Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“I’m with Thane. Well, I’m at his house. He gave me a USB drive that contains letters from my mother addressed to my father, Thane, and me and a video message. I’ve read the letters, but I can’t bring myself to watch the video, not yet anyway.” I sigh before finally voicing what I need. “My mother said something in her letter to Thane that didn’t make sense at the time. I’ve thought about it a lot since, and the only conclusion I can come to is that she’s been keeping another secret hidden away. If I’m right, then I think what she mentioned in the letters will be verified in the video, but…” My words turn to silence. I don’t know if confirming the truth my mother wrote is something I can come back from.
Even though I’m alone, I’m not sure if Thane has his office bugged, so I know it’s better to talk outdoors. I stalk out onto the patio that overlooks the endless gardens of the property. In the distance, I can see the lights of NOLA.
“Please, Philipe. I can’t go to anyone else with this. Is it true? Is there another Calvert beside Thane and me? Has my mother got another son somewhere?”
Silence greets me. I wait, holding my breath. I suspect the answer is something I won’t like, but I need to hear it anyway.
“Your mother gave birth to another son,” Philipe finally admits. “But due to complications, she lost him soon after he was delivered. She had him buried with your father in Tynewood. There is something else your mother’s been hiding from you, though. But if you pursue this, Tarian, you’ll be revealing some ugly truths about the woman who gave birth to you,” he tells me. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”
I glance behind me, looking at the laptop waiting in the office. I still have a video to watch. The confidence in Philipe’s response confirms my suspicions that there’s at least one more secret my mother has kept buried.
“Tell me.”
When I re-enter the office almost twenty minutes later, I sit back down at the desk. Tapping the touch pad to wake the laptop, I click on the video and breathe deeply. After confirming the contents of my mother’s letter with Philipe, I now need to see her face as she confesses her transgressions.
I wish Grecia was still here. But I pushed her to leave, knowing it’s better for her if she doesn’t get too attached to me.
I focus on the video file and open it. The media player fills the screen, and I see my mother’s face. Her smile is absent, and her eyes, so similar to mine, are filled with sadness. Even so, I feel nothing but disdain for the woman who gave me life.
Just as I’m about to listen to what she has to say, the office door opens, dragging my gaze from the screen and I shut down the video. I realize that night has taken hold of the office, and I’m sitting in darkness.
“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” Thane says as he nears the desk.
When he reaches me, he sets down a packet of cigarettes and a silver engraved Zippo. The Gilded Sovereign symbol is emblazoned on the metal.
“You knew, didn’t you?” I ask him. I don’t need to explain what I’m talking about, because I’m convinced Thane does know. He nods. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It wasn’t my secret to tell,” he answers simply with a nonchalant shrug. He might be right, but it’s not fair. Fuck, nothing about my life has been fair. “Go upstairs, Tarian. Get ready.”
“For what?”
“We’re going to be meeting a few of my associates. And I’d like you present. Philipe mentioned you’re interested in what I’ve been up to.”
Of course, Philipe is talking to Thane. They used to be well acquainted. Thane was the one who sold the Los Angeles based nightclub to the eldest Lancaster brother. The twisted tendrils of our lives seem destined to snake together.
“Why do you want to be a Crown?” I ask Thane.
It’s been bothering me ever since he asked for a seat at the table a few months ago. He wanted me to step down so he could take my place. But even if I were to relinquish my position as a Crown, Thane would never lead the society, assuming that’s his aim. Crowns wield a lot of power, but they are always answerable to Philipe and Ares. That’s the way it works, and my uncle knows it.
“Get dressed,” he tells me, ignoring my question. “We leave in an hour. I’ve already told Grecia.” Thane turns and heads to the door, but before he leaves, he stops, and glancing at me from over his shoulder, he says, “I’ve always wanted to be a Crown. I could’ve become one after your father died. But instead, I stepped aside so you could take his place because that’s what your mother wanted. When I left Tynewood, I forfeited everything.”