The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“He said that only a few people knew what he was truly
capable of. That your parents did.”
“Then we need them to confirm it.”
I tensed. “Your mother—”
“My mother will not hold who you are descended from
against you,” he interrupted. “It may be a shock to her. It
may even make her think of things she has worked to
forget, but she will not hold you responsible for what
someone distantly related to you did.”
I wanted so badly to believe that. And maybe he was
right. He knew his mother, but how she’d stared at me when
she first saw me kept replaying in my head as well as what
she’d said. But that could’ve just been shock. “Why haven’t
you said anything about that?”
“Because I honestly didn’t think it mattered,” he said,
and the sincerity of his words tasted like vanilla. “I had no
idea if he said it to you or if it’s true. To be honest, it doesn’t
make sense to me. It doesn’t explain your abilities or how
strong they are, as far as I know. Just because you share
similar gifts doesn’t mean that you are descended from
him.”
Rising, he pulled me from the chair and then looped his
arms around my waist. “But even if you do share his
bloodline, it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t change you.” His eyes
were a bright amber as he looked down at me. “Did you
really think it would bother me?”
“I didn’t think it would come between us,” I admitted. “I
just…I don’t want to be related to him. I don’t want to make
your mother uncomfortable more than I already have and
am going to.”
“I can understand that, but you know what?” He
dropped his forehead to mine. “I’m not worried about how
she’ll feel. I’m concerned about you—about everything that
has happened to you. You have been so damn strong. You
were attacked, taken captive, and then you almost lost your
life.” He placed a hand against my cheek, just over the