Page 62 of Fade With Me

As we ate, Izzy paused, studying me thoughtfully between bites. “So, how are you handling everything?” His concern was obvious.

I shrugged, a knot of uncertainty wrapped around my middle. “The best I can, I guess.”

He nodded sympathetically. “Well, if you ever want to know anything, anything that might jog your memories, just ask. I’m an open book.”

I paused, considering his offer. “Hmm…” I tapped my chin. “Are there any other long-lost siblings going to pop up?”

“Nope, just me,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “The world could barely handle two, let alone a third,” he added, flashing a wink.

I thought about it for a moment. He wasn’t wrong. “True,” I said, the laugh slipping out before I could stop it.

But as the laughter faded, curiosity tugged at me, though I kept it hidden behind a casual tone. “What about me?” I asked, the hesitation barely there, but still enough to make my voice catch. “Do I have any siblings? What are my parents like?”

The question surprised even me. I realized I’d avoided asking Zeke about this, maybe because I was afraid of the answers. Afraid of the pain they might uncover, the life that had gone on without me.

Izzy’s expression faltered, his breath pausing for a moment. A shadow passed over his features, dimming his easy smile. He set his spoon down and looked at me, his eyes thoughtful, as if weighing each word before he spoke.

“You’re the last witch of the Vespera line,” he said calmly. “No siblings. You’re the sole heir to the Vespera legacy.”

Vespera. The name stirred something inside me, familiar yet distant. I’d always thought my name was Brynlynn James, Reggie’s last name. But I’d never been married to him, so that couldn’t be my true name.

The gravity of his words settled in, and I noticed his gaze drifting, the space between us stretching. His voice dropped, tinged with sorrow. “Your parents…they were ripped away from you when you were just a child. Murdered for power.”

He exhaled, his fingers curling into fists, bracing himself. “It wasn’t just one enemy, it was a group. They were like the Shadowweavers, but weaker, less experienced, less trained. They had no real power, and they knew it. That’s why they wanted yours. That’s why they came for you.” His jaw tightened. “They believed that if they could take it through dark magic, through blood, they could become something more. Stronger. Respected. Feared.”

A chill ran through me, my stomach twisting. “They came forme?”

Izzy nodded. “You were their true target. But your parents got in the way.” His voice turned icy, words like knives. “They knew they wouldn’t survive, but they didn’t hesitate. They gave everything to make sure you escaped.” A shadow crossed his face, his features hardening into a mask of barely contained fury. “They used dark magic, of course, something twisted and unnatural. Your parents never stood a chance.”

His posture eased, the weight of his words seeming to drain from him. His expression softened, a hint of pride entering his eyes. “But you made it out somehow,” he said, quiet admiration in his voice. “You’ve always been a fighter.”

A lump rose in my throat, and my words caught. “But...why?”

He studied me, his gaze tracing the lines of my face, searching for something, perhaps a crack in my defenses. “Because you...” He paused, his voice faltering. “You were born with a power no one in your bloodline has ever known. You’re theperfectwarrior. What you can do with just your mind...” He shook his head, awe lacing his words. “And your healing abilities...You’re nearly untouchable, indestructible in ways your enemies both fear and envy.”

He huffed a quiet laugh, eyes crinkling. “Honestly, you’re kind of terrifying.”

Terrifying.

It didn’t fit. His words conjured an image of someone invincible, and I felt a tremor coil in my chest as I tried to process it. Zeke had called me exceptionally powerful—blood of the ancients—but a warrior? Me? That didn’t match the person I thought I was.

He shifted, leaning slightly forward. “The men who hunted you wanted to take that power. Harness it through forbidden blood magic,” he said, his voice turning cold. “A dark, deadly ritual, one that would’ve killed you, leaving them with unimaginable power in your place.”

His eyes darkened to an almost unnatural black, his face set in quiet fury. “Those who sought to destroy your family saw you as the ultimate prize. Yourparents knew what you were and the threat you posed to their enemies. They understood the consequences if you were taken.”

He paused, pressing his lips into a hard line. “But you were only a kid. Your powers weren’t fully developed, making you more vulnerable than you are now. They gave their lives to protect you—to keep you from falling into the hands of those who would exploit your gift. Without their sacrifice, you wouldn’t have survived.”

The words hit me like a punch to the chest, heavy and sharp, carving their mark before I could brace for the blow. My parents had died because of me.Murderedfor what I was.

Then, a realization crept into my mind, quiet but undeniable. “So if I havethatmuch power…then Reggie…”

I didn’t finish the sentence, but Izzy caught the unspoken question. His shoulders stiffened, his eyes clouding with concern.

“Yeah, Reggie’s a problem,” he admitted. “He has those abilities now. It’s not just your strength or magic. It’s your indestructibility fueling him. And he knows it. He’s untouchable.”

The more I learned, the more dire the situation seemed. Every new revelation only deepened the sense of dread that had taken hold of me.

“If blood magic makes it possible to take my powers, then why doesn’t Reggie just kill me and take them?”I asked, my mind racing. “That way, he wouldn’t even need the ring, and he could just get rid of me.”

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