The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

Chapter 20
“He’s right,” Casteel said softly, his gaze searching
mine. “I don’t know why Alastir would’ve lied about your
mother being a Handmaiden. If he was telling the truth,
your mother was never a Lady in Wait, destined to Ascend.
That could also mean your father wasn’t a merchant’s son.”
He paused. “It could also mean that only one—or neither of
them—was your parent by blood.”
And if neither of them was? Then Ian…he may not be
like me at all if he Ascended. He may be like any other
vampry.
Leaning against the cold tile, I tipped my head back. I
started to respond and then stopped as my toes curled
against the floor. “I was young. My memories of before that
night are spotty at best. I just know what I was told about
them, and although Ian was older, it wouldn’t be like he
knew any differently.” I shook my head, overwhelmed. “But I
look like my mother, so maybe my father was an Atlantian,
and my mother a mortal descendant of Malec and his
mistress. Would that explain my abilities being so strong?”
“That would be one hell of a coincidence,” Kieran noted,
and he was right.
Casteel and Kieran exchanged a look. “I don’t know,”
Casteel answered. “That’s a complicated bloodline to sort
through, but that’s also working off the assumption that you
are related to Malec. You may not be. Alastir could be
wrong, even if he truly believed that.”
I wondered if his mother would know somehow.
Casteel’s gaze met mine. “We’ll figure this out.”