The massive iron doors of the front of the manor let out a thunderous bang as I shoved them open. They slammed against the walls at either side. Servants in the foyer turned to me as I swept into the room. I growled in their direction. They quickly looked away and returned to their business. I made my way through the ever-winding hallways around the foyer, toward the audience chamber.
Ares was standing near the window, gazing out into the manor grounds below. The sun had faded. Only the quiet hum of the animals in the night remained. Walking to the center of the room, I paused and waited for him to acknowledge my presence. He set his mouth in a grim line and stared seriously out the window. He folded his arms across his chest, his fists clenched against him. Alec had trailed quietly behind me. He stood in the chamber's doorway.
"So, you know." Ares enunciated. He didn't turn to face her. He let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You weren't supposed to find out this way." I struggled not to stamp my foot in agitation. I crossed my arms over my chest.
"What I don't understand, is why I'm finding out now. Why not tell me? What am I? What's going on?" I asked all the questions spinning in my head. He turned to face me, his expression contrite. His eyes were solemn.
"You're right, of course. We should have had this discussion long ago. So, we kept it from you to contain the secret. We were trying to protect you, and thought if even you didn't know, it wouldn't get out." He answered. I nodded, believing my clenched fists at my side.
"Do you realize what you've taken from me? You forced me to live a life in the darkness, fearing the sun's touch. I couldn't even get a glimpse of the energy source that fuels billions of lives." The emotion bled into my voice. "Father, the secret is out now. Explain it to me." I demanded. He raised a brow at my tone, but nodded and moved to his throne, sitting down.
"You are a vampire, like us. Yet you are special. You are the product not of a god and a human, or of vampires, but of a cursed god and a minor goddess. You are a goddess in your own right." He began. I nodded, knowing my parentage. But I had never suspected I'd differ from other vampires.
"We don't know the extent of the differences, only what we've noticed as you were growing. Around the age of three, you stumbled outside into the sunlight, so we knew you weren't affected. We noticed your abilities in memory manipulation when you were a child. You've been able to survive longer than others without feeding." He continued. "That's about the extent of what we know. We don't know what will happen once you awaken."
"Why would it be a threat for everyone to find out about my abilities?" I asked. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he paused before responding.
"The titans cursed us gods with a binding spell, bound with Gaia's blood." He began, his fists clenching the edges of his throne. "With every binding, there is an undoing. A way to break the curse. The original text speaks of one able to walk in the sunlight among us, who will be the key to the end of it all." His words sank in. The key to the end of it all…
"What does the original text say completely?" I asked.
"That, I do not know. Few have seen the tablet and lived long to tell of it. The titans guard the entire sanctuary." He said sadly. I frowned, chewing on my lower lip.
"Where is the full text?" I dreaded the answer I guessed was coming.
"Greece. In one of the titan's temples. Guarded by a Cerberus beast and the titans themselves." He said gravely. I ran my fingers through my hair. I began pacing back and forth in front of the throne.
"So now that people know about me, we can expect to be further targets." I stated. He nodded his head.
"The other families will try to get you, for your ability and your part in the future prophecy. The hunters will also try to use you for their own purposes, if they learn of the prophecy." He grits his teeth. "I will not have MY DAUGHTER used in such ways. As a pawn for their games." He spit. Then he composed himself again.
"We still have the Awakening to face." I reminded him. He nodded grimly.
"The Awakening is in two days. You will take part as planned. Alec will watch over you." He nodded to Alec, who still stood silently in the doorway. "Be careful, Elysia." My father showed an unprecedented display of emotion. His eyes were watery. Nodding, I digested the information I had just heard. I would have more questions, but for now I wanted to process and absorb. Turning on my heel, I walked out of the audience chamber. Alec followed silently behind me as I wound my way up the floors, to the residential wing, to my room. As I stepped through the doorway, I stopped in the center of the room, clenching my fists. I heard Alec step into the doorway behind me.
"Elysia — "he started. I cut him off.
"Did you know?" I asked. He paused. He took in a breath.
"Yes. I knew." He answered honestly. Turning to face him, I bit my lip.
"You were under orders to keep it from me." I stated the fact I knew. He nodded. I knew where his loyalties lie. With my father. I stayed silent for a moment, feeling rather numb and dissociated. My entire life had been a lie.
"Are you okay?" Alec asked softly. His voice pierced through the tirade of thoughts in my head.
"I think I just need some time to absorb all of this." I said honestly, and didn't feel like talking right now. Sitting down on the side of the bed, I stared up at Alec. His silver eyes narrowed in concern, his arms crossed over his chest. I ran my hands through my hair and looked up at him.
"Was there anything else you needed?" I prompted him. He sighed and bit his lip.
"I just don't trust you not to do something stupid." He admitted. I groaned and flopped back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I lifted a pillow off of the bed and threw it at him. He caught it in one hand.
"I promise not to leave the manor grounds tonight. Better?" I quirked a brow and propped myself up on my arms. He snorted and nodded.
"Fine. Zeus knows why I trust you." He turned to leave the room, clicking the large oak door shut behind him.
Finally, alone, a sigh escaped me, and I stared up at the large chandelier in the center of my ceiling. Light from the torches on the walls refracted and illuminated the room in patterned light. I could go out hunting tonight, I thought. Yet, after all I had learned today, for once in my life, I felt like listening to them. There was somewhere else I could go, though…
I stood up and grabbed my leather jacket off of the chair I had tossed it on earlier, shrugging it on, strapped my blades into my belt. Opening the window to the manor grounds below, I stared at the large, waxing moon that glowed in the distance. I sighed, throwing my leg over the sill. I jumped out into the night.