Chapter 24

"I told you, I'm not going anywhere."
"I can't explain here. I have to take you to someone. If you don’t want to hear anymore lies, then you have to trust me on this."
She pursed her lips looking around my apartment like she was afraid I was fooling her. Reluctantly, she agreed. I called for a taxi chewing my bottom lip. I was improvising. After all, I had no idea if Tron was home. Alex forbade me to talk to Ella about her real family, but I promised her that I wouldn’t lie, and he needed to understand that.
No one had ever heard about a royal line within the fairy community except for Nicky. Although there was a possibility Alex wasn’t Ella’s father, I knew I needed to be careful.
Ella didn’t talk to me in the cab and it was fine with me because I was trying to think about my strategy. Alex had revealed such a massive secret, expecting me to just stay quiet and away from a friend I’d known since kindergarten.
The ride felt like the longest of my entire life. By the time we arrived at Tron’s home I’d run out of ideas and my magic was driving me insane, to the point where the front mirror in the taxi cracked.
The taxi driver frowned and nearly crashed the car, but Ella didn't even notice. I paid the heavy fine and told my friend that we’d arrived.
"Why did you bring me here? If you think bringing me to some posh party will earn you points, then you’re wrong."
“It's not a party and please let me talk. I told you this is complicated," I muttered looking around anxiously. The darkness covered the streets and I sighed with relief when I noticed all the lights were on in Tron’s home.
We marched across the road and approached his dark wooden doors. It felt like I had piles of bricks tumbling around in my stomach. My strategy was risky as hell but after so many unexpected events in my life I refused to be the bad guy again. I knocked, avoiding looking at Ella. After a long moment of silence, I felt like I was wasting my time, but then we heard footsteps and soon the door opened. My face fell when I didn't recognise the person standing in the entrance.
"Eeee… hi, I'm here to see Tron. Is he available?" I asked stuttering. The guy looked bored but at least he wasn’t paranormal, he was a pure human, wearing a blue shirt with black trousers. He looked to be in his forties with bushy eyebrows and faint grey hair.
"Mr. Krescen. Yes, he’s in the library. Would you like to come in?" Ella made an odd growling sound next to me, but didn't say anything.
"Sure, thanks."
We walked through the door and my heart started thumping faster and faster until we reached familiar surroundings.
Ella looked around, pretending like she wasn't impressed but her already flushed cheeks were giving her away. The man I presumed was the butler, told us to sit down on a black sofa asking if we wanted any refreshments. Ella asked for wine and I declined feeling like I was ready to throw up. In any other circumstance my best friend would ask me a ton of questions about the owner of the house, but she was quiet, and this was simply worrying me.
Tron took his time; he showed up ten minutes later wearing a white archery uniform. It was obvious to me that he recognised Ella, but the expression on his face didn’t reveal anything.
"Julia, I didn't expect to see you here today. I believe our meeting is set for Friday," he said. Ella was looking from me to Tron, bewildered.
"I'm sorry, I can't lie anymore. You have to call Alex and tell Ella what’s going on. I promised that I’d be honest with her," I said getting straight to the point without any introductions.
Tron raised his left eyebrow and put his helmet on the floor. He nodded to the butler who left in an instant.
Ella opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. The air had gone dense in a matter of seconds.
“I've been telling Alex for years to get in touch, but he’s too old fashioned. Let me summon him, so he can decide how to resolve this."
My jaw dropped. I surely wasn’t expecting him to say that. I thought he would start shouting, threatening to stop teaching me.
"Julia, he isn't a vampire, is he?" Ella finally asked, moving closer to me. It was easy to guess that her bravery was wearing off and her old fears were back.
"Listen, you wanted to know, but we can leave and forget about this. I kept it from you because I know how the news about me affected you."
"No, no, we’re staying. Whatever it is, I can take it. I just don’t want to be around vampires."
Tron wasn’t paying much attention to us. He went to a stylish cabinet and took out a bottle of brandy. My mind started racing through some odd scenarios. I’d only known those two for a few months, and only when they were on their best behaviour. How was Alex going to react without knowing that I brought Ella?
"So, Ella, tell me a little about yourself. Do you enjoy your human life and the simplicity of this world?" Tron asked, suddenly throwing me off guard. Ella obviously didn't expect to be addressed, but she sipped her wine and smiled.
"I like having fun, I like my job and my boyfriend. I'm planning to open my own salon in the future," she said confidently. My stomach churned, and I wished that I’d ordered a drink earlier, because now I really needed to numb myself.
Tron was smoothing his chin watching Ella closely. Something was off, and I couldn't say why I felt so trapped being around him. He was just too clam and I had no idea where Alex was.
Soon enough Tron engaged in conversion with Ella about beauty products she’d been using. I couldn't believe it, folding my arms together looking at the two of them with bewilderment.
Then around ten minutes later we heard footsteps coming from the long corridor and then Alex appeared looking grim.
"Julia, what are you doing here?" he asked with surprise but when he noticed Ella sitting on the sofa, his face fell, going pale in an instant. I stood up trying to cease the magic stirring inside my core like fireworks, feeling as the air around us became dense.
Alex was dressed in an immaculate suit, looking like he’d just left a business meeting. His eyes were focused entirely on Ella who was still sipping her wine, forgetting about her questions.
"Alex, come here, I think this young lady deserves an explanation," Tron said putting a cigar between his lips, lighting it up.
Then Ella stood, slamming her glass of wine on his antique wooden table. Tron flinched but didn't say anything, whereas Alex lifted his hand whispering something fast under his breath. I felt magic crawling over my back, hitting me hard like a fast-moving train. We all expected something to happen, but after a moment or so, nothing came.
"If something happens to her, then it’s entirely your fault," Alex said, narrowing his eyes. His voice was thick and hypnotic, but he was angry, in a fury almost. My stomach made a growling sound.
"She’s immune to your magic, that’s interesting, don’t you think, Alex?" Tron asked, inhaling smoke from the cigar.
"Julia, what’s going on? Who are these men?" Ella asked all of a sudden.
Alex approached me, breathing hard, still muttering the memory spell under his breath, but I knew that whatever he was trying to do to Ella wouldn’t work. After the incident during the networking event her immunity to spells had only become stronger.
"No, you have to stop—just tell her, tell her the truth. I promised that I wouldn’t lie. Ella deserves to know," I said stepping in front of Alex, who looked torn and completely furious with me. I understood he was trying to protect her, but I’d learned from my own experience that lies only caused more harm than good.
"You don’t understand anything, you stupid half breed. They’ll come for her, and either way, you’ll lose her because you couldn't keep up with a simple request," Alex continued. The vein on his forehead throbbed and I could feel tiny sparks of magic stab me in my chest. My breath became shallow and the world around me began to spin.
“That's enough, Alex. Julia’s only looking out for Ella’s best interests. You have been protecting her for years, but nothing good has come from it. It’s time to change the course of your actions.
"I shouldn’t have listened to you, old man. My brother will sense her, she’s already been marked."
"Stop whining, Alex. It’s time to put the past behind you. Tell her or I will." Tron raised his voice. A cold chill ran through my spine, the air in the room was so thick with tension it was difficult to say if we were going to leave the house alive. Ella kept opening her mouth to ask more questions, but then Alex or Tron kept interrupting her.
Ella’s father stood in the middle of the room clenching his fists. Magic evaporated from his strained body and his power clashed with my own. His eyes left my face and he focused on Ella.
"I'm your father, child, that’s what they’re trying to tell you. I knew your mother in the past. She had no idea who I was and by the time you were born I’d created new identities for you and your brother."
I swallowed a giant lump in my throat glancing back at my best friend, who didn't seem to take any notice to what Alex had just told her.
There was a long, long silence that stretched for about a minute. Tron kept smoking his cigar watching me and Alex making no attempt to cover his unease.
"What’s he talking about, Julia?"
"He’s actually right. I’ve seen his memories. It’s true that your father left, and you don’t remember him. It’s because he created a new life for you, Matt and your mum," I explained walking up to her. God, I hated that I had to be involved with this. My place was with Ella, but this was a private matter and she deserved some space.
Ella smiled widely giving me the same crazy look she did when I told her I was magical, and I’d been lying to her all these years. Then slowly the atmosphere around the room started shifting and tension began to rise fast. Ella’s face fell. A dark shade crept over her face as she looked at the man who’d just revealed he was her father.
"No, no, no, you can't be my father. He left, and he was never interested in us," she kept saying, stuttering, moving around the room. "And maybe you’re going to tell me that I have some magical powers like Julia, that I'm also a freak?"
Okay, that hurt a little. I thought Ella kind of accepted the fact that magic was part of me. She was supposed to understand that even though I had half magical genes she didn't need to be afraid.
“It's better if you stop fighting with fear. You’re a fairy princess, the one and only."
I didn't want to say anything but that whole statement sounded tedious. Ella kept glancing at Alex with her huge green eyes, looking like they were just about to pop out of her head. I didn't understand and never asked about what that actually meant for her. Okay, so there was a royal blood in her veins. My best friend believed in a fairy tales, but surely, she wasn’t expecting to be told that she was born into a magic.
"Julia, you have to tell him that he’s mistaken. I’ve seen magic, fangs and those odd eyes.” My life had been normal to a point, so was Ella’s until she went to that networking event and witnessed a murder. Then things became intense and now she was standing face to face with her paranormal father.
"Ella, he’s telling you the truth. Alex has royal blood, but your mother’s life was threatened when people close to him found out he’d chosen a human. Matt’s and your mum’s life was in danger, so he walked away before you were born to protect all of you."
My voice sounded so faint and I didn't understand why I had to be the one explaining everything. Alex only stared with a sad and gloomy expression on his face, like he’d given up.
Ella was taking long pulls of air; she reached for another glass of wine and finished it in one go. Then she collapsed on the sofa and started crying. Tron got up abruptly and Alex stood looking away like he was embarrassed.
"Ella, hon, don’t stress, I know it’s a lot to take in," I said rushing towards her, but she only howled louder, her body was shaking with a spasm of loud sobs. I wanted to say more but I felt that whatever I said wouldn’t make her feel any better. This news crushed her, and my soul felt as if it had been split in two.
When I glanced around looking for Tron, he was no longer in the room and Alex was standing next to me.
"Julia, please leave. I need to speak to my daughter in private," he requested with a smug calm voice. I wanted to protest, desperate to take Ella away from him, but bizarre energy forced me to comply. Panic took over for a moment and I sensed that my best friend was in someone else’s hands.
I stood and started walking across the room without looking back, hearing Ella’s sobs. My mind was spinning.
The human butler closed the door behind me and all of a sudden, the expanding pressure left my skull.
"Leave them, they have a lot to discuss," Tron said, standing by the mirror in the corridor smoothing his silver hair.
"He’s too cold. Ella won’t understand what’s happening," I began but he quickly silenced me placing his finger to my lips.
"Come, Stephen will make you a cup of tea, so you can calm down. Your friend will be fine. It’s necessary for him to take a closer look at her magic. Ella hasn’t been active all her life, something triggered the change and he needs to understand what’s happening, even if he doesn't want to admit it."
I tried to think straight but my brain was filled with what felt like fluffy clouds, unimportant thoughts, as if Ella didn't matter anymore. Tron walked me through his enormous Victorian home, straight to a large white kitchen. The human man was there standing by the kettle.
My legs were moving without conscious thought and when I sat down at the table I tried to relax a little. The butler, which I assumed was called Stephen, prepared a cup of tea and placed it in front of me.
"Thank you," I said staring at the white cup trying to think about my dear friend who was alone with Alex.
"Now, we should talk. We have quite a lot to discuss."