Page 93 of War of Her Heart

“Violet,” my father said as he took a step back when he saw my glowing eyes and light blonde hair. “What did you do?”

“No. What didyoudo, Father?”

He opened his mouth to say something before quickly shutting it and glancing at Bash.“What is he doing here?”

“He’s my mate.”

He looked between the two of us in shock.

“Those pills that hid all of this,” I said, motioning to myself, “also hid our bond from me.”

My father began pacing the room before sitting on the edge of the bed and burying his face in his hands.

“I burnt down an entire room,” I said as I grew impatient waiting for my father to gather his thoughts.

My father’s eyes shot up at me.

“I feel like I’m owed an explanation before I start burning things down again.”

He ran his fingers through his hair before he stood up and began walking towards me.

“You are so much more than a Commander’s daughter, my little bird. You’re not a Commander’s daughter at all,” he said as placed his hand on my cheek.

I took a step back, forcing his hand off of me. “What do you mean?” I asked.

He took a deep breath and looked at Sebastian one more time as if hoping he would leave before he began, but Sebastian stood strong at my side.

“I am not your father. You are the daughter of the Sovereign of the Sun Realm and his mate, a phoenix.”

I took another step back from him and felt Sebastian’s cool hand on my lower back. He knew what I wanted to do.

Run. Like I’d done with every confrontation. But I needed to hear this. Even if it changed the course of the rest of my existence.

“When you were only a few months old, your parents died trying to save the phoenixes from the massacre. I was your father’s Commander—sworn to protect his life—but he choseyour life over his own. He and your mother went to the phoenix village when they got word that they were being attacked. He left you with me and said if I didn’t hear from them before nightfall, I was to leave the Sun Realm and keep you hidden and protected.

Nightfall came and I took you and went to the Mountain Realm because it was the closest place to find safety and shelter. I found an abandoned cottage and made it our home. I never took my eyes off of you. I hunted for our food with you strapped to my back, and I slept with you in my arms every night. My only priority was keeping you alive and hidden, but it wasn’t long before you grew into your powers and your tantrums, well, your tantrums would start fires.” He let a small chuckle out like he was picturing an image from the past before he continued, “I couldn’t find berries one day and you burnt the cottage down. I knew I had to find a way to hide your powers, or someone would come after you. We traveled to the Land of the Healers to find something to help you.

“After the massacre, the fae of the Sun Realm glamoured themselves so they could live peacefully in other realms. Sometimes, it was rare though, you come across a fae like Sebastian who can see glamours. Some of our fae were discovered and killed because others’ realms feared they were planning a rebellion or would kill others for revenge of losing their homeland. When word got out, some of our fae found a healer to change their appearance in a way that no one would know.

“A few of my allies had sent word to me about the healer so I could change my appearance more effectively. They had no idea I had you. The way it was told, you were in the phoenix village and died the same day your parents did. We went to the healer, but your case was something he had never seen. The last living of your kind. You were only an infant but when you cried, youcould burn down a forest. He had to work with a few others to treat you.

“Even though most assumed you died during the phoenix massacre, there were many who believed you were alive. They have spent the last eighty years preparing for the day of your return. The day you will avenge your parents and restore the Sun Realm. Those fae have spread through every realm, some even on the councils, and are waiting for you.

“Waiting for a sign from you to retaliate and take back what is ours.”

I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t get words to come out of my mouth. All I had wanted to know was what the hell I was. I didn’t expect to learn I was meant to restore an entire fucking realm and . . . andrule it.

Sebastian dropped his hand from my back. I looked at him to see his eyes wide and his mouth slightly opened.

I thought he had an idea of what I was, but he obviously wasn’t expecting all of that.

I walked past my father to the balcony doors, pushing them open. I needed air. I needed to process everything he had just told me.

My father . . . was not my father.

That may have been the part that shocked me the least. He didn’t have a parental bone in his body. He loved me and I loved him, but we never had a bond like fathers and daughters usually had.

It was always protection to him. And now I knew why.

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