Chapter 40
Staring at the midwife’s certificate, Fionn wondered why both his parents lied to him all those years.
While he wasn’t surprised about his father being a party to the lie, his heart was in danger of breaking, thinking his mother would also go along with it.
Suddenly, Fionn needed to leave Penn’s office and return to his hoard so he could speak to her in privacy.
Why would my mother lie to me, even on her deathbed?
Before leaving, he asked Penn, “Will you be able to find the midwife who filled it out?”
“If she’s alive, then yes. The High Council will have her contact information on file.”
“What happens if she’s dead? Will the court still honor the certificate?”
“Yes, I believe it will, but let’s not worry about that just yet. I’ll get on this right away and as soon as I have the affidavit, I’ll let you know.”
Nodding, Fionn said, “Do you have a place where I can be alone for a minute?”
Gathering up the file folders, Penn said, “Stay in here as long as you want.”
Fionn waited until Penn left, then called for the portal and, within seconds, found himself back at his hoard.
Sinking down in one of his piles of gold coins, he closed his eyes, delaying the moment when his mother would have to confirm her complicity in the lie, but there it was in black and white.
She was the only person he trusted completely.
Sighing, Fionn summoned the spirit of his mother.
“Hi, angel.”
Fionn’s eyes flew open and his jaw dropped when he saw his mother standing before him bathed in a white light. “Mum? Is that really you?”
“Yes, the strength of your emotions called my likeness to appear. Now what has you so upset?”
“Mum, I found my midwife’s certificate today,” Fionn said warily, unsure of how his mother would react.
“Good, I was hoping you would.”
“You were?” Fionn asked, perplexed. “But why did you lie to me all these years?”
“Angel, I took a vow of silence on the matter and until your father died, I was bound by it.”
“But Mum, why would you do that?” Fionn asked.
“To save you, of course. Nothing else mattered.”
“Save me from what?”
“Angel, from your birth, you had constant bouts of illnesses during your childhood and each one made you weaker and weaker. I contacted every doctor I thought could help you, but none could. I was getting desperate. Then I read about a new treatment and, though still unproven, I just knew it would work for you. I begged your father for permission to see if this miracle treatment could cure my angel. He finally agreed, but only if I swore never to reveal how old you were. Angel, I would have given my life in order to save you.”
“Did you take me…for this treatment? I don’t remember going anywhere.”
“Once your father had my vow, he arranged for the doctors to come to us, but before they arrived, you got worse. I held you in my arms, sure you’d die before the doctors could treat you and I cursed your father for denying me permission to take you to them.
I’m not surprised you don’t remember, because you were delirious.
I prayed to the gods to save you, and they granted my prayers…
you hung on long enough for the doctors to cure you.
When the fever broke, I rejoiced that the only ray of sunshine in my life had not been blotted out and would still shine brightly. ”
“How old was I then?” asked Fionn.
“Four, angel.”
“If the doctors cured me, why did I still get sick?” Fionn asked. “I was sick until I became a teenager.”
“Yes, you were, but the episodes were milder and didn’t drain your dragon.
It stopped when you were thirteen, when you went through puberty.
The changes in your body killed the virus causing your illness.
Forgive me angel, but I was desperate, so I made the deal with your father in order to save you. ”
Tears veiled Fionn’s eyes as he remembered the days he sat at his mother’s bedside, praying for her recovery, prayers that went unanswered. “I know my father didn’t care about us, but why would he want me to be younger than I was?”
“At first, I didn’t know why, but later on I learned he was going to adopt his brother’s child, who was a year younger than you, and make him his sole heir.”
“So that’s why he wanted me to be younger than the son he was going to adopt. Did he ever do that?”
“No, I don’t know why it never happened, but it might have been a falling out he had with his brother shortly after I made the vow. As time passed and I remained childless, I thought it was pointless. You were your father’s only heir.”
“Then why was he trying to kill me?”
“Because of who you are. By the time you were five, your father…and I…knew you were gay. It didn’t matter to me, but as you grew older, your father fixated on it.”
Shaking his head, Fionn said, “I never could figure out why.”
“Greed, angel. He was already counting how much he’d be paid if he agreed to a marriage between you and the daughter of an old-line dragon family.”
“Which would not happen because I was gay…” Fionn murmured, his voice fading, remembering his ordeal in the cave when his father had tried to starve him to death.
“That’s right, angel.”
Thinking about what Cody and Dylon were planning to do for gay shifters, Fionn asked, “Mum, I’m not the only gay dragon, am I?”
“I really don’t know. If there are others, they must be concealing who they are; they’re considered to be a mistake of nature.”
“I’m not, and I dare anyone to say I am.” Fionn said indignantly.
“No angel, you are not.”
“I have a bunch of relatives seeking custody of me…not going to happen now since I’m an adult, thank the gods.
When I was looking for some papers at our home recently, someone broke in searching for a key.
Only after I heard him mumbling about his brother did I realize who he was.
He was angry father didn’t change his will. ”
“Beware of him, my angel. He means to do you harm.”
“Some of your relatives are also seeking to become my guardian. I didn’t know you had a brother and a sister.”
“No, I kept you far away from them and their hatred of me.”
“I figured it must have been something like that, Mum, because they never came to help when you were sick. My lawyer suggested I meet with them but something in my gut told me not to.”
“I’m glad you listened to your dragon.”
“I try to,” Fionn said, softly.
“It’s time for me to go, angel. Any other questions?”
“No…well, none I can think of. I miss you so much, Mum.”
“I miss you too, but soon you’ll find your Fated Mate…the one who’ll fill the holes in your heart, my angel. One last piece of advice from your mother…trust everyone in the Blackwood Pack. They will protect you from anyone who means to do you harm.”
“I will, Mum, I promise. I wish you didn’t have to go.”
“I know, sweetie, but let’s be happy the gods allow these visits from time to time.”
“Yes, Mum. I love you.”
“And I love you, my angel…”
Fionn watched as his mother faded away until only a hint of jasmine remained. Closing his eyes, he inhaled his mother’s scent, truly relaxing for the first time since Penn told him about the multiple petitions for his custody.
~/~/~/~/~
David awoke late, surrounded by Zane’s scent.
Inhaling deeply, he wallowed in the security it gave him, something he never thought he’d find in his life.
His mother knew, though, constantly reassuring him of future happiness, and he couldn’t wait to introduce his mate to her as soon as she was rescued.
His most urgent need at the moment, though, was to relieve himself.
Squirming from under Zane’s arm and leg, he slowly freed himself and headed to the bathroom.
After taking a long leak and washing his hands, David studied himself in the mirror, lightly outlining his claiming scar with his finger, feeling his connection to Zane deep in his soul.
Smiling at his image, David felt his whole body shiver in response to his contact with his scar.
Hopefully, they’d be able to spend time together today so his mate could show him different ways to make love.
With a mental note to talk to Kieran about sex, he headed back to the bedroom where he found Zane still sleeping deeply.
He wasn’t sure when his mate had joined him, but he knew it was sometime in the early morning.
Wandering over to the desk, David was curious about what Zane had discovered about Brenda.
He picked up the top sheet, scanned it and then, sitting down with a thump, grabbed the next one.
Appalled at what he was reading, he didn’t stop until he had gone through it all.
Finally, setting the last sheet down, David leaned back, tears slowly falling as pain coursed through his body.
How stupid I was not to see the evil in the High Priestess…
Brenda? If I couldn’t see it in someone like her, how am I supposed to fight it?
Shuffling the papers, regret and sorrow filled his heart, soul, and mind as the magnitude of Brenda’s crimes became apparent and his role in them exposed.
Finally, placing all the papers in a pile, he rose and walked over to the window, staring out at the grey morning light that reflected how he felt.
Awakening alone in bed, Zane’s eyes zeroed in on his mate standing at the window.
Opening his mouth to call out, he paused, noticing the drooping of David’s shoulders; his mate was hugging himself disconsolately, as if to comfort himself.
Zane knew his mate needed him. Slipping out of bed, he padded silently over to David, pulling him tightly against his chest, wrapping his arms around him.
Sending love to his mate, he hoped it would alleviate whatever was upsetting him.
Finally, Zane asked, “Babe, what’s bothering you?”
David started to speak, then paused, not quite sure how to begin, but in the end began with how dumb he felt and then moved on to his doubts about fighting evil in a world where he was so easily fooled by it.
He went on to say how he regretted not escaping with his mother when he was seven and the guilt he felt because his mother was suffering at the hands of Brenda.
By the time he finished, he was on Zane’s lap, his tears being dried by his mate
“Babe is there anything else you want to tell me?” asked Zane.
David shook his head. He’d bared his soul to his love and now felt better for sharing it. Resting his face against Zane’s chest, David mumbled, “I think the gods made a mistake in picking me to be their representative on earth.”
“No, babe, they most certainly did not. Want to know why?”
David nodded, but kept his face buried against his mate.
“Because you survived, tesoro mio, and none of the evil surrounding you ever triumphed over you.”
Glancing up at Zane, David blurted out, “But I should have stopped her!”
“No babe, that wasn’t your job. Just as the gods can’t interfere with decisions each person makes in their lives, neither can you.
The only thing you can do is provide good moral counsel, guiding shifters to make the right decisions.
That’s what the gods want you to do so evil has a harder time finding a foothold in their souls,” Zane explained.
“The gods did not make a mistake choosing you because you always chose the right path to follow, even though evil tried very hard to divert you. You are like a beacon, guiding the world to the good that exists in it.”
Soothed, his spirits lifted by Zane’s words, David thought for a moment before saying, “Thank you, cuore mio. But there’s one more thing. After reading those papers on the desk, I’m really afraid for my mother.”
“I know babe, so am I. Let’s get dressed and go find Logan. I want to brief him on my research and then we can talk to Jackson to see if Dylon has come up with a plan.”
“Sounds good,” David said, with a tentative smile.
~/~/~/~/~
Fionn woke to the buzzing of his phone. Still half asleep, he dropped it several times before being able to answer the call. “Hello?”
“Fionn, it’s Penn. Sorry to wake you but this is important.
I found the midwife and she’s agreed to provide an affidavit as to the validity of the certificate.
The bad news is your father’s uncle has asked for an emergency hearing on his custody petition.
He’s claiming you’re being held against your will by members of the Blackwood Pack. ”
Sitting up, Fionn growled, “What the fuck? Why is he saying that?”
“He claims he’s been unable to see or talk to you since your father died.”
“So, he doesn’t know I have proof that I’m an adult, able to decide who I want to see or talk to?” Fionn asked.
“No, it appears not. I just wish I knew why your parents lied to you about this,” murmured Penn.
“I know.”
“You do?”
“Yes,” said Fionn, and shared his mother’s explanation with Penn. “Is that important?” he asked.
“Absolutely! The judge will question why the probate was filed listing you as a minor. If we can explain what happened along with the sworn testimony of the midwife, I’m pretty sure he’ll decide in our favor.”
“Will Cody and Dylon attend the hearing?”
“Yes, because they’re your legal guardians appointed by the High Council court. The judge will want to ask them about your uncle’s allegations. If it’s all right with you, I’ll let them know.”
“Sure,” Fionn said. “When will you get the proof?”
“I sent her the affidavit I drafted based on my conversation with her. She promised to sign it and have it notarized tomorrow morning. A friend of mine will meet her and bring it back to me once it’s been done so I should have it sometime tomorrow afternoon.”
“Okay, one final question. Do you know the date of the hearing yet?” asked Fionn.
“Not yet, but I expect it’ll be held within a week so make sure you tell Logan about it.”
“Promise,” Fionn said. “Oh…and thanks, Penn.”
“Hey, you’ve made my day!”