The next day, River takes Violet and I to the Maurasian Archives, a sort of historical library, with information on every Maurasian, even the Royals and those who have passed. I look around and can’t help but gawk at how incredibly bog the room is. "Wow," I say, "this room is huge!" River nods.

"It’s big enough to hold information on every Maurasian that has ever been." Violet gasps. "Help me find my book, River!"

"I thought we were here for me", I mutter quizzically. River nods. "If Violet wants to find her book while you look for yours, then that’s okay, too." I sigh and walk over to the "M" section. I climb the ladder there and look for my name. "Manny, Mara... Ah, here it is; Marie." I pull the book from the shelf and crack it open. I can’t wait to prove Lazarus wrong! The first thing I see alarms me:

"Marie

Parents/Lineage: Lazarus Herring (WR) and Denna Redwood (ER)"

In fact, this alarms me so much that I drop the book. It lands on the floor with a thud! I slide down the ladder and grab the book, all the while apologizing to the librarian. She nods and smiles, but gives no other signs that she acknowledges my presence. Curiosity takes over, so I push the ladder to the left of the “M” shelves, toward the shelf that contains information on my “father”.  I find his book and flip to the Family Relations page. There it is, in bold 13-point text:

Child (ren) - Marie

Spouse(s) - Denna

I instantly get bored, and decide to congregate with River and Violet once more. I look at Violet and ask “So, did you find out who your parents are?” She shrugs and replies “Yeah... Apparently they’re wanted in eight different cities, including Dyseria; that’s probably why I live with my uncle. Are you alright? You look... I don’t know... sad, unfulfilled...”

“It’s nothing” I reply curtly. “I just... I need time to think, okay?” She seems to understand, and nods trustingly. Once outside, we hop into a taxi and head home.

“Marie?”

“Yeah, Violet; what is it?”

“Do you hate me for being your cousin?”

“Of course I don’t, Violet.”

“But you hate my uncle for being your father.”

“Not-” I stop short, trying to piece together the sentence that just won’t escape my lips. “Well, let’s put it this way; I’m not exactly warming up to finding ut that the man who could have taken care of me for the past 10 years abandoned me and left me to be cared for by my aunt, his sister-in-law.”

The car stops and River gets out to open my and Violet’s doors. As soon as we enter the house, I see my chance to flee. The fight or flight response is something that has become part of who I am. Aunt Kellie speaks now.

“Marie, please... just talk to us.”

“Alright, but I want answers; Kellie... Lazarus.”

“The only reason Lazarus gave you up is because he couldn’t bear to have a memory of his deceased wife in his presence. Could you, darling?” Lazarus answers her. “No; Denna meant more to me than you’ll ever know, Marie.” I smile and nod. “Good to know, Lazar- I mean Dad.”Hearing this, he smiles back. “That’s my girl.” As soon as he finishes his sentence, Adam walks into the room, a giant grin glued to his face. “Why are you so happy?” I ask before kissing his perfectly full lips. “Did you have fun scaring my friends?”

“You bet! Did you find out if Lazarus really is your father?”

“He is. It doesn’t matter anymore, though; I finally found a way to accept the fact that he and I are kin. Now let’s go to bed, Adam.”

As soon as my head hits the pillow, my subconscious takes over.

In my dream, I am running through a meadow, dotted with beautiful Helia lilies, a healing agent from the Air Realm. I hear footsteps behind me. “Adam” I yell “stop following me!” I look back; it isn’t Adam following me. Lazarus, my father, my aunt’s boyfriend, is chasing after me with a knife, already entirely caked in another person’s blood, so that no silver, or whatever the blade was crafted from, shows through. He speaks, and the words he says cut deeply into me.

“He is no more, Marie; he died with his love for you.” I feel a weight pin me to the ground, forcing me to stay still. I try to fight it; whoever, whatever is forcing me to be this obedient will pay. I know that Adam’s spirit will not rest until I am safe once again, because that’s all he ever wanted, really. “Let me go!” I yell. I hear Lazarus say “You can join him, Marie.” The next thing I know, a blade is raised above my head, searing pain shoots through my entire body, and-

Somebody shakes me, urging me to wake up. “Marie” the voice says. “Marie, wake up!” I know that voice; it’s Adam’s voice. Without really meaning to, I start to cry, and curl up into his lovingly cool arms. “It’s alright, Marie,” he murmurs in my ear, “it’s alright, sweetheart... I will get rid of the bad dreams for you, my girl.” I glance at the clock; through my bleary eyes, I can discern that it is 3:30 in the morning. “Sorry I woke you up so early, Adam.”

“That’s alright, sweetheart. No harm done so far. But you do realize you screamed pretty loud, right?”

“Oh... sorry, honey.”

Aunt Kellie rushes in, still clad in her night-dress, with Dad, formerly known to me as Lazarus, directly on her heels and dressed (if you can really call it dressed) in a pair of boxers.

“Marie, you sounded as if you had a nightmare-” she manages to utter.

“Get him away from me!” I back away from them, from Dad, towards Adam; my boyfriend’s cold chest soothes me, if only to an extent. His chest is always colder at night than in the daytime, which brings comfort at both times.

“Marie?” Dad tries to comfort me, but I know better. “What is wrong, my dear?”

“You tried to kill me!”

“Tried to- what? Kellie, do you believe this drivel?”

Aunt Kellie sits on the bed and takes my hands in hers, just as she did when I was small. “Marie... did you have a bad dream? Your palms are clammy with sweat.”

I nod. “Yes, Aunt Kellie. I had a dream that Dad was chasing after me, brandishing a knife. He said that Adam was no more and that he died with his love for me, hence why I have tears going down my face. When I woke up to see Adam, alive and well, I was just so happy, Aunt Kellie... so very happy...”

“I apologize for scaring you, Marie.” Dad’s gorgeous blue eyes shine bright in the dark room, but the brightness fades after a while, overtaken by a menacing twinkle. “You realize that I love you with every piece of my heart, right; even the ventricles?” He’s been hanging around you too much, Aunt Kellie. “I’m mulling it over.” Then Dad walks closer to the bed and hugs me; I surprise myself by expressing comfort and curling up into his arms. I look up. “Dad?”

“Yes, my dear?”

“What really happened to Mom? I seem to remember you telling me that you would reveal the truth when I was older.”

“Can it wait until morning, Marie? I am tired right now, as is your aunt.”

“No, Lazarus, I am actually quite the night owl-”

“You’re tired, darling. You just think you aren’t tired. Now let’s go for a walk, shall we?” As soon as they leave the room, Adam starts to kiss my temples, then my cheeks, then my neck and shoulder- “Adam!” I squeak.

“What is it, sweetheart?”

“I thought we said that we would... after this... this thing...”

“Damn it... I forgot. Sorry, sweetheart. Now sleep again, my girl.”

“But Adam, what if I have bad dreams again?”

“I’ll be here for you, Marie.”