The man I was forbidden to love

chapter 5

Anansi

The old observatory had been abandoned for decades. Which meant, naturally, that someone had chosen it as the perfect place to meet me. I arrived alone. The building stood beyond the northern forest, surrounded by dead trees and broken stone. I stepped inside.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

I moved deeper. Then I heard breathing. Not mine. I turned. A man stepped from the darkness.

"I wondered if you'd come."

"Who are you?"

"Someone who knew your mother."

My entire body became still.

"Name."

The man smiled.

"You have her eyes."

I stepped forward.

"Name."

He laughed.

"You're exactly like your father."

I grabbed him by the throat. He didn't fight.

"Tell me."

"Your mother was Caelus."

The words hit harder than a punch. I released him.

"What?"

"She was not Aurelis."

I stared.

"That's impossible."

"Your father knew she was Caelus."

"No."

"He didn't."

The man's smile disappeared.

"That's the tragedy."

He reached into his coat. I moved instantly. He raised both hands.

"Easy."

He pulled out a small metal case. Inside was a photograph. A woman. Young.

Beautiful.

Standing beside my father. I couldn't breathe.

"Her name was Amara."

I took the photograph. My fingers trembled. My mother. After twenty-eight years, I finally had a face.

"Who killed her?"

The man looked at me.

"The Veyr ordered it."

My blood went cold.

"Why?"

"Because she discovered something."

"What?"

"The First Covenant wasn't what the clans believed."

Before I could ask anything else, the window shattered. The man dropped. A bullet had entered his chest. I moved. Too late. He was dead. I crouched beside him.

Then I heard footsteps outside. Three men. I stood. The first entered through the doorway. He attacked immediately. I blocked the strike. Elbow.

Knee. Counter. The man fell. The second came from behind. I turned just in time. The fight lasted less than a minute. But when the third man entered, I recognized him.

Aurelis. One of ours. He looked at me.

"You're making a mistake."

"Who sent you?"

He smiled. Then swallowed something. His body dropped before I could reach him. Poison. I stared at the corpse. Three assassins. One murdered witness.

One photograph. And my mother's name. Then my phone rang. I answered. Irene. Her voice broke through the darkness.

"Anansi."

I heard the fear immediately.

"What happened?"

"My father is dead."

I closed my eyes.

"I'm coming."

"You don't understand."

"Tell me."

"He told me to find you."

I froze.

"Why?"

"He said I should ask you about the First Covenant."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. Then I said:

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"Don't leave."

"Why?"

"Because if someone killed your father, you're next."

A pause. Then, quietly:

"Anansi."

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

I had heard thousands of people speak those words. Politicians. Executives. Enemies. Friends. None of them had ever affected me like that.

"I'll come for you."

"Even if your clan forbids it?"

I looked at my mother's photograph. Then at the dead men around me.

"I don't care what they forbid."

I ended the call. And for the first time since becoming Aurelis leader, I made a decision that had nothing to do with power. I was going to protect Irene. Whatever it cost me.