Page 9 of My Pucking Life

“I had Benny get coffee if you want some; there are sweet and darker options. You can have as much as you like.” I gesture towards the obnoxious amount of Cool Beans Coffee cups all over the kitchen counter with Leera's sunflower bouquet.

Runa nods and says a quiet ‘thank you’ as she gravitates towards the sweeter coffee options. I catalog that tidbit of information for later as I move towards the giant couch in the living room area. We could all easily fit at the dining room table, but I don't want this to feel like a board meeting or interrogation. I'll save that for the twins. For what we have to discuss, I want us all to be as comfortable as possible.

I sink into the seat on the furthest left side of the couch by the floor-to-ceiling windows. I'm sipping on my coffee when Leera makes it to the couch and moves to sit beside me. I quickly set my coffee down on the sofa table and capture her by the hip, pulling her onto my lap. She squeals but settles in to make herself comfortable. “I need to hold on to you to get through this,” I whisper into her hair with my head in the crook of her neck.

She wraps her arm around my head and kisses the side of it, letting me hold onto her as everyone else joins us in the living room.

When my sister makes eye contact with me, I nod and try to smile, “Whenever you're ready,” I encourage her.

I'm not ready, but I have to be. I have to know how she exists and why she hid from me for so long.

“Okay, so…I suppose it’s best to start at the beginning,” Runa begins, wringing her hands in her lap.

“Take all the time you need.” Leera smiles at her warmly and encouragingly while the rest of us nod in agreement.

Runa nods, more to herself than anything, and takes a deep breath, gathering herself for what she’s about to tell me. For what she's about to tell all of us. “Before I begin, I think it would take a lot of the weight off of my shoulders if I know how you feel about your father.”

“Isn’t he our father?” I challenge and arch my right eyebrow, testing her reaction to him, and allow myself to smile when she snaps back.

“No, he isn’t. His DNA gave me life, but that vile creature is no father of mine. I won’t tell you anything else until you tell me how you feel about him.” She crosses her arms over her chest and raises her right eyebrow in response, and dammit if that move doesn’t create a small fissure in my heart, as if to make room for her.

My smile morphs into a low laugh. “Then we already have something to agree on. Please continue.”

She sighs as if in relief and looks stronger when she begins again, “Well, that man is a monster. You are not their firstborn child. And we are not the only children they conceived.”

She must notice I’m about to interrupt her, so she raises her hand, “I know, and I will tell you everything. It’s just…It’s heavy, and I haven’t ever said any of this out loud.”

Leera starts rubbing soothing circles on the back of my neck and whispers, “I know this is a lot for both of you, but try to let her get through it, Big Guy,” she finishes her thought with a kiss to my temple.

“Also, please remember that all of this was told to me, so there are some details that I may not have or might get slightly wrong…So anyways. Apparently, when they were young, Avram and Boian went to Sabbax and found a dark witch to grant them their prophecies.” A gasp sounds from Matilda at the kitchen island. She's resting on her elbows while sipping on one of the sweet coffees.

Leera looks around in confusion, and when no one explains, she asks, “Why did Miss Tilly gasp? I mean, it definitely doesn’t sound good, but we’ve talked about the dark witches before without anyone gasping.”

Andrei speaks up to fill her in, “Witches created a law a couple centuries ago that forbids them from casting spells to provide prophecies.”

“Why?”

“Because they make people crazy,” Benny pipes in and continues, “They obsess over the words, constantly trying to figure them out. If the vision of the future is clear, they lose their minds trying to make sure it does or doesn't come true.”

Leera nods, taking in all the new information. “So…India was telling the truth?” she asks the room.

“It would seem so, sweetheart,” I soothe because I feel her sadness begin to rise. “Do you know the prophecy?” I ask my sister, but she’s already shaking her head.

“I’m sorry, no, just that whatever it is made him decide that he refused to have daughters…” she trails off again and looks to be gathering herself. “In the beginning, when Mother became with child their first time, he used the excuse that he would not have a daughter for an eldest child. She obviously became overwhelmed with fear and sadness because her instincts told her the pup was, in fact, a girl.” She stops speaking, eyes on her lap, and chances a look around the room and glances at my men, and I can barely contain my rage.

Leera shoves off my lap and sits between us. “They’re not mad at you; just keep going.”

“When Mother gave birth, he refused to be with her, so she only had the healer with her. But this wasn’t one of the King and Queen’s healers that would normally tend to her. This was one paid by Avram to do exactly as he instructed.” She takes a deep breath, and I brace myself. “His instruction was that only a male heir was to survive the birth,” she whispers sadly, voice shaking.

A collective group of curse words is fired around the room, and the anger from everyone is palpable. I’m shaking with rage, but I need to hear it all. “Please, continue,” is all I can get out between my clenched teeth.

“So…when our oldest sister was born, Mother was allowed five minutes with her before she was taken from her, and he had the baby killed. Mother carried another daughter for her second pregnancy, three years later. You were her third attempt at bearing an heir for Avram. She was so ecstatic when you were born, and she was allowed to keep you. She refused a nanny and never let you out of her sight, always in fear that he would change his mind and take you from her.”

I hadn’t realized I’d begun to shed tears while Runa spoke until Leera accepted a box of tissues from Matilda and handed me the box after taking two for herself. I kept my mouth shut, allowing her to continue her painful monologue.

“She was also happy to have you as an only child, but Avram wanted more children and demanded she be a ‘good mate’ and ‘do her duty.’ He was an awful, vile mate and never deserved to be blessed by the goddess. What he didn’t tell her was that he didn’t want more children; he wanted more sons. When she became with child again, he wasn’t happy with her. He acted as though he didn’t care at all, and when she pressed him, he finally admitted that he would never accept a female heir. It destroyed her. To be told she would never be allowed to raise a daughter, and any she conceived wouldn’t be allowed to live. She fell into a deep depression. He continued to berate her, and you continued to grow. You were everything to her,” she chokes but waves her hand as to say, “I’m okay, give me a minute.”

“She was forced to give up two daughters after you and began avoiding pregnancies at all cost, but he had forbidden the healers from giving her a tonic—”

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