Page 34 of Blood that Burns

CHAPTER NINE

LAW

I’ve been poring over this cryptic paper from my father’s journal for just under an hour, and it’s given me more questions than answers.

Third Triplet Is Alive

Fae

Black Magic

Ireland

Fae World

Protecting?

My father was always one for secrets, and it appears he had a treasure trove of them.

Third Triplet Is Alive.

I reread that part over and over. It has my stomach in knots. For one, it means that the Council won’t stop coming for Maggie and Marina if they get wind of this. Assuming they haven’t known for a while.

Those girls have been through enough. Now they have to wonder if this damn note holds any truth. Could their sister truly be alive? Or was this yet another of Darius Bellamy’s delusions? It’s the one thing that would’ve solidified his title for eternity. If the legends were true, and his heirs were part of it, nobody could stop us from ruling.

Damn him.

“Have you found anything?” Julian’s voice pulls my gaze away from the yellowing parchment.

I sigh. “Nothing of use. These are the simple ramblings of a half-mad man.”

Julian’s one eyebrow rises as his head tilts in acknowledgment. “I won’t argue that. At the end of his life, father was even more unhinged.”

“Desperation will do that to a person,” I mumble.

“He knew the Council was coming for his throne. Desperate is exactly what he was.”

I run both hands roughly down my face, growing increasingly tired by the minute. We might not require sleep, but that’s never prevented me from feeling weary all the same. Add to that the fact that Maggie is under this roof. We haven’t shared blood in almost a year, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling her potent emotions.

We share a bond that defies all logic. And since she’s returned, it’s somehow gotten stronger. I’ve contemplated the cause for hours today, and the only thing that makes sense is Marina and Julian.

My eyes land on Julian, who’s currently sifting through another one of my father’s notebooks.

“Julian... can I ask you something... personal?”

He looks up, narrowing his eyes. Sharing personal information isn’t something my brother and I make a habit of.

“How personal?”

“Entirely too personal. But I have good reason for the question, if that makes any difference.”

“Let’s hear it,” he drawls.

I cringe before the question is even asked. “Have you and Marina shared blood?”

His lips form a thin line. “Why the hell would I tell you that?”

My head falls back on my shoulders, mouth falling open in annoyance. “I told you it was personal... but like I said before... I have good reasons.”