Allure 17 Chapter sixteen

"I don't understand what you're getting at." I got up and faced the girl called Lucy.

She played dumb then continued,

"I thought you knew."

"Knew what!" I snapped back.

Everyone turned to me wondering what made me fume badly. I could hear their murmurs and all eyes were on me.

Lucy looked at Dale then back at me.

"I'm sorry. I made a mistake." She mumbled and tried to leave.

I blocked her path before she could make her getaway and asked for the last time who Tatia was.

"She's no one. You're—hurting me." I didn't realize I was holding her so tight. I had literally dug my fingers into her shoulders. Blood seeped out and I had to let her go.

"What's wrong with you? Do you want to hurt her?" A male guest who couldn't take it anymore intervened.

"I just want to know what's she's saying?" I retorted not enjoying his cocky nature at all.

Katherine's father wheeled towards me and coughed out,

"Spencer, I think you should call down..."

"Don't tell me to calm down Dale!" My outburst surprised me. Despite my natural dislike for the man, I had always respected him, So much that I took his family name for mine.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I have a gut feeling you're hiding something."

Dale exhaled and shook his head disappointedly.

"Katherine didn't tell you then. It's time you know."

My heartbeat tripled hearing these words. I felt like a news that was going to crush my life was going to come out from his lips.

"Katherine had twins..." The old man paused and let the words sink in before going on, " She gave one to me. I named her Tatia."

All I could hear was a buzz. I couldn't just believe everything he said word for word. I knew Katherine. I knew her right from the cradle, She wouldn't do something like this. She would never do such.

"Where...Where is she?" I stammered, struggling to breathe.

This was going for the rocks, I could feel it.

"Tatia is dead."

The murmuring around me intensified. People spoke vile words to God knows who. I couldn't concentrate on that. All I could think of was how my pretty world in a glass sphere shattered to nothing but shards.

"What killed her? How did she die?"

Nobody answered. They all stared on like guilty fools.

"Somebody should tell me right now or I'll do something stupid."

Tears soaked my dry skin. How could Katherine have done this to me? I had a daughter who I never met, I didn't even know she existed and just when I knew she was a thing, She's gone.

Nobody replied and the silence got awkward. I deserved an award for bringing down a royal party singlehandedly. Maisy approached me, glazed eyes and swollen pink lips that quivered when she spoke.

"Dad, We can deal with this together."

It was hard for me to show what I felt within to the public eye but this was just something I couldn't control. I remained barricaded in my mental walls so I needed to ask something I think I already knew the answer to.

"Maisy?"

"Di—d you know?" I swallowed hard awaiting her reply. She didn't answer immediately. The message hung clearly in the air, a feeling of guilt.

"Wow! And you kept it from your own father? Bravo Maisy." I accused.

"I was going to tell you..." She sniffled but I cut her off.

"But you didn't. I deserved to know but you didn't respect me enough to tell me."

"I'm sorry." She begged, coming closer.

"You're sorry? Does it change things now? This isn't something you just forget Maisy. Your stay here has changed you. You're not the girl I used to know." I mused.

Maisy stopped talking, She stopped moving. I had drained her off any hope she had left.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She voiced barely audible.

"You've become what I've always despised. You're now a Clarke."

I gathered all the strength I had left and mustered the courage to walk away, from the lies, the plotting, the evils. It was a huge mistake on my part to ever come here. Just moments here had left me with new wounds I would forever nurse. I might have overreacted and Maisy got a buttload of it but most of it was from disbelief.

Katherine kept secrets. First Ria isn't just a horse and I have a second daughter. I could see grey lines.

***

Eric

  Great! Spencer had single-handedly ended a party that was supposed to go on until the next morning. Not that I would be able to party after being reminded about Tatia.

Maisy had returned to the castle and here I was trying to find her. Anthony had made sure I went. His idea of showing that I cared.

I knocked on my Chambers door which was now locked.

"Open the door Maisy, Crying isn't going to solve anything."

She didn't reply but I could hear her mumbled wails.

God, Now I had to play the nice guy.

I knocked again,

"Maisy, Please open the door. Let's talk about this."

I heard her get up from within. Her footsteps thumping the ground with each step she made for the door. The lock unbolted.

The first thing I noticed was how messed up her appearance had become. Her hair was rough from all the pulling and tugging, her Kol was dripping down on her face and she looked pale but still beautiful.

"What do you want?" She demanded.

"You do know this is my room right." My idea for a joke was a bad idea and she slammed the door right in my face. With just minutes to spare before the door jammed shut, I put a brave show and wedged my feet through the doorway, stopping it from closing up totally.

I heard her screech before leaving the door.

I came in and met hee sitting on the bed, Hurt and angry. She was probably blaming me for all her predicaments now.

"You must be happy now." She jeered, "Why would the universe trapped me with something like you?"

Touche!

I joined her on the bed, keeping my distance and finally spoke.

"I know you see me as the enemy Maisy and I know I've hurt you in ways I cannot comprehend because I'm not you and I think it's time I apologized, I'm sorry Maisy."

She wiped off Kol from dripping on her new dress then sent me a quite odd stare.

"Is this some sick game of yours?"

"No." I assured, "I really am sorry and while I can't let you go yet. I want you to know it's because I need a particular your inheritance badly."

She gave a weak smile and said,

"Sorry doesn't bring my father back. Somethings can't be forgiven."

"What if I had a bribe? Would you forgive me?" I winked.

She giggled, a sweet memory that would remain evergreen in my memory.

"How?"

"Won't say but, I promise you he'll come for you tonight. He'll take back everything he said and Like you, he'll hate me with passion."

"I don't know why I should even take your words with levity. You've lied to me in the past."

My heart shattered hearing her just say that. I had kept my distance for two reasons. Tatia would always be the one I loved and being with Maisy would just be wrong. The second was to protect her from a fate that awaited her if we got to close. She would never understand so I didn't bother trying.

"Then give me this chance to prove myself."

"Ok."

It felt like the best moments I had with her was about to end but then the strangest thing happened.

Her arms held me tight.

Her hug was stronger than anything I'd ever known, as if holding me wasn't quite enough. I felt every ounce that I was press into every ounce that is hers. At that moment I felt awake somehow, more alive than I had been in so very long.

  Her hug cocooned my secret hurt, I felt safe within those walls, protected.

It lasted minutes but those where the best moments of my life and if I could get a wish, it would be to relive the moment once again.

Chapter end