Denial (Goblin's Kiss Series Book One) (47 page)

“Shouldn
’
t you have checked into this
better?”

“I did. I found the text that said
she lives a long time.”

“But that
doesn
’
t say she won
’
t die first,” Wicker threw more
curveballs than a female in his explanations
sometimes.

“What are you getting at?” I asked
just because. Why did he doubt it?

“Because,
nothing is that simple. What if there is something else in the
seer
’
s predictions you didn
’
t count on and you remain
impassive to the implications and end up watching her die anyway.
You ignored what might be because you assume it
’
s the godforsaken
truth.”

“And where do
you propose we start looking for this hidden
seer
’
s secrets?”

“Not sure on that yet.”

“Well, when you know, tell me.” I
was fed up with going round and round and just wanted to get back
to Emma.

I arranged for her to meet
me.

I heard her laugh around the
corner of the book room. She was here.

Her beaming smile was
significantly smaller when her face turned to mine. I worried she
had wind of my coming share session already.

“Good morning.
”

She timidly returned the
sentiment.

“I want to tell you the truth
about everything before another day passes. You need to know this
before I introduce you to your realm.”

Emma
’
s face mirrored a blinded rabbit.
“I am not ready just yet.”

I secretly loved
this answer. “I
’
m fine with that. In fact, I
think it best you learn what you can before you do.
It
’
s
been months since finding out who you are and you still
don
’
t fully know. Before you completely decide to stay here at my
realm, I need to make sure you are aware of a few
things.”

I was scaring
her. I could feel it all the way deep, down inside of her soul.
Instead of putting off the obvious, I flipped open the books
I
’
d
been devouring for weeks now. I couldn
’
t sleep a whole night being
away from her and I didn
’
t have the balls to tell her it
was because I could seriously just marry her now and have her with
me every single day of the rest of my life.

Inside the first
brown, leather binder was a stack of letters. It
’
s the letters Katelyn
found secretly for me and now I am well versed in enough I could
quote them.

I indicated for her to read not
wanting my voice to crack from saying the ugly truth to
her.

Dear son,

I have been
greatly wronged by you. I know that you are a treasure to behold
and welcome the day you grow into a man. I have the greatest
admiration for your father and what he will accomplish even if it
isn
’
t always in his choosing. I am to blame for this horrid place
our realms are in as of late. My own defiled existence led us to
this.

In short, a time will come when
you will meet a girl. Not just any girl. This girl will be the next
queen of our realm and she will lead us all. I will have to assume
I will be dead if you are reading this, for the seer said it to be
so. This girl will lead you into great things and you must not
alter that course. Whatever you choose, let it be of sound logic
when concerned with your destiny. Her destiny is not entirely made
easy, as her parents will not be either.

If you doubt my word, know this.
The seer saw my death. She also saw a long and fruitful life for
you, Ames Cahn, and the queen she saw coming. Jem Loggins will live
a long reign and will bring unity back to the people.

For now, I leave you my love. As
clever as I know you to be even in my absence, take my words for
truth and use them carefully.

All my love,

Layla Cahn

Emma looked at me teary
eyed.

“Are you okay?”

“This is the best genie wish
ever,” she hugged the letter.

No. No. She
didn
’
t see it yet.

“It's not a good
thing to know your future isn
’
t “
good
” Emma. And there are other
letters I need you to see.”

She let the fist
go and started pouring into the others while I told her that I had
been led to believe for years that she would not be in our realm at
all. She commented about this as she skimmed each letter and asked
who they were written to. I didn
’
t know either and no one could
tell me. The names were missing at the top.

I left right outside the doorway
just to get her something to drink. Tea.

She started
asking questions I couldn
’
t
answer.

“Who is the
seer? Where is she? They predicted me?
Us
?”

“I
didn
’
t get the impression they predicted you and I necessarily,
but rather us as leaders.” I saw her female wheels spinning and
stopped her before she could spew that I was being crass. “However,
I have reason to believe that someone does.” No, actually I know.
I
’
ve
read the letters from
her
mother. I know what her mother thinks. Whatever
this damn curse was, I wanted it solved and over with so I could be
with Emma. I saw her read in the letter I moved near the top, but
only her heart gave it away. She never said a word or asked a
question about the curse. The first letter told her what hope I
held too, that we both survived.

“So,
let
’
s see the rest of them and my mother
’
s.”

Eager as I am. “First, you read
these. Then, we will make the step of entering your
realm.”

Emma smiled but
her heart wasn
’
t satisfied. I asked her why she
was upset. She was confused at first at me asking, but realized I
was reading her. I do love this extra sensory girl reader.
I
’
ve
got a gold mine every guy would love to have.

“It
’
s just, you left this morning and your note was...not very
happy sounding, so I expected you to show me something
bad.”

A curse
is
bad and
it
was just a note. “I
just wanted to let you know where I was.”

She glared. What did I
do?

I
wasn
’
t sure what to say here. I felt cornered by her stare. It was
one of those moments a guy feels no matter what he says it will be
wrong. And here I just thought the ability to read her was a good
thing. Maybe I was wrong. Knowing your girl is unsatisfied with
everything you say was miserable to think about.

Maybe she wanted a happy face
drawn in the corner.

I gave up and
changed the subject hoping it would work. I didn
’
t want her mad at me
today. She would have enough to be mad at when she met
Caydon.

“I have tea on the way for
you.”

Emma
’
s bottom lip disappeared under
her top teeth. Her finger started to tap. Uh, oh. “Change the
subject, but next time take a minute to not make me think
you
’
ve changed your mind or something. I didn
’
t know what to expect
walking in here today. You didn
’
t give me any hint in the
note.”

Ohhh! Got it.
She wanted rainbows and hearts, X
’
s and O
’
s. I wasn
’
t that kind of guy,
but if it kept her smiling at me, I
’
d give in to
her.

“Got it, love.
Before our wedding night, I
’
ll leave a detailed note of every
single thought that
’
s going through my mind while
you
’
re off primping in your non-lace and non-stiletto clad dress.
In fact, just plan on wearing what you have on now, because
I
’
ve
already held that scenario in my brain when you walked in the door
a dozen times now.” She blushed all kinds of shades so it added
more burn to the fire. She smoothed out her red shirt, now my
favorite. “Forget writing it down, I will just tell you word for
word right now.”

Her hand went to
my mouth to stop me. I was glad of it. I didn
’
t think I could make
it through what I promised.

“I got it, Ames.
You
’
re not the sonnet type. Just don
’
t leave me any notes with
cryptic words that leave me no way to know if
you
’
re happy or sad.”

Now that, I could
promise.

I
didn
’
t tell Ames what I read in one of the letters. I hinted to
see if he knew about it, but he gave me no clues.

In the fifth
letter I skimmed, I caught the word “
seer
” and “
curse
” in the same
sentence. It never referred to who it meant was cursed. It was like
the writer was trying to write in code and get the message across.
This letter was addressed, but the name was torn out. In fact, all
the rest of the letters had the dear line damaged and poked
through. Only the first letter, the one he showed me, had a name at
the top.

But I
couldn
’
t help my worry. Ames was severely focused on these letters
and even more on me reading them. They didn
’
t tell me much about the
Cahn history or their realm so his reason for having me read them
was something else. I wasn
’
t blind.
I
’
d
heard all the references to being the “cursed” one. Now I shared in
his fear permeating from inches away. He was afraid to tell me and
I was afraid to ask.

I was alone...in
a world...where no really wanted me. Except this girl. She
was
the
one
. And for that, I could change
anything...even destiny.

I
wasn
’
t alone anymore in this world or the one I left behind. I
could finally tell the difference between reality and imagination.
I felt
complete
.
Reality is what you make it, not how it really
is.

jornete (gore knee) - herb extract
used to dull pain

siltlum (silt loom)- herb that
thins the blood and helps with clotting

mannon (man on)- herb used to
produce energy

wakenite (walk a night)-herb used
to help produce sleep

gruroot (grew
root)- herb used by those who know it it
’
s magical properties to
reverse effects of something

As recorded by
Emma Loggin in Lower Appalachian Realms, the long used title of
their area before the kings of old separated out. Together again,
the histories are kept logged for the future
’
s sake of knowing
exactly where they came from.

One realm during the reign of
1887-1947 A.D.

King Edward and Queen Leesa Torrer
(no children)

One realm during the reign of
1947-1999 A.D.

King Jared and Queen Marissa
(goblin born) Cahn

Son- Ares
Cahn

Two realms during the reign of
1999-2012 A.D.

King Warren and Queen Alyssa
Loggin (appointed king of new realm)

Daughter- Jem (Emma)
Loggin

King Ares and Queen Layla
Cahn

Son-Ames
Cahn

One realm during the reign of 2012
A.D.-Present