"What does that have to do with you now?" she failed to see how her mate could be in any danger. He didn't even have the same last name any more.
"I came here to Noctem Falls to investigate if a vampire or group of vampires could be responsible for the mass manipulation that happened that night. Because I am now the bearer of the Veritas Book, the Book of Truth." He kissed the top of her head. "Our people are slaves to their own memories and I won't rest until the truth is known."
"Why not go to the Ironwoods or the Ashleighs? They're still around right?" She patched up Caiden just last week.
He shook his head. "One generation of their family was eliminated but a hundred years later they were back in the city as if nothing happened. I don't think they even remember their true purpose."
"Caiden, Tristan and Kyran Ironwood are good men. Law Ashleigh is a good man. If you helped them remember, they could stand by you." It scared her to death that her mate would face this future alone.
"It would take years to peel back that many layers of false memories and I don't think we have that much time."
"The ferals," she whispered.
"Reapers. Meryn called them reapers."
"You know what I mean."
"They are the larger threat right now so I want to stay with my unit brothers. But if my past is truly catching up with me, what I tell them could tear us apart. How could I look Adriel in the eye and confess that I have been lying to them for centuries. That I came here under false pretenses looking to discredit his people."
"I think he would forgive you and offer to help."
"I think you're being extremely optimistic."
"Do me a favor, at least tell Kendrick. He has had access to one of the largest collection of books in the kingdom for centuries. I know he could help," she pleaded.
He sighed. "If he wasn't an acting unit warrior I would say no. But technically he is a warrior brother and pretty much eschews all Storm Keep stands for. I'll feel him out, but make no promises."
"If I had to choose between an army or Kendrick at my side, I'd chose Kendrick every single time," she confessed.
He propped himself on his hand. "Do I need to feel jealous here?"
She shook her head. "No, he's..." she had to stop and think a moment. "He's sort of like an older brother, but not a kind, nice one like Zach. He's kinda sadistic and sarcastic as hell, but because he doesn't coddle you, he helps you to become stronger, to learn more and to push yourself." She exhaled. "There were times when I honestly wanted to choke him, but, I wouldn't be the witch I am today without his teasing, pointing, laughing and ridicule."
Micah frowned. "I don't need to beat his ass do I?"
"No, he was never malicious but I did provide entertainment for him more than once when studying for my Academy test."
He let out a nervous laugh. "Good, because have you seen the size of him? What did he eat growing up?"
"My family left Eiré Danu when we were about five so I could spend my formative years in Storm Keep and learn from other witches. Zach hung out with the fae warriors learning how to build muscle and how to fight. I got into scrapes with the other witch kids as we tried spells out on each other."
Micah chuckled. "I see that hasn't changed in the centuries since I grew up there."
"I wonder if I ever played on the same roads as you growing up? Or maybe passed your gran in the market?"
"We only missed each other by a century or two or three," he teased.
"A few centuries are nothing to paranormals."
"I'm glad we met when we did and not in Storm Keep," Micah said, kissing her forehead. "I was a cheeky shit until I hit three hundred. You would have hated me."
"I used to envy Laelia and Radclyffe, they've known since they were practically babies they were mates."
"How'd that happen?" he asked.
"They were born on the exact same, day, hour and minute. Radclyffe's family are very upper class. On the day he was born his mother went into labor while at the market, unfortunately for her, the closest assistance was the Water Temple in the Lower City. Laelia's parents were from the Lower City so of course when her mother went into labor she was brought to the Water Temple as well." She smiled as she remembered Radclyffe telling her the story excitedly as a child when they first met. "Anyway, both women were placed in the same birthing room. As the temple clock chimed midnight on All Hallows Eve, both babes drew breath and wailed," she giggled. "No one thought anything of it until about five years later. Radclyffe saw Laelia while he was at the market with his mother and followed Laelia home. Over the years Radclyffe was hauled back to his parents house by his ears nearly everyday. Laelia and I joke that his left ear is bigger than his right since his father is right-handed."
"You knew each other as children?" he asked.