Page 68 of Bewitched By the Djinn
Helen’s eyes close, her jaw tightening. “He lied,” she whispers. “Of course, he did.” Her hands curl into fists at her sides. “Delores tried to warn me?—”
“Helen,” Bennet cuts in. “What are you talking about? Who lied?”
She lifts her chin. “Uncle Hugh. Who else?”
Bennet flinches. “What?—?”
“Despite what he may have told you, I didn’t come here on a lark. Or to escape my marriage. Well, notonlyto escape my marriage.” She swallows hard. “I came here to find my father.”
His head jerks back in shock. “What do you mean, your father? Helen, our parents are dead.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “You’re wrong. Our mother is dead. But we had different fathers, Bennet. My father was human.”
Chapter
Eighteen
Ten minutes later, we’re seated in an opulent sitting room with high ceilings and intricate crown molding. Velvet drapes frame tall windows, their heavy fabric muffling the sounds of the party outside. The furniture is rich and antique, deep mahogany pieces with plush cushions, a marble-topped coffee table sitting between us, and an ornate fireplace with a grate clean enough to eat off of.
I sit beside Bennet on a cushy white sofa. His posture is so rigid I half expect him to vibrate out of the seat. Across from us, Helen perches stiffly in an armchair, her hands gripping the arms. Delores is beside her on another chair, quiet but watchful, her dark eyes flicking between us like she’s assessing potential threats.
Shortly after Helen dropped her lineage bombshell, Delores found us in the backyard and insisted everyone come inside to chat in private. Delores is petite with a button nose and blonde hair pulled back from her face in a low bun.
“Why do you think you have a mortal father?”
Helen’s fingers tighten further on the arm rests. “I don’t think. I know. Uncle confirmed it to me, months ago.”
A muscle jumps in Bennet’s jaw. “What did he say?”
“That our parents were struggling to conceive, and that it is a known recourse, for djinn to seek assistance in the mortal realm. It is not widely discussed, but whispered of in dark corners. No one else knows why I’m here. Only Uncle, and us.” Helen glances at Delores, a flicker of acknowledgment passing between them.
The lightbulb clicks. “The swamp witches,” I blurt. Mimi mentioned they’d helped her friends have a baby.
Bennet stiffens. “You’re saying they, what, made you?”
Helen shakes her head. “No, they helped find a donor, so to speak. Our parents made a deal. A mortal man, one who carried magic in his blood, was found. Magic in the blood means they are part djinn.”
Does that mean I’m part djinn? I don’t have time to ponder the thought.
“The witches guaranteed success,” Helen continues. “In exchange, he was given riches enough to support him and his descendants. His mother’s health was ailing and he wanted her to live in comfort for her final days. The mortal realm, at least this part of it, does not take care of their most ill, apparently. They would have been on the streets to pay for her treatments and medicine.”
“Do I have a mortal father as well, then?”
“No. You were a surprise. A happy surprise. Our parents didn’t think they could conceive without assistance. And then you came along.” She offers a small, sad smile. “How were you able to find me? I blocked myself from being tracked.”
“Cassie helped me.”
I fidget in my seat. “We were able to trace your power signature to the witches, and that’s where it disappeared. We went to them for more information on where to find you.”
Helen nods. “Yes. The witches warned me there were other forces seeking me.” Her lips press together. “They warned me to keep my presence hidden with magic. I didn’t think Bennet wasthe ‘other forces’ on the hunt. I thought he would be back in Aetheria by now.”
His brows dip. “Who did you think was tracking you then?”
She shrugs. “I didn’t know. The witches wouldn’t say.”
“You didn’t think it might be your uncle?” I asked.
“Of course not. Uncle and I started making plans shortly after he confirmed the story of my heritage to come here, to search. Unclehelpedme.”
