GRAVICTA

CHAPTER 18.

"What?" I ask in disbelief. How could she have kept this from me this long. "A Fallen? Why didn't you tell me all these years?"

"I'm so sorry Eva. I don't know, I um–" She takes in a deep breath before speaking again. "I guess I didn't know how to. I was scared you'd hate me just like my parents."

After a moment of silence and staring at each other, she speaks up again. "I'm sorry Eva, I should have told you earlier. Don't stay mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, mom." I hug her and she smiles. I truly am not mad at her. It's just a lot to take in at the moment but I still want to know more about him.

"Thanks sweetie. I know you have some questions." She chuckles and sits down, patting the side of the chair for me to join her and I do.

"Where do I start from?" She holds my hand and rubs them lightly.

"The beginning. I want to know everything." I grin and she laughs a bit harder.

"Okay so I met him at a ceremony that held in the royal palace years back. The ceremony was to celebrate the late King Lucifer as he had just become King. Frego, your dad, was the event planner and he did a wonderful job planning the event trust me," she says and continues.

"I stepped out to get some air and there he was, looking up and gazing at the late evening stars. He noticed someone was behind him and he turned. Truly you got his looks because he was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen." She smiles and I playfully nudge her.

"I'm sure he was good looking but I am just about any other average girl," I say and she glares at me, making me laugh at how funny her face looks.

"You're not just average looking Eva. Have you ever looked in the mirror?" She shakes her head but still smiles.

"Every single morning Mom. Anyways back to the story," I quickly change the subject. There's no mother who wouldn't tell their kid how beautiful or handsome they totally are.

"Well we talked and I found out a lot about him and all. He was a good man but he had issues he was trying to deal with as of that time. That didn't stop him from coming to visit me almost every day or taking me out on dates." She smiles and looks at the floor as she replays it all in her head.

"What are you talking about?" I can't help but tilt my head sideways as I wonder what issues he had.

"The dates?" She replies, looking more confused than I am.

"No. You said he had issues, right?" I say and her face lights up in realization.

"Oh. He kind of already had a daughter. Her name is Katla-"

"He had what?" I interrupt her and she stays quiet, looking at me carefully. "I have a half-sister?"

"Yes, you do. He got drunk at a bar with the late King and a few other Fallens and stuff happened. He made a mistake and I didn't judge him," she says, not looking at me.

"So, let me get this. You both got married, took care of my half-sister and later had me. But then my grandparents refused him and he left with her? That only says he's a coward mom."

She grits her teeth and her nose reddens a bit. "Don't call him that. We didn't get married legitimately because my parents wouldn't let us but we didn't let that stop us anyways. He didn't leave because my parents hated him."

"But that's what you sort of said a while back." I roll my eyes and she rubs her forehead.

"I lied," she simply says and heaves a sigh to keep herself calm.

"What happened then? Why did he leave?" I ask bluntly.

"Some of the Frees hated the Fallens and when it was found out that a coup d'état was being planned, a law was made that the Fallens should stay away from this city. Your father and Katlaine had to leave," she says and even I can see that she's sad.

I put my arm around her shoulders and offer a smile. She smiles back and continues. "This happened two years after you were born and about three years later, the King was murdered and–" She starts sobbing and I hug her tightly, trying my best to comfort her.

"Stop crying. I know a lot of people loved the King. I've heard he was a good man," I say and she shakes her head.

"That's not what I'm crying about. The night the King and his family were killed, there was meant to be an important event taking place at the palace the next day," she explains.

"Okay so what are you trying to say? That doesn't explain the fact that you're a crying mess right now," I say as I'm getting irritated and impatient all of a sudden. I feel as though she's about to say something that could really ruin my already ruined night.

"The late King Lucifer had just talked things out with the person leading the Coup d'état and they both came to an agreement and peace was to be restored again. So, they were going to have a celebration the next day at the royal palace." She pauses and stares at me, waiting for me to realize where she's headed with the story.

After waiting for a while, she sighs again and stands up. "You're slow on this."

"I'm sorry. It's been a long day already. At this point, my brain is too exhausted to even work." I shrug and she nods.

"Frego was the event planner remember? He was there to finalize the whole decorations and when he was done, it was already too late to leave so the late Queen told him to sleep over and he did." She trails off at the last part and stares at me as I take in the new information.

My eyes begin to widen slowly as I figure out what she's been trying to tell me. "Wait! Are you saying-"

"Yes. I am saying that your father also died in that fire."