she died.”
Bree was only a few months older than Shay. She longed to know how her father managed to have children by two different women in such a short span of time. It didn’t sound very noble, but she had to believe there was more to the story.
“Do you think your grandmother knew you weren’t Robert’s child?”
“I don’t know. She went to see him just before he died. She seemed different when she came back. I wonder if he confided in her then. When I get home, I’m going to see if I can find Layla’s things. Grandma never threw anything away. Layla may have kept a journal. Most of the women in our family do.” Bree touched the tiny pearl bracelet on her wrist. “I think this was hers. My mother, Orla—I don’t even know what to call her anymore—she gave me this before the wedding. She said I needed something that belonged to my mother. I’d never seen Orla wear it before.”
“I know you’re angry, Bree, but Orla loves you. She was really hurt when she left. If I had confronted my feelings back then, I would have realized Cody never got the letters. We wasted a lot of time. Talk to your mom. Listen to her side of things. Don’t waste time being angry.” The irony didn’t escape Shay, that she was defending someone who had perpetrated a lifetime of lies.
“I know. I just need some time.”
“Don’t take too long. You can’t get any of it back.”
“You’re right,” Bree said, idly rubbing Edward’s cross.
Shay felt the talisman, warm against her skin, and wondered how Edward had felt having little girls so close in age, but from different mothers. Did the women know about each other? “You’re welcome to share this talisman.”
Bree smiled. “Keep it. That way we each have a piece of him.” She patted Edward’s necklace. “Later, maybe we’ll trade.”
