I barely contained my wince. That wasn’t Thomas; he must still be in the dungeon somewhere. It looked like one of his offsiders.
People began to settle and sit down but a strange awareness tugged at me. I couldn’t exactly explain what I was feeling. It was an unsettling feeling that I couldn’t prepare for.
I glanced up and saw a large man, with graying hair and piercing blue eyes standing on his own and staring at me.
Something inside of me jumped and I bounced out of the chair to go to the man.
My father turned around to look at me, but I couldn’t stop myself from being dragged forward, towards the older man. It was as though I was tied to a string and the man was pulling me, out of my chair, away from everything just so I could get to him.
He had presence, and size, but that wasn’t the reason I couldn’t stop myself from going near him. There was something strangely familiar about him. Who was this person? How did I know him?
The closer I got, the more I realized that I wasn’t exactly unsettled. I wasn’t scared. This man didn’t seem bad, but I was still drawn to him in a way I couldn’t explain since I didn’t know him at all.
As I got closer, his eyes became more purple.
My mother’s eyes.
I stopped in my tracks, straightening my spine.
“Who are you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper as my throat closed over. I didn’t want anyone to overhear my question. I didn’t want them to know I had found someone I might consider a friend in this trial.
I recognized this man, although I’d never seen him before. Something inside me knew him.
He lifted his chin and looked at me, his gaze roaming over me from head to toe, but not in a lascivious way.
“I’m your grandfather,” he said simply.
My whole body hummed with surprise.
“You’re my... mother’s father, aren’t you?” I asked. I wasn’t sure whether I was happy or upset at this news. My mother hadn’t mentioned him, at least, as far as I could recall.
He nodded.
What could I say? That I’d missed him my whole life? That I wanted a grandfather desperately? That I hoped he’d be proud of me and what I was about to do?
I didn’t understand why I suddenly cared about what a stranger thought about me, but I did. But instead of dwelling on this new layer of nerves it produced in me, I tried to push it away.
No. Today I had to be stoic, and strong. Not the emotional mess I truly wished I could be at this point. If the Council had brought him in specifically to rattle me, they’d done a good job.
I swallowed hard and tried to ignore the pounding of my heart ringing in my ears.
“It is very nice to meet you,” I managed to get out, wincing when my voice shook slightly.
He smiled gently. “Your grandmother was hoping to join me, but she is not well, and portal travel isn’t good for her.”
I had a grandmother too! And it sounded like they wanted to be here, to see me.
I cleared my throat, emotions clogging my eyes and making my nose tingle. “Well, perhaps after the trial I could accompany you back to your realm and meet her in person.”
He nodded, his eyes softening. “She would like that very much.”
My father walked over, holding out his hand to my grandfather. “Aaron, it’s nice to see you again.”
My grandfather shook my father’s hand, but his face grew cloudy with anger. “Matlock. If I’d known about this, you know you would never have gotten away with marrying Charity.”
My father nodded. “If I’d known about your daughter’s pregnancy, I would never have married Charity either. But...”
My grandfather sighed. “But Genevieve was stubborn,” he finished. “I can imagine she decided that running away was best for both of you.”