Chapter 74 – No Bro

Violet.

Samuel looked at me with wide, anxious eyes, his body tense. "Hey... hey. What's up, Violet?" His attempt at a casual demeanor didn't fool me - I could see the unease written all over his face.

My stomach churned, sensing his discomfort. "I know you're hiding something from me, Samuel. I can see it in your eyes. You need to come clean," I said, my gaze holding his steady.

Samuel hesitated for a moment, fidgeting with his cup and saucer, before sighing deeply. "I've wrestled with telling you something... wondering if it would hurt more than it helps. But with this battle looming... it's come down to the wire and I think you need to know." He paused, his expression pained.

Could the guy be more cryptic? My stomach further twisted into knots of dread. "So, what is it? What do you need to tell me?" I pressed, my heart pounding.

"It's about Bart Rivers," he said slowly, the words seemingly dragged from him. "Or Tabor Viers... he's... he's your half-brother, Violet."

The words hit me like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of me. I stared at Samuel, unable to form a coherent sentence only a strangled gasp-like, "What?"

"I'm sorry, Violet. I should have told you sooner. But I was scared. Scared of what you would think of me for keeping this from you. Scared of how you would react."

"How... how can that be?" I stammered. Samuel's explanation spun my head like a top. It felt like he was teaching me a whole new language, one where the basic rules I thought I knew didn't apply.

When I first learned that I was a witch, Joyce told me that my father had claimed his fiancée was pregnant at the same time my mother was with me. She also said that Thaddeus claimed the child wasn't his.

Bart wasn't his.

Was he after all?

Samuel reached out and placed his hands over my cold ones. "I know this is a lot to take in," he said gently, his eyes filled with sympathy. "Believe me, I wrestled with whether or not to tell you. But you deserve to know the truth."

I sat across from him, my hands trembling under his as I tried to make sense of it all. "How do you know all this, Samuel? About Bart, about Thaddeus... about me?"

Samuel sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You know the Warlock society that I mentioned during the meeting last night?" At my nod, he continued. "I along with Bart was taken in by them after his mother and mine died in a fight for power against each other. The society taught us about our powers and showed us their ways. Sometimes… I think they gave us too free a hand. They didn't teach us enough right from wrong. That's why Tabor… Bart turned out like he did."

"So, it was their fault?" I asked, rage rising within me at the group that ruined an innocent child's life.

"No… not all the blame can be left at their doorstep. I was raised the same way… given the same freedom to explore my powers. I didn't turn out twisted like Bart did."

I couldn't argue with that. Samuel was the most down-to-earth person I knew. He could control electricity, which was pretty amazing, but he never lorded over anyone about it.

"True," I said slowly drawing out the word, "but how does your upbringing by the society tie into my father?"

Samuel took a deep breath, his eyes distant as he delved into the past. "Thaddeus was a high-ranking member of the Warlock society. He… uh… had passed right before they took me in so I never met them. In any case, I was but a child myself. But as they loved to gossip and reminisce about the past, I heard plenty of stories about your dad growing up."

He launched into a detailed account of Thaddeus's history with the Warlock society, including specific events and meetings he recalled. He told me about how Thaddeus had risen through the ranks, earning the respect and admiration of his peers. But he also spoke of Thaddeus's loneliness, his longing for something more than the power and prestige that came with his position.

"He was respected, admired… and later, feared. But he was also... lonely. He met your mother and fell hard. She was a powerful witch in her own right."

I scoffed. "If he was so in love with her, how could he sleep with someone else?" I asked, my gut twisting into knots at the very thought. Just picturing David with Jasmine, even for a fleeting moment, made waves of nausea crash over me. I couldn't fathom him harboring any lingering feelings for her - not after everything we'd been through, not after how far Jasmine and I had come in mending our fractured relationship. The mere idea felt like a dagger to my heart.

"That's where the manipulation and deceit come into play," Samuel said, his voice taking on a somber, haunted tone. "Bart's mother, Constance, was a witch cut from an exceptionally powerful bloodline, just like Thaddeus was. When he broke off their arranged marriage after falling hopelessly for your mother, Constance simply could not accept it." He paused, his expression etched with sorrow and regret for what I assumed was for me. "Consumed by jealousy and her own sense of entitlement, she enacted an ancient spell to ensnare Thaddeus, forcing him into her bed until she became pregnant with his child." Samuel's fists clenched unconsciously. "She wanted nothing more than to birth a supremely powerful heir...and that's precisely what she got."

As Samuel spoke, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for my father. He had been manipulated, used as a pawn in Constance's twisted game. And yet, he had also made choices that had hurt the people he loved. It was a complex, messy situation, and I wasn't sure how to feel about any of it.

"What about my mother?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know much about her," Samuel admitted. "Only that she was a powerful witch, and that Thaddeus loved her deeply. But beyond that...I'm afraid I don't have many answers."

I didn't either. Sweet kisses and smothering hugs, brushing my hair and baking cookies, were nothing more than echoes in the deepest part of my mind. Only our trips to the library remained vivid.

"But why are you telling me this now?" I asked, confused and yes, a little apprehensive. I had to wonder if he had ulterior motives for revealing all of this to me.

"Because I think you deserve to know the truth," Samuel said, meeting my gaze. "And because I think it's important for you to understand who you are, where you come from, and what you're capable of. The others in the society... they didn't want me to tell you. Afraid Tabor and his wrath would come down on me." His lanky frame seemed to expand in his chair as he sat up straighter, his voice more confident than I had ever heard it. "But I'm not afraid. He needs to be stopped."

I nodded, my heart heavy. There was so much I didn't know, so much I might never know. But I couldn't dwell on that now. I had to focus on the present, on the task at hand.

"I need to tell David and Javid."

And soon before I chickened out.

Samuel nodded. "I think that's a good idea. But be careful, Violet. This revelation could change everything."

I knew he was right. But I also knew that I couldn't keep this from David and Javid. They deserved to know the truth, just as I did. We'd work out the implications of it well before we had to face… my brother.

As I stood up to leave, Samuel reached out and took my hand once more. "I'm sorry, Violet. For everything. I should have told you sooner. I should have been there for you as you were growing up."

His concern moved me to tears which I felt felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. My mother and father were lost to me, at least in this plane of existence, but as my dad relayed in my vision, they were proud of me.

That was all that mattered.