Chapter 8 #2
I swallowed loudly and nodded that I heard her. She’d been raped. She hadn’t known how to fight and… What a fucking mess.
But it did explain more of her hostility towards Aurora.
“So the cottage was…” Theresa asked quietly.
“One of the elders,” Aurora mumbled. “His sister’s once, but she died.
Kenneth didn’t know about it. The elder didn’t ask questions as long as he got what he wanted.
I told him once that a cousin of mine escaped and needed a safe place.
A few of the elders thought Ellie’s mother was my escaped cousin and I gave them my body for their help and funds. ”
She curled into me, finally saying it.
“The shame isn’t yours, Aurora,” Alexis whispered.
“I couldn’t have my daughter suffer what I did,” Aurora rasped, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Stripped and bent over a table after my wedding dinner, so many men in the room jeering and yelling as he had me again and again. I couldn’t let either of my daughters suffer that.
I failed though and couldn’t protect anyone. I shouldn’t have been born.”
“Don’t say that. Please don’t say that,” I begged her, kissing her hair and rubbing her back. “I’m glad you were born.”
“We didn’t suffer that, so you didn’t fail,” Ellie rasped, wiping under her eyes. She seemed at a loss and so did Theresa.
Well, that was better than them judging and mistreating her.
The sadness and defeat I was feeling from her was killing me, so I stood and knelt at her feet again, waiting until she focused on me.
“Aurora, if you never listen to me again, I want you to hear this as an outside perspective coming in super late to this centuries-long crazy, okay?” I pushed when she didn’t say anything.
“You said having my outside perspective—”
“Helped,” she whispered. “You had so many other voices in your ears, and while I don’t know that world or this world, I know being a parent even if I was a horrible one.
I chose to be Ellie’s mom even if I was the villain who kept her from her birth mom.
I chose to barely know my own daughter to keep her safe, crying for her every night. ”
I nodded, realizing that she wasn’t comprehending she’d said that in front of them because she was high now. “So you promise to at least hear me out, yeah? My outside perspective?”
She gave me a sad smile. “Yes, Creed. You’re my peace. I’m sorry I’ve hurt you now too.”
“You didn’t,” I quickly said. “We tripped. You forgave me for my mistake and—I understand you were going to jump so Ellie and Theresa weren’t embarrassed.” I realized it was true when she flinched. “You really would die to protect them.”
“Of course. That’s a parent’s job,” she told me firmly as tears filled her eyes.
“You have no idea what all of them did to me so I could protect them and they both still hate me.” She reached out and cupped my cheek.
“That’s why your adoptive parents are monsters.
You owe them nothing, Creed. Ellie and Theresa owe me nothing. I chose to have them.”
I frowned. “You were raped and—”
“Silly man. There were ways to abort babies back then. I couldn’t. I knew I couldn’t abort the life given to me by the gods. Others did and they should never feel shame, but… I know my limits.” She pulled her hand away. “Sorry, I didn’t ask either. If you have to ask—that’s only fair.”
Gods, I wanted to gobble her up and it was going to be hard to go slow. “You can touch me anytime you want.” I was glad when she smiled. Life was lighter when Aurora smiled. “Now, you’re really going to listen.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m not a child. I said I would. Everyone keeps treating me like a child just because I’m broken. It’s not the same and it—I wasn’t just going to jump for them.”
I swallowed loudly and nodded. “You’re high. That’s my hesitation, not that you’re a child, you old fart.”
She giggled. “You’re cute. Okay, tell me your wisdom and I will listen.”
“You have been sinned against more than you have sinned,” I said gently, giving her a minute with that. “You keep saying that everything that’s happened is punishment for your sins, but you were sinned against before you ever sinned, Aurora. Yes, you have to pay for your sins, but…”
Even high, she was so sharp. “Who told you that, Creed?”
I smiled sadly at her. “A cop who was trying to play me. Except it’s not true in my situation.
I’ve sinned more than I was sinned against. I’ve done a lot more than I was busted on even if those weren’t my crimes.
And I’ve been forgiven. I’m sorry and paid—am still paying.
That’s what I’m saying. You’re paying too much. ”
“He’s right,” Alexis cut in. “And it’s a good way to say it. Even in law—your crimes aren’t forgiven because crimes were committed against you.”
“But they’re taken into consideration,” Aurora said with a frown. “Yes, I saw that in movies and read it in books, not just fiction ones.”
“Right, but the crimes committed against you aren’t forgotten because you’ve sinned, Aurora.
That’s the part you keep ignoring,” I said firmly.
“You keep focusing on your sins. It’s time to start focusing on what’s happened to you.
Please. Ask for help. Be selfish. Decide what you want and Ellie and Theresa can deal with their own damn lives. ”
She frowned. “It’s not that simple. I owe them everything for what I’ve done.”
“No, that’s too high of a price,” Alexis said firmly.
“And you’ve paid more than they ever understood.
” She seemed to lose patience when Aurora just frowned.
“How many bones were broken because you wouldn’t give them up, Aurora?
You have probably lost your immortality to keep them safe.
It is enough! Live your life for once. Please, value yourself finally! ”
I think hearing it from Ellie’s friend and someone who respected Theresa cut through Aurora’s fog of penance and shame. She bobbed her head and then met my eyes.
“I don’t want to really see them,” she admitted.
“They don’t care what happened to me or the truth of what was back then.
It was never enough. I told Theresa time and time again that I knew she didn’t go to kill Ellie.
Ellie wouldn’t hear it or take Theresa’s letters.
It was all such a mess, and—I didn’t come here to be in their lives. They don’t want me and I…”
Didn’t want them anymore. That was what she really was struggling with deep down.
“You said you didn’t get my letters,” Theresa bit out.
“I have no idea what she’s talking about, but she’s clearly not lying,” Ellie mumbled. “She’s right that everything was such a mess back then and with Kenneth—I… I don’t know.”
Aurora lifted her head and focused on Theresa.
“And how fast did you assume I was the liar and not a mistake made because you were children and it’s centuries later?
Completely ignoring that I was a child when I had you?
” She didn’t wait for an answer and looked to Alexis.
“Will you be my attorney? I don’t think the fight can be stopped now. ”
“No, no, it can’t, doll. Yeah, I’ll take over,” Alexis promised. “If nothing else, apparently I have a strong legal mind who can help me and will advocate for you.”
Damn right, I would.
I looked up at her. “How dark are you willing to go? I have a few favors banked for when I did something bad. That will help you in Europe to get the right backing.”
“Wait, before we go that route, I have a few cards to play,” Ellie muttered. “Alexis will handle it, but—we also learned something big that we were going to discuss.”
“Like?” I drawled.
She sighed. “Like the head of the Graves family is good pals with one of the European ministers. Justice or something I believe.”
I blinked at her and then slowly looked back at Aurora. “Do you know of anyone who received that magical brand while you were there? In the last fifty years when it was against the law?”
She nodded. “One of Andrew’s daughters was born about thirty years ago and received it. A few cousins had daughters as well. Father will have all of the maps in his study. They’re framed.”
I took her hands in mine and just kissed them. “Do you want to free them, beauty? I think that’s the penance you’ve needed. Let’s get those daughters free and somewhere safe, not just you getting damages for your abuse, yeah?”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’ll tell everything. I tried to tell Theresa and Ellie that I had information. I know the warlock Father uses. I did his books for a while, so I know accounts and—I know lots. I know I’m stupid and fooled easily, but I pay attention.”
“You’re not—”
“Can we really save Andrew’s daughter? She’s such a sweet girl and he’s such a monster,” she choked out. “She cried when I was kicked out. She used to love coming to my room and reading with me.”
“Where was her mother?” Alexis asked quietly.
Aurora swallowed loudly and met her gaze. “Andrew broke her. She doesn’t speak or—she’s like a puppet who smiles when told. Whatever he did to her after they were married—he broke her completely. She’s empty inside now.”
I never thought anyone could be bigger monsters than the family I’d been adopted into, but the world seemed so much darker now that I heard this fucking shit. I told Aurora that we’d do the best we could as long as she held on for me and kept fighting. I saw her drive return.
Not for herself but for the other girls of the Graves family.
At least that was a start.
At least that would keep her around and give her purpose even if her regret and grief at what happened with Ellie and Theresa pulled her into the darkness.