Chapter 21: The Web of Deceit
I sat in stunned silence, trying to process the information my mother had just revealed. My biological parents had been murdered by the Order of the Red Hand? It was too much to take in.
My mother reached out and took my hand. "I'm so sorry, Alex," she said. "I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to protect you."
I pulled my hand away, feeling a mix of emotions: anger, sadness, and confusion. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked, my voice shaking with emotion.
My mother took a deep breath before speaking. "I was scared, Alex. I was scared of what might happen to you if you knew the truth. I was scared of the Order of the Red Hand."
I felt a surge of anger. My mother had been scared? What about me? I was the one who had been living a lie.
"What else are you hiding from me?" I asked, my voice firm.
My mother hesitated before speaking. "There's something else, Alex. Something I should have told you a long time ago."
I felt a sense of trepidation wash over me. What else could my mother possibly reveal?
"What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
My mother took a deep breath before speaking. "You have a twin sister, Alex. A sister who was also adopted by a different family."
I felt like I had been punched in the gut. A twin sister? Adopted by a different family?
It was too much to take in.
I thought back to all the times I had felt like something was missing, like I had a connection to someone or something that I couldn't quite explain. Was this the answer? Was my twin sister the missing piece of the puzzle?
I looked at my mother, searching for answers. "What's her name?" I asked.
My mother hesitated before speaking. "Her name is Samantha."
I felt a surge of excitement. I had a twin sister named Samantha.
But as I thought about it more, I realized that this raised more questions than answers. Why had my mother kept this a secret? Why had Samantha been adopted by a different family?
And what did the Order of the Red Hand have to do with all of this?
I knew that I had to find out more. I had to uncover the truth about my family, my past, and my connection to the Order of the Red Hand.
I stood up, determination burning within me. "I need to find her," I said.
My mother nodded, a small smile on her face. "I'll help you, Alex. We'll find your sister together."
But as we sat there, making plans to find my sister, I couldn't shake off the feeling that we were being watched. The Order of the Red Hand was still out there, and they would stop at nothing to keep the truth from me.