Uncovering Truths
3 1
The carriage ride to the Carter manor is silent. Kora awkwardly fiddles with her hands in her lap as Jordan’s gaze remains trained on the small glass window beside him. Neither of them breaks the quietness. Neither of them dares to speak about what just happened in Kora’s quarters. Both of them are aware that it wasn’t proper of them, but they’re also not sure where it would have stopped if Jordan hadn’t of removed himself from her room.
Halting out the front, Kora takes in the sight of the grand house decorated with frost bitten shrubbery, spidering vines and a small delicate stone fountain. She remembers it from the first night she visited, but it’s more peaceful now and she has more time to study its intricacies.
Jordan steps down from the carriage before extending out his hand to her. Kora has to lift the bottom of her long skirt up to avoid accidentally stepping on the hem and tearing a gaping hole in the fabric with her slippers.
Crushed gravel crunches beneath their shoes as they near the entrance. He holds the door open for her with ease when a feminine voice calls out to him, “Jordan!”
Kora peers up as Josephine scurries down the hallway to greet them. Her hair is swept up off of her thin face, and her smile is gleaming so brightly it could blind someone .
“Oh,” his mother pauses, looking between the two of them. Her dainty face falters for a second before it lifts once again. “I didn’t realise Kora was joining us this evening.”
“I’m sorry to impose. Jordan invited me for dinner and to stay for the night. I hope that isn’t a bother for you.” Kora says nervously.
With a grin, Josephine pulls Kora into a warm embrace, “Of course not, dear. You are most welcome to stay. I will have Valarie put one of her nightgowns in the spare quarter for you to change into. Come in. Dinner will be ready shortly.” She points towards the parlour at the front of the house.
Valarie is already in there reading a fabric bound book as Tobias sits at the chessboard set up on the low wooden table between them. He stares intently at the game play, trying to figure out his next move. “Is Val beating you again?” Jordan asks as he guides Kora into the room beside him. His hand steadily holding her back, which is reassuring.
His father holds up a finger for Jordan to wait until he makes his move. Tobias nudges a piece forward and Valarie shuts her book with a loud snap. Glancing down at the board for a few seconds, she grins and sets her king in place. “Check.”
Tobias’ hand smacks the tabletop as he rubs his stubbled chin. “Who taught you how to play this well, Val?”
She giggles at her father innocently. “Lewis. He’s brilliantly clever.”
Tobias looks up at Jordan. “Remind me to never play with Lewis then.” A grin spreading across his face. Tobias jumps to his feet, strolling over to the two of them. “Kora Hamilton, what a pleasure it is to see you again. Will you be joining us for dinner?”
“Actually, she’s staying here for the night as well.” Jordan answers for her.
Tobias’ grin brightens, “Ah, wonderful. Rosa has prepared us a stew this evening, which I am dying to dig into. Do you like stew, Kora? ”
She nods her head slowly in agreement, “It can defiantly be delicious.”
“That it can,” Tobias chuckles and walks out into the hallway. “Rosa! Is the stew ready yet?”
Kora spins to look at Jordan with a raised auburn eyebrow. “Your father is…”
“Lively?”
“Yes, that’s one way to explain him.” A giggle escaping her throat.
Jordan snorts a laugh. “He’s energetic for sure. It keeps life interesting. Come on, I’ll show you to the dining room.”
Various plates of deliciously decadent dishes are steaming in the centre of the polished table. There’s silver platters of pies and pastries filled with meats, cheese and sauces, a hearty stew stuffed with vegetables, rice and chicken, and warm breads freshly baked with salty garlic spreads and a tray of sweets for afterwards.
Jordan pulls out a chair for Kora to sit in before lowering himself into the one beside her. Valarie is on her other side as Tobias and Josephine sit opposite them.
Kora finds it rather comforting that nobody sits at the heads of the table. Most families have their parents taking these positions, but the Carter’s don’t seem like a typical family. They’re lively and worldly.
“Thank you for joining us this evening, Kora. We adore having guests over to dine with, although I believe this is the first time Jordan has ever invited someone.”
Kora looks sideways at him. Jordan stares blankly at his father, who’s smiling obliviously. “Well, enough of that. Please, serve yourself and dig in.”
They all begin taking bits and pieces from the dishes set up between them. Kora takes a piece of beef pie, some stew, and bread before dousing the lot in thick plum sauce.
Light-hearted conversations are struck up. Kora finds out about Josephine’s love for needle point and her china collection, as well as Tobias’ fondness for sweets and pianoforte. He demonstrates on the table, and Kora can tell by the nimbleness of his fingers and the concentration covering his face that he plays incredibly well.
He finishes with a slap on the table and looks up, as if waiting for all of them to break out in applause.
Josephine just covers his hand with hers, giving him a comforting look. “I’m sure it sounded lovely, dear.”
Jordan snickers with a laugh.
They continue eating in silence. It’s not an awkward silence at all, if anything, it’s peaceful and relaxing. “I can’t believe about Mabel.” Josephine says after the lull. “Seems like Robert has his hands full trying to sort those murders out.”
Tobias coughs on his wine, scrunching up his face at his wife. “Jose, do we need to speak about death while we’re eating?”
She gives Kora a small apologetic smile. “Sorry dear. I am just surprised, that’s all.”
“It was unfortunate.” Kora agrees.
Tobias leans his elbows on the table. “So, Kora. I have a lot of memories from when you were a child. But what about now? How are you and Clarence dealing with… everything?”
She drops her fork and looks at him, “Clarence and I have helped each other since our parents,” she pauses and her gaze flickers onto Jordan’s beside her before she continues, “actually, I came here tonight to learn more about my parents.”
“Oh. Well, your father was probably the funniest man I knew,” Tobias begins, his fork piercing the skin of a potato as he talks to the table. “We became best friends when we were two years old. We would get up to all sorts of mischief. The number of times he snuck out of his room at night was uncountable. It was always to see your mother.”
“I had no idea he would be like that!” Kora says with a chuckle.
Jordan watches her, forgetting how he was feeling a half hour ago with her in his arms in her quarters. He can’t help but think to himself how beautiful she is when she’s smiling or laughing. The light that’s been missing in his life, breaking through the gloom that has always hung there like a pressing dark cloud.
“Those two were always sneaking about. I could hardly keep track of where Tessa was,” Josephine chimes into the conversation. “She was always a bookworm. The brightest in our training group, and she could fight like no other. I swear on the Angel’s there was something different about her. The way she would beat every man in Ascendancy training. She was a true warrior. Born to fight and protect.”
Kora’s smile drops a little. She clears her throat, picking at the peas dancing around her plate, not wanting to be eaten.
“What do you remember about them, dear?” Josephine looks at Kora for an answer.
Kora’s bright eyes glance around at them, “Not enough. I was four when they passed. I do remember my mother’s voice. She would sing to me at night to put me to sleep. She always smelt sweet as well, like sugar and honey. Father also smelt of wood smoke and tea. I think that is where my fondness for collecting tea leaves stems from.”
“You are a tea lover too!” Valarie lets out excitedly. “I have a whole range in the kitchen. I adore tea.”
“So do I.” Kora chirps with curved lips.
“Yes, Tessa would always have some sort of tea on hand to brew. Your mother made the best in London. I think she’s the one who got Stefan hooked.”
“What else, dear?” Josephine asks, resting her chin on her hand.
Kora tries to remember the fine details she has in the back of her mind.
Her eyes glance at Jordan’s for a moment. She knows he’s able to read her expression better than anyone else here. He leans over, his elbows on the table, face bracing for what she’ll say next.
“Nothing else really.” Her voice dropping. She places her fork down on the plate and looks at Tobias and Josephine. “But the main reason I’m here this evening actually is to ask you both about their deaths.”
Josephine’s eyes widen as Tobias chokes on the piece of potato he was chewing on.
When he finally stops choking, with the help of a staff member hitting his back repeatedly, they both look at her, surprised. “Are you sure you want to know, Kora?” Josephine asks kindly.
With a nod, Kora approves, “I would, please.”
“Very well.” Josephine looks at her husband for help.
“You see Kora. When you were a child, four years old to be exact, there was a battle that took place here in London. I am sure you have heard about it, the Battle of Aureum. Infernal attacks were high that year, with a new death every week. The Ascendancy knew something powerful was coming. Something prevailing and dark.” Tobias begins to explain.
“I was with your mother that day when the battle began. I was nursing Valarie while you, Jordan, and Clarence were playing in the room together. Clarence had a vague of idea of the circumstances, but you two didn’t really understand what was happening. Lucy Bladesmith came to the door, saying that the Ascendancy needed us to fight. We left you children here with Elsie Hayward, who at the time was thirteen. She was too young to fight, so she agreed to watch you all.” Josephine continues.
Tobias clears his throat a bit. “Swarms of Infernals were appearing in London from other realms. Seraphim were everywhere in the streets fighting alongside Elementals, Spellcasters, and even Shifters. Nobody wanted the Infernals to win, it seemed. It took us two days to rid the demons away from the city.”
He pauses, looking between the three adolescents sitting around the long dining table. All of them listening because neither of them have spoken about the battle since they first left London. It pained them too much .
“We were on the embankment down near Lament Reach. Your father and I were fighting alongside Josephine, Tessa, Robert, Lucy, Thomas, and Will. We all grew up together and trained together. We fought well side by side.
“Tessa was wandering further along the embankment where the buildings begin to line the road. Stefan followed after her, not wanting Tessa to go on alone. We didn’t think much of it, and we had our own hands full fighting off Infernals. The group of us managed to kill off every demon in that particular spot before going to search for your parents. We searched for hours, killing more Infernals along the way. They seemed to be appearing every minute from thin air.”
Tobias’ eyes flick to his wife’s beside him.
She reaches out, taking his hand in hers. “Your mother did what she thought was right.” Josephine lets out. Her face looking sad and remorseful.
Kora frowns at her, waiting for her to explain, forgetting about the food on her plate, growing colder by the second.
Josephine sighs softly. “We never found them after that. So, we don’t know for certain what happened to them. We never discovered their bodies.”
Kora audibly sucks in a breath, her peas utterly forgotten about now.
“Tessa was our strongest fighter, so we thought she was very capable of going ahead and clearing a path for us. I’d trained with her most of my upbringing. She could outfight everyone with ease.”
“Stefan included.” Tobias adds with a nod.
“Tessa and her golden blade against the world. She was convinced that the weapon was so powerful it could strike down a Dark Angel if it ever threatened her.”
Kora leans back in her chair, the air pulled from her lungs. The blade her mother left for her. She’s felt its power, what it’s capable of. The angelic energy alone stored in the metal is so forceful and mighty, she feels it each time she holds the hilt. Uriel’s blade .
“We fought all night and day until the Infernals let up and returned to their realms. Enough of us were injured. The infirmary has never housed that many patients before. We told Clarence that your parents died in the attack. We tried telling you, but you didn’t really understand what any of it meant. We held a funeral in place of their bodies, which you all attended, and then we decided to move away. The pain was too unbearable for us.”
“Where is Tessa’s blade now, then?” Jordan questions them.
Tobias and Josephine look sideways at each other and shrug. “We have no idea. Tessa left with it, and it hasn’t been found since. For all we know, it disappeared along with her body. I know this is a lot for you to take in Kora. Are you all right?” Josephine asks in her motherly voice.
Kora stares down that the plate half eaten in front of her. The sudden wafts of salt, oil and gravy making her feel queasy. She has the blade. Her mother left it for her. How did Clarence find it if nobody else could? How did Tessa leave it for her if she disappeared with it?
Her eyes well with water and she tries blinking her tears away. They don’t let up, so she allows them to flow freely for the second time today. “What about my brother?” she sobs out through cries.
Jordan sits up suddenly as Tobias and Josephine exchange a look of confusion. “Clarence, well, he knew some of what we told him-”
“No,” Kora looks at them, tears dripping down her face as she shakes her head, “I mean Colton .”
Both of their faces drop into blank stares. “What about Colton?”
“Is he dead?” Kora questions them.
“Yes dear. He died as an infant. Tessa told us he was ill and needed to be-” She stops, swallowing loudly.
“Was his body buried anywhere?”
“Dear, why are you asking these questions?” Josephine asks with a concerned look .
Kora sobs even louder at the table, her body quivering uncontrollably. “Because I don’t think he died. I think he was taken.” Not being able to keep it inside of herself any longer.
“Taken!” Josephine exclaims.
“By whom?” Tobias asks.
“The Dark Angels.”
Jordan stands from the table, pushing his chair out fast enough that it falls backwards, crashing against the floor. “Kora, you don’t need to do this, not right now.”
She peers up at him through her blurry vision, “I have to know Jordan. If he’s out there, then I need to know so that I can be the one to stop him.”
“Colton is out there?” Tobias repeats, trying to catch up with them. His face volleying between them.
Jordan’s hands come to rest on her shoulders, “You don’t need to do this right now,” he repeats in a gentler tone, “it’s too much for you to take in.”
“I am trying to figure all of this out. Colton has to be part of this, and I can’t let him destroy the world. I won’t let him.” She breathes out, her chest rising and falling quickly.
Valarie remains her seat, her face just as shocked as the rest of them.
Kora’s chest begins to rattle, her heart beating too quickly for her to handle. Hands shaking, she holds her stomach as her breaths become short and fast. The air suddenly feels thick like soup.
? “Kora,” Josephine’s soft voice speaks out, “just breathe.”
“I. Am. Trying.” She says through her wheezes. Her lungs feel as though they’re being wrung out, squeezed until there’s no air left in them. Her inhales get caught in her throat.
Jordan’s hands steady her as Kora continues to wheeze. “You are panicking, Kora.” He tells her, “You need to rest. Your mind needs to rest.”
She knows he’s right, but she doesn’t want to admit it to herself .
“Jordan, perhaps you should take her upstairs.” Tobias says.
With a nod to his father, Jordan guides her away from the dining room and up the stairs to her room for the night.
Her breathing is shallow yet steady when they reach her door. Tears slowing as she hastily wipes them away with the backs of her hands.
“Are you all right?” he asks calmly.
Kora shakes her head at him. “I feel like I don’t know my parents at all. Were they hiding things for the good of everyone, or were they on the dark side? I can’t tell what to believe anymore. Did they lie to me about my own brother? About themselves?”
Jordan’s hands fall to his sides as he considers her, not saying a word.
She wipes her nose with the sleeve of her sage dress. “I think I have that blade.” Her voice is barely a whisper.
“You have it?” his forehead crinkling in response.
“I think my mother left it for me. It’s the blade I have been using. I can feel how much power it has. It’s almost frightening how strong it is. My mother in the vision seemed to know Uriel. That’s his blade. But why would my mother know Uriel, the Archangel? And how did she leave me the blade she disappeared with?”
Jordan rubs at his temple as he thinks, “You said you’re a descendant of Uriel. Your blood is his. That means that one of your parents would have been as well. Do you think Tessa was Uriel’s daughter?”
Shaking her head, Kora rushes out. “How could she be? If she’s his daughter, I don’t think she’d be a Seraphim then. Wouldn’t she be considered something higher than that?”
“If you’re a Pure Angel, then she must have been one too.”
“And Clarence?”
Jordan shrugs nonchalantly. “Perhaps he’s something else as well. ”
Kora lets out an inaudible sigh of frustration and exhaustion, her hand rubbing at her forehead. “I don’t know what to think anymore.”
Jordan considers her for a moment, feeling the weight on his own chest. He can’t even begin to imagine how she must be feeling.
Without a word, Jordan pulls her towards him. His strong sun kissed arms wrap around her, enveloping Kora in his scent and tenderness.
Kora’s eyes shut as her breathing stabilises. Her nerves settling as if his body is shielding her from every impending and overwhelming thought. She leans her forehead against his sturdy chest, inhaling his cologne gently. Kora’s getting used to this feeling of being wrapped up in him, and she greedily never wants the feeling to end, to be eternally held in the safety of his arms.
Jordan's chin gently dips to kiss the crown of her hair before resting his jaw on her.
They remain likes this until Kora is respiring softly again. Noise from downstairs floats up to them as Jordan is silent around her. Kora can hear the steady beating in his chest, his energy reaching out to hers.
Jordan breaks the silence between them after a few long minutes. “I think you should seek out Uriel yourself.”