Chapter 9 #3
“And yet you behave like a child! Don’t you see? Your mother and I love you very much. You were given to us those many years ago. And I don’t want you to end up dead!” His voice shook as he spoke. “Your sister married a good man who treats her right—I want the same for you, Alina!”
My stomach burned with rage at being told what to do. I almost turned and ran.
Yet, through the gloom of the parlor, I could see him rise from his seat and approach.
When he stood before me, I could tell he’d been crying—his cheeks were damp, and his eyelids were puffy.
I hated to see him like this on my account.
It broke my heart, transforming my fiery anger into sorrowful sympathy.
“You will defy me at every turn, Alina. You’re very willful.” His hands landed on my shoulders. “But promise me one thing.”
“What is it, Papa?” I blinked back, the tears threatening to fall.
“Promise me!” He shook my shoulders. “Promise me you’ll visit Giovanni. At least talk to him. Then, if you continue to see Lord Balthazar, I will have some peace that you spoke to a trusted adviser.”
I leaned my head against the sofa, wiping my eyes.
How many times had Papa and Lee warned me about Tristan’s treachery?
Papa had never trusted him; his concern was evident in every guarded glance.
Even Lee, with his measured judgment, had been uncertain.
But had I listened? No. I’d dismissed their warnings, blind to the truth—until my stubbornness had nearly cost my father his life.
As hard as it was to admit, I could see shades of my mother in myself.
I glanced at Emily. She was so different from me. Where I was willful and defiant, she was calm and forgiving. She had a softness to her, a gentleness I lacked.
Emily smiled. “What are you thinking?”
I hesitated, then lifted the journal. “I wonder what you think of our mother now after reading this.”
Her gaze drifted toward the elegant bookshelves lining the room.
“She was… complex, wasn’t she?” Emily observed. “She got caught up with a bad man, and he seduced her. I suppose that could happen to any of us.”
I reached out, taking her hand. “We’re so different, you and me. You reflect on her words with reason, while I react. I can’t help it.”
Emily chuckled, squeezing my hand in return. “I’ve heard the term ‘hot-brained’ or ‘hot-mouthed’ used for someone headstrong, ungovernable, or fiery of spirit. I wouldn’t call you a hothead, but you do burn with a certain fire.” Her lips quirked. “Mine is more like the moon. Soothing.”
“We complement each other,” I murmured, retrieving my hand and gazing at Emily fondly.
A small smile curved her lips.
“How far did you get in your reading?” I asked, tapping the worn leather cover.
Emily pressed a fingertip to her mouth, thinking. “Let’s see… I stopped at the part where Alina’s Papa advised her to seek counsel with Giovanni.”
I perked up. “That’s exactly where I left off, too.”
I scooted closer, flipping open the journal. “Let’s read the rest together.”
Without another word, we bent our heads over the fragile pages, the lamplight illuminating the ink as we quietly lost ourselves in our mother’s story.
August 19th, 1561
I have resisted seeing Giovanni but am increasingly suspicious when with Balthazar. I know he keeps secrets from me. There are rooms in his house I am forbidden from entering. He tells me it is for my good that I stay out of his private chambers, but what could he guard so closely?
He caught me trying the doorknob in one of the forbidden rooms. I have never seen him so wrathful, so angry. But he could tell he frightened me and took me in his arms like a child to soothe me. His reaction worried me, so I visited my father’s friend, Giovanni.
August 20th, 1561
I sneaked out at nightfall to Giovanni’s like a common burglar.
I worried that Balthazar might see me and grow suspicious.
Giovanni met me at the door. He poked his head out and looked both ways as if he were cautious.
Then, he ushered me into his parlor and offered me tea, letting me warm my bones before a blazing fire.
“I know why you’re here, child,” he said once the pleasantries were out. “Your father is worried. Lord Balthazar is indeed dangerous and cannot be trusted. He is not as he appears.”
“What do you mean?” I said as gooseflesh peppered my body. I rubbed my sleeves with my palms, seeking the kind of warmth that didn’t come from the sun or a fire in the hearth.
Giovanni sighed. “There is so much to tell you. The dagger that was found in your little basket when your adopted parents discovered you—it appeared at your birth. This is always the way with Timebornes.”
I frowned. “I am a Timeborne? That’s such a preposterous notion. I heard my father say this, but I thought he was crazy.”
“And yet it’s true. There are whispers in my circle that Lord Balthazar is not human—he is darkness, a blood-killing demon.
I believe he is darkness and that darkness only goes after one thing—to kill Timebornes.
He is as old as time. And he will hurt you, Alina, as certain as the sun rises.
” Giovanni’s voice shook with emotion. “You must travel to another time where, hopefully, he can’t find you. Live your life!”
His arms swept into the air. “There are people who want to kill Lord Balthazar. He is a hunted man.”
I shivered, overtaken by the thought that someone wanted Balthazar, my beloved, dead. “Even if I believed you about this time-travel madness, I don’t know what to do! And why should I believe you? How do I know you and Papa aren’t conspiring against me with some fantastic tale?”
“I wish it were only a story, dear Alina.” Giovanni shook his shaggy head.
“The moment your father told me he found you with the dagger, I began to study and learn. I have pored through ancient tomes and documents. Lord Balthazar is real, and he is deadly. Don’t be fooled!
” His voice bounded off the high ceilings, echoing around the room.
I shot to my feet. “This whole idea is ridiculous!”
“I’m sure it seems unfathomable. But trust me, Alina, I speak the truth. Since your father came to me with that blade, I’ve studied Timebornes. You must believe me!” He pounded the side table next to his chair with his fist.
I jerked in surprise. “What would you have me do?”
“You must travel to another time and get away from this place. Start over, have a family, but most importantly, get away from Balthazar.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “You know how foolish you sound, don’t you?
Once again, Giovanni slammed his fist on the side table. “You’ve got to believe me, child! I speak the truth.”
I stared at him.
“Balthazar isn’t your only problem. There are Timehunters out there—people who want you dead,” he said.
I wrung my hands beneath my chin. “You don’t understand, Giovanni! Balthazar would never hurt me—he loves me, and I love him. I could never leave him!”
My mind flitted toward our passionate lovemaking last night, where Balthazar told me he would always love and protect me and that he was sworn to keep me safe. God, how much I love him. Just thinking about him and our passionate lovemaking is driving me mad with desire.
Now, Giovanni was telling me Balthazar was a monster. I didn’t know who to believe, so I bolted, racing from his home and stumbling to my house in the dark of night.
To my horror, I found my family dead, lying in crimson pools. I let out a scream and crumpled next to Papa’s lifeless body in the dining room archway.
“Oh, Papa! What has happened to you?” I held his head in my lap and rocked him. But his eyes remained vacant, staring at Heaven’s gates.
Mother lay in the kitchen face down.
I sat there for the longest time, sobbing, holding my father, and willing him back to life. But his body grew cold in my arms.
I heard a disturbance in the back of the house. Numb with grief and shock, I got to my feet and stumbled through the house. Blood splattered the walls in sweeping arcs and handprints. I wanted to retch, but I had to save the rest of my family if they weren’t already dead.
I came upon my brother and two sisters, also slain. I staggered into the back bedroom, where my youngest sister slept with my now-dead middle sister. To my shock and disgust, I witnessed Balthazar plunging a knife into my youngest sister’s body.
She let out a blood-curdling scream when she saw me. “Alina! Help me!”
But then her eyes rolled back in her head, and she fell upon the pillows of her bed, now stained crimson with her life essence.
I lunged toward Balthazar, ready to kill him. “You monster! What have you done?”
He easily caught me in his arms, crushing me to him.
I writhed and squirmed, trying to escape him, but he was too strong.
“I had to do this,” he said, kissing my hair. “Your father was poisoning your mind with lies. He’s filled your head with poison.”
He peppered my cheeks, nose, and eyebrows with kisses, but I tried vainly to resist him.
Now, at last, and too late, I could see him for what he was—a bloodthirsty demon.
“Everything I do is to protect you, my darling,” Balthazar said.
I squeezed my eyes shut. His words started getting to me, making me believe him over the horror around me. My entire family was slaughtered. Fat tears rolled down my cheeks.
Balthazar slurped them into his mouth.
My dying sister made a hideous gurgling noise like her spirit was slithering from her body.
I wanted to vomit, scream, and murder the man who held me so tightly. I became aware of Balthazar’s rigid erection pressing against my belly.
“I want to fuck you, Alina. I need to be inside of you.”
“Are you insane? You want to screw me after killing my entire family?” I struggled in his arms.
“I did this all for you, my sweetheart. I would do anything to protect you.” His eyes held hints of scarlet at the edges of the blue. “I can make this better. Let me love you.”
He lifted me, cradling me in his arms, and strode into my bedroom, which lay unsullied.
There he took me wantonly, savagely, fucking me like an animal.
I put up no resistance. I was too numb.
Afterward, I cried myself to sleep in his arms.
He kept kissing me everywhere, telling me he would make it up to me and that everything would be okay. But nothing would ever be okay after what he did tonight to my family.
August 21st, 1561
I awoke at dawn to find Balthazar already gone. I couldn’t face the sight of my dead family, so I climbed out the window and hurried to Giovanni’s house, keeping to the shadows lest I be seen.
I found Giovanni outside feeding his chickens. He appeared alarmed when he saw me.
“Your skirts!” he said, pointing.
That’s when I noticed I was covered in blood. I told him how Balthazar had murdered my entire family.
Giovanni held his head with his hands as if it might fall to the ground if not secured. “Oh, God in Heaven! This is worse than I could have imagined!”
His chickens scurried around his legs, clucking.
“What can I do?” I wrung my hands before me. “I believe you now. I was a fool not to heed your words.”
Giovanni scanned his surroundings. “Come, child. We must get you cleaned up and hide you somewhere safe.”
Not waiting for my response, he placed his hand on my back and urged me toward his house, where he led me down the stairs to his basement.
“I will bring you clothing and food. You are to stay here until the full moon, five days from now. You must hide and not show yourself to anyone.” He grabbed my shoulders and looked sternly at me. “Do you understand me?”
I nodded, unable to speak from the thick lump lodged in my throat. I didn’t understand what was so important about the full moon, yet I was overcome with emotion. I was responsible for my family’s demise.
Giovanni echoed my thoughts. “Your father’s blood is on your hands. Your siblings and mother are all dead because of you.”
“I know,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “What can I do?”
“You must leave, travel to another time, and start your life over. I will teach you the ancient scripture. You must cut your hand with your dagger as the full moon rises over the horizon and repeat the words I will teach you. The dagger will know where to take you. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, yes, Giovanni. I shall heed your warning. You were right.” I sobbed. “Balthazar is a monster. I will time travel and escape him.”
I lifted my gaze from the page and met Emily’s eyes. Tears streaked both our faces, and I hadn’t even realized I’d reached for her hand, nor that she had reached for mine.
Our gazes tangled in shared torment.
“Our poor mother,” I whispered.
Emily nodded, her expression stricken. “Yes. Her entire family… killed by that monster.”
A seething rage unfurled inside me, solidifying into a cold resolve. At that moment, I knew I would do whatever it took to destroy Balthazar.
Even if it meant my death.