Sierra’s biological grandfather, which makes me yours as well.”
“Like a Band-Aid, huh?” I’d expected him to dance around the subject, not to blurt it out.
“I figured as much.” Willow kept her gaze on the mug she’d wrapped her fingers around. “So if that’s your big secret, I already know.”
He nodded, accepting her words. “I’m not surprised you figured it out, but I wanted to tell you myself when the time was right. And now, you need to know about the other side of your family.”
“Are you talking about my father’s side? I never met anyone from his side. He never spoke much about his parents. I don’t even know if he had any brothers or sisters.” She took a sip. “The only person he ever mentioned was his grandmother. Dad always had plenty to say about her.”
“Yes,” he said. “Your grandmother’s name is Jacinta Mills.”
I already knew the woman Willow thought was her father’s grandmother was actually her grandmother. But I hadn’t said anything. This was Oren’s story to tell.
She shook her head, sending her long hair over her shoulder. “You mean she was my great-grandmother? Jacinta was my father’s granny. She’s the one he wouldn’t shut up about because she could raise corpses.”
Yeah, Eli Moss had a lot to answer for. Because of his obsession with necromancy, and his allowing a Lamia to seduce him, Willow had run away from home earlier in the year. It was how we’d met, and also how Eli sealed his own death at the hands of Maya. The man’s power-hungry ambitions nearly helped summon Legion into this patch, but at least he’d kept his only daughter out of Jacinta’s clutches. She sounded like a real bitch, that one.
“Willow, Jacinta is your grandmother.”
“But that would make her Dad’s mother…why would he lie to me about that?”
“Because he didn’t know,” I answered.
Willow opened her mouth to reply, but shook her head. “Does everything have to be so weird all the time? Don’t answer that.” She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, for what I thought might be an attempt at distraction.
“Your other grandfather is a man called Duff Moss,” Oren said with a sigh. “And I’m afraid they’re both alive and kicking.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Her blue eyes glistened in the sun, and for the first time since I’d met her, I realized they were very similar to Oren’s.
“It would be, if they weren’t both so dangerous.”
“So why are you telling me this, then?”
I put a hand over hers. “He’s telling you because it could end up being a matter of life and death. Tell her about the order.”
Oren sat forward. “Before I do that, she needs to know about my brother, Duff—you both do.”
“Your brother?” I echoed.
The man who happened to be a member of both the Obscurus and the Alliance was not only Willow’s grandfather but was also Oren’s brother? What the hell kind of messed-up circle did these guys travel in? I knew a bit about Oren’s and Grandma’s turbulent past—jealousy and desire played a big part. But I hadn’t known—or expected— this .
“Hold on a sec!” Willow placed her mug in front of her and raised both hands, shaking them. “You said Duff is my grandfather, and you’re now claiming he’s also your brother. Are you telling me my parents were cousins? This is so messed up.”
She was right about that.
Oren shook his head. “No, no, sorry, let me explain. Duff and I were very close and although we weren’t related by blood, we called ourselves brothers. Actually, most people didn’t know the truth and just assumed it to be true, which is what your grandmother believed. Jacinta thought we were real brothers, and when I denied her what she wanted, she went to him instead. The result was your father. They were never married, but their alliance is a strong one and to this day they serve each other.”
“Okay, so my father was born out of wedlock and she’s the one I get my
“Like a Band-Aid, huh?” I’d expected him to dance around the subject, not to blurt it out.
“I figured as much.” Willow kept her gaze on the mug she’d wrapped her fingers around. “So if that’s your big secret, I already know.”
He nodded, accepting her words. “I’m not surprised you figured it out, but I wanted to tell you myself when the time was right. And now, you need to know about the other side of your family.”
“Are you talking about my father’s side? I never met anyone from his side. He never spoke much about his parents. I don’t even know if he had any brothers or sisters.” She took a sip. “The only person he ever mentioned was his grandmother. Dad always had plenty to say about her.”
“Yes,” he said. “Your grandmother’s name is Jacinta Mills.”
I already knew the woman Willow thought was her father’s grandmother was actually her grandmother. But I hadn’t said anything. This was Oren’s story to tell.
She shook her head, sending her long hair over her shoulder. “You mean she was my great-grandmother? Jacinta was my father’s granny. She’s the one he wouldn’t shut up about because she could raise corpses.”
Yeah, Eli Moss had a lot to answer for. Because of his obsession with necromancy, and his allowing a Lamia to seduce him, Willow had run away from home earlier in the year. It was how we’d met, and also how Eli sealed his own death at the hands of Maya. The man’s power-hungry ambitions nearly helped summon Legion into this patch, but at least he’d kept his only daughter out of Jacinta’s clutches. She sounded like a real bitch, that one.
“Willow, Jacinta is your grandmother.”
“But that would make her Dad’s mother…why would he lie to me about that?”
“Because he didn’t know,” I answered.
Willow opened her mouth to reply, but shook her head. “Does everything have to be so weird all the time? Don’t answer that.” She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, for what I thought might be an attempt at distraction.
“Your other grandfather is a man called Duff Moss,” Oren said with a sigh. “And I’m afraid they’re both alive and kicking.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Her blue eyes glistened in the sun, and for the first time since I’d met her, I realized they were very similar to Oren’s.
“It would be, if they weren’t both so dangerous.”
“So why are you telling me this, then?”
I put a hand over hers. “He’s telling you because it could end up being a matter of life and death. Tell her about the order.”
Oren sat forward. “Before I do that, she needs to know about my brother, Duff—you both do.”
“Your brother?” I echoed.
The man who happened to be a member of both the Obscurus and the Alliance was not only Willow’s grandfather but was also Oren’s brother? What the hell kind of messed-up circle did these guys travel in? I knew a bit about Oren’s and Grandma’s turbulent past—jealousy and desire played a big part. But I hadn’t known—or expected— this .
“Hold on a sec!” Willow placed her mug in front of her and raised both hands, shaking them. “You said Duff is my grandfather, and you’re now claiming he’s also your brother. Are you telling me my parents were cousins? This is so messed up.”
She was right about that.
Oren shook his head. “No, no, sorry, let me explain. Duff and I were very close and although we weren’t related by blood, we called ourselves brothers. Actually, most people didn’t know the truth and just assumed it to be true, which is what your grandmother believed. Jacinta thought we were real brothers, and when I denied her what she wanted, she went to him instead. The result was your father. They were never married, but their alliance is a strong one and to this day they serve each other.”
“Okay, so my father was born out of wedlock and she’s the one I get my
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