Chapter Eighteen Jalisa #2
This was the part I wanted to hear most about.
Ivan thought his family was perfect. That they were just justifiably angry at their station in life.
One could be wronged and still be wrong.
“Is that why you said your family might know something about the curse? Do you think some of your protesting could have resulted in an enemy that sought revenge through Ivan? I don’t know why they’d want to keep us apart though.
It seems so small in comparison to the scale of things you talked about. I’m not that important.”
Pierce stilled and considered me. Perhaps he was debating telling me something or finding the words on how to tell me news I might not want to hear.
His expression was confusing to read, but I could see those green eyes working in thought.
“Oh dear, our families go back longer than you think. When he told me your last name, I thought, ‘well that’s it. It all makes sense.’ It was as if this was some fateful joke, the two of you getting together. ”
Now he lost me. If my family had known Ivan’s family, they would have told me. Right? I looked to Ivan, who looked just as confused. “What are you saying? That our parents knew each other?”
“Yes. We used to work for Jalisa’s family’s defense company. And, if I’m being honest, they were horrible to work for. Particularly your grandfather. He was a monster. Barely paid us and was cruel to a fault. Zero benefits like the ones I get in my current job. It was barely better than slavery.”
My insides ran cold. I knew nothing about the defense company, just the trading side. I was not only ashamed but embarrassed. “Why didn’t you fight back? You were dragons. Fae are strong, but there are limits. Especially against shifter dragons.”
Pierce sighed. “I feel like maybe I do need a drink. Got any whiskey?”
Ivan got up and headed to the kitchen where we kept the liquor. “That bad, huh?”
“At least three generations of hatred between our families. Yes, it’s that bad.
I still don’t like that they never said anything to you two.
Even after being so vocal about not wanting, you to be together.
But I’m not surprised. Jalisa, maybe it means your parents have some kind of conscious buried deep, deep, deep down inside. ”
Ivan returned with three short glasses and a bottle of brown liquor. I pulled my chair closer to the coffee table for access. “So, why didn’t you fight back?” he asked as he poured the drinks.
“Your family, Jalisa, entrapped ours with collars that limited our ability to transform on our own.”
My heart froze in my chest. What was I hearing?
I knew my family had a history of less than ethical practices, but this really did sound like slavery, even if they were getting paid.
This couldn’t have been my grandfather, Kofen?
He was always smiling and seemed so kind.
But perhaps that was just to the family.
Was he hiding this evil? Did my father know about this?
I looked down at my lap, shame washing over me. I didn’t even want to look at Ivan. I’d been so self-righteous all the time, and this was my family’s practice? “Was this all my family? My father, too?”
I looked up to see Ivan pass Pierce a short glass of whiskey, which he quickly sipped before replying.
“No, dear. You have other family members who were more invested in the cruelty. Your father, for as uptight I heard he could be, was more removed. He worked in your family’s trading company, correct? ”
I nodded, unable to respond, and watched as Ivan placed my glass down on the coffee table.
He squeezed my shoulder before sitting back down on the couch.
I wanted to feel comfort at the touch, but it felt wrong.
He should be angry. He should look at me in disgust. All that he’d gone through just to be with a woman whose family was filed with monsters.
I wanted to find some relief that my father wasn’t directly involved, but I couldn’t believe he didn’t know.
“It’s illegal to entrap anyone into work.
It’s been that way since before I was born.
It doesn’t make it better. My family needs to atone for any dragon they’ve harmed. ”
Pierce took another sip of his whiskey, his face oddly passive.
He seemed to have come to some sort of acceptance of how things were.
If he was angry, he wasn’t showing it. That seemed odd from someone who was in hiding from violently protesting the poor treatment of dragons.
“Yes, Nodoor was behind other kingdoms in its treatment of dragons, but eventually that practice was found criminal. Sadly, it came too late for my older brother, Eben. The work was grueling and high risk. He died at work due to the poor conditions.”
And the hits just kept coming. How could I consider myself deserving of any good when I came from a family that was responsible for working someone to death? I pressed a hand to my stomach, a sickness growing in the pit of my stomach.
“Uncle Eben was my cousin, Nepa’s father,” Ivan began in a contemplative voice. “She was barely old enough to remember him when he passed.”
I hung my head, ashamed. My family had been responsible for the death of one of their family members. There was no getting over that. Ivan had to see me differently now.
Don’t you even think of running from me, Sunshine.
He telepathically said in my head. One of the benefits of the mate bond was that we could talk to each other telepathically and although at times annoying, this was one time I appreciated it.
I looked up to see Ivan narrow his emerald eyes at me and shake his head.
My eyes threatened to water, but I blinked rapidly to hold the waterworks at bay.
I wasn’t the one who should be crying. I wasn’t the victim.
I cleared my throat, and I sat up straighter.
“I’m sorry. I know the words don’t mean much.
My family is… challenging, but I’m not like that.
And I’ll dedicate my life to ensuring that dragons are treated equally.
Maybe it’s a good thing we had the treaty with Prinath.
I would say you should come back, but they still might imprison you for the destroying buildings and things. ”
Pierce gave me a soft smile as he scratched his chin.
“Yes, you’re probably right about that. And there’s no need for you to apologize.
It wasn’t you. Hell, you married one of us.
” His smile faltered, and he took another sip of his drink again before continuing.
“Besides, we aren’t so innocent, Jalisa.
There’s no easy way to say this, but my family is also responsible for the death of your brother.
We had a cousin and some of his associates who attacked your brother when he was arriving home from a trade. They stole his goods and murdered him.”
Have you ever had a moment when you’re swimming under water and the world above seems so disconnected?
It’s close but distant at the same time.
Words are being said, and sounds are coming through, but you can’t quite make them out.
Like you’re peeking through a portal to another realm.
That’s how I felt in that moment. Pierce was talking, but the words didn’t make sense.
Even my vision felt off. Maybe it was the tears.
Shit. I didn’t want to cry. I looked up to the ceiling as if that would make them slide back into my head instead of off to the side of my face.
I grumbled, disgusted with myself, and wiped at my face with my fingers.
“There were guards with him and some associates. It was the most valuable trade he’d ever negotiated.
It was dangerous traveling with such an expensive haul.
We knew it had to be an insider who knew about the deal but could never find out who.
It wasn’t just my brother who died, the whole group was killed, and they took everything.
I guess they got their revenge for your brother. ”
Pierce crossed his arms, giving me a sympathetic gaze. “It wasn’t about revenge, but you’re smart enough to know that. Just as you’re smart enough to know that your family probably had high suspicions of my family’s involvement.”
“They mentioned a few years back that Ivan’s family wasn’t who I thought they were but didn’t say exactly.”
“Because they had no proof, and it would only open the discussion about what your family did to ours. I do know that my cousin and his friends have disappeared, last I heard. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
“You don’t think that they took off with the items they stole?”
Pierce tilted his head in my direction and gave me a pointed stare. I huffed and looked away, already knowing the more likely answer. “My family killed them. Great, so our families more than hate each other, they kill each other.”
“No one knows that. I’m saying, the rumor was that they were handled. Although, don’t ask me about what happened to the items they stole.”
I took minor comfort that it wasn’t certain that my family killed them but, then again, they had a right to seek such revenge.
Regardless of who did anything, I did hope that this cousin was dead.
Knowing the truth would, however, give me some relief.
“But I don’t understand why our families watched Ivan and I get together and said nothing about our shared history. That makes no sense.”
“It does if you have the decency to be ashamed of your family’s actions. And even if you knew, would it have changed anything?”
Ivan quickly shook his head, jaw tight. “Hell no.”
He was so certain. I wasn’t sure I could love him more, and I felt the same way.
“I’m in for life now. But thinking a little deeper, I could see why our parents wouldn’t say anything.
Ivan’s parents were probably concerned he’d be at risk if my parents knew the truth about what your cousin did and having me so close upped that risk even if Ivan didn’t know.
And my parents probably didn’t want Ivan around if they were behind killing his cousin, not to mention our connection to the death of his uncle.
Our joining risked putting too much darkness to light. ”
Pierce nodded. “How poetic.” He then clapped his hands. “So, how far do you think either of your families would go to keep you apart?”
Ivan and I exchanged worried looks. Our families clearly weren’t strangers to causing someone’s death. Could they both be behind the attacks?
Ivan chuckled, looking down at the drink in his hand. “The one time they’re on the same side and it’s to kill us.”
I wanted to disagree, but I didn’t like being na?ve.