Into the Fire (The Unseelie Court Book 4) Gwen Rivers (sneezy the snowman read aloud .TXT) 📖

“Blood ties are strong,” Chloe says. “The stronger the tie, the stronger the magic one can do on their intended target. She probably wanted to summon you to her and Sophie was the closest genetic match.”

I shake my head. My first mother had tried to have my second mother abducted. I am a pregnant, virgin serial killer.

Do they have shrinks for people with problems like mine?

“You said her name was Sophie,” I say slowly. “Does she know who I am?”

Chloe nods. “I’ve kept in touch with her. Even sent her photos.”

“But she doesn’t know what I do.” A vigilante, a reincarnated fey queen who hijacked her actual biological daughter.

I’d ruined her life.

And now I am going to meet her. I have to look her in the eye and answer her questions. Talk about awkward.

“What if she hates me?” I whisper.

“She doesn’t.” Chloe fidgets. “In fact, the opposite of hate.”

I study her jerky movements. “What else aren’t you telling me?”

She blows out a sigh. “Okay, well, she and your dad, your biological father that is. They’re together. And they have another child.”

My lips part. “Are you screwing with me?”

She shakes her head. “I just thought I’d get it all out there now. I would have told you sooner but it isn’t safe outside the pocket realm.”

My biological parents are together and they had another kid. A better kid, one who isn’t a freaking serial killer.

I shake my head. “I thought my birth parents were German.”

“I know. Addy and I let you think that because it was better that you didn’t go looking for them.”

I stare at my aunt. “They’ll know who I am?”

She nods. “I’ve been sending them your school picture every year. Well, every year except for last year.”

Last year which had passed while I’d been screwing around beyond the Veil. “And where did you tell them that I’ve been?”

“I said you ran away.” She doesn’t try to hide a wince.

“And now you bring me here to meet them and I’m a freaking teenage runaway who also happens to be pregnant? Jeez, Chloe. Way to have me live the troubled teen stereotype.”

Her scent shifts to bitter cranberry. “Look, I didn’t have many options, what with the FBI monitoring all of our properties.”

That much is true. My aunts have multiple investments around the globe but we had to get out of the states and away from the FBI’s reach to use them.

She pushes on. “Normally, we would have crossed the Veil. However, that would negate Addy’s… sacrifice.”

Sadness coats her words. Addy broke the cardinal rule, the only rule for Norns. They can’t interfere with fate. By crossing the Veil, pretending to be Aiden and securing my freedom, Addy essentially signed her own death warrant.

“It doesn’t have to be death, does it?” I ask.

Chloe rests her head back against the window. “She knows what she’s about, kid. There’s no coming back from interfering with Fate.”

“You don’t mean that.” Even though my nerves are completely shot, I know Chloe loves her big sister. “There’s time, we can find a way to get her back. Her and Nahini and all the rest of them.”

Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. She doesn’t believe.

I swallow hard. “Okay, pregnant teen runaway, take one. Let’s go meet the folks.”

Garrett Yates is a burly man in his early forties with a thick head of curly brown hair graying at the temples and a well-trimmed brown goatee. I see nothing of myself in his mammoth form that blocks the entrance to their home more effectively than the door.

“Is it her?” a female voice calls from behind the beast. “Nic?”

“Yeah, it’s…uh me.” I say stupidly.

She moves out from behind the giant and I get my first look at my mother. She looks like a Sophie, with her big blue eyes and bright smile. Looking at her is like looking in a funhouse reflection of myself. She’s older than me by about eighteen years and her hair is pale blond, though she wears it cut short.

“Nic?” she asks again as though making sure.

“Hi.” I wave.

“It’s so good to finally see you in person.” Tears overflow her eyes.

I don’t speak. Chloe nudges me in the ribs.

“Ow. Oh, yeah. Thanks. Uh, that is you too. Thank you for having us.” Miss Manners, I am not.

A small boy, about six years old, comes running out of the back of the house, heading straight for Chloe. My brother.

“Oh, my goodness, you’re getting bigger with every breath.” The Norn swings him up into her arms. “How are you, Tate?”

He pops a finger into his mouth and gawks at me.

“Tate, this is Nic.” Sophie puts an arm around my shoulders, shocking the shit out of me.

Tate looks like a mini Garret with large dark eyes and unruly brown curls.

She smiles. “He’s shy.”

“And he was born... here?” Chloe didn’t specify how much Sophie and Garret know about the pocket realm.

Sophie nods. “He’ll warm-up. We hardly ever get visitors so this is new for him.”

He knew Chloe well enough. She must have come here often.

I shiver as a cold burst of sea air blows up the back of my dress.

“Oh, you poor thing.” Sophie has a soft Southern accent. It’s like honey for the ears. “Where are my manners? Come on in out of the cold. I think we’re going to get snow if you can believe that. Garret, quit blocking the doorway. Stand aside and let the poor girl in before she freezes to death.”

She smacks him on the chest lightly and he grunts and takes a step back without uttering a word.

Chloe looks at the three of us and then sets the boy down. “Come on, tough guy. Snag your outerwear. How about you and I go out and build a sand monster.”

Tate stares from his father to Chloe to me then back as though unsure.

“It’s okay, pal.” Garret crouches down and lays one beefy hand on the boy’s shoulder. “They’re staying for a little while.”

At this Tate flashes a grin and reaches