Chapter 181 Gabreal’s Story
Alessias pov
Sometimes silence is the only solace you can give someone that is mourning their loved one. I return my attention to the window staring at the clouds. I know it's hard for my Dad to talk about these things and I do not want to rush him .
“I left your Mother fifteen years ago” he finally begins
“I had a diplomatic meeting near Balbour ,Your mother told me to take the ship since I am so skilled captain as opposed to flying”
My heart sinks in my chest..
Mother would have died with this guilt eating at her, believing she killed her own mate. Maybe that's why she did not try to fight the poison
She wanted to go and meet him.
\-How tragic
He exhales “She loved flying but knew I was more comfortable on a ship than a plane.”
Thats typical her she would never put her own likes above any one else’s. I smile "That's exactly the kind of person she was ,she wanted you to travel at ease”
His eyes grow darker and cold for a moment as if he is reliving the nightmare.
“We never reached my destination.”
I shift in my seat backing the window and my full attention on him now. “Why didn't you ?”
“La Geneva laid a trap and I fell for it.
He clenches his jaw tightly eyes glistening with unshed tears. “How did they catch you ?Did they attack you openly at sea?”
My stomach twists in indignation.
The more I hear about La Geneva.
The more I hate them.
They deserve every bad thing that is coming for them.
“No not openly” he says calmly “Sea patrol would have seen them.”
He stares at his old weathered hands for a moment. “They came on board as Allies interested in a joint venture.”
Luca , Lucy's and Angelica's light conversation banter fade into the background as I focus all my attention on my Father's tale . He already looks very distraught. I do not want to ask him about this again. It's better for me to get the whole story at a go .
“They claimed to be part of a Neutral magic coven trying to restore world peace . They wanted us to join forces”
“Naturally you believed them.”
“I did at first ,everything looked legit.” he pauses, sighing “So I let them climb my ship.”
Instinctively my fingers tighten around the arm rest I know the story is about to take a turn for the worst.
“When did you start to doubt them ?” I coax gently
My father's eyes darken once more as he scowled.
“We were having a preliminary meeting one day ,and one of them gave themselves away repeating La Geneva's mantra.”
So that's how he was infiltrated ,realization slowly dawns on me.
“The cursed can only hide their nature for so long.” I whisper
“That is true …” He hesitates for a moment and I wait, not pushing him to continue. It is his tale he has to set the tone of how he will relay it.
“By the time I had thought about their slip up and put two and two together.” he sighs deeply “It was already too late I was outnumbered on my own ship.”
“How many people did they approach you with?”
“More than enough over twenty.”
He answers “I fought as best as I could..”
That part I am certain is true , I can still feel the little fighting spirit in him. In the way he still holds himself apart from the rest of us .
“The truth is they never go anywhere without being prepared” he continues “And they are good at suppressing magic.”
“In the end that was what they used to capture you.”
He turns to me his eyes full of regret “By the time I finally woke up , I was in that cell in La Geneva.”
I can't imagine the fear he felt when he woke up.
“In the cell we rescued you from?”
“Yes.”
I shut my eyes briefly what a night mare.
“At first they used to bring me out into their council chambers and try to persuade me with good food and drinks.”
“Why were they doing that? What did they want?”
“They were told I had some information that they needed.”
“Information about what?”
“My mother was the Witch not you.” I add softly .
Whatever powers my father developed was after they had bonded.
“I didn’t know the information they needed,I stalled so they will keep me alive.”
So they did not know exactly what they wanted from my father but took him anyway ?
Why do they hate my family so much?
“They took you from your ship without telling you why?”
“La Geneva doesn't explain , they only asked questions about Magical relics.”
Ahhh now we are getting somewhere.
“La Rosa.”
He shuts his eyes slowly.
“Yes.”
My heart starts beating loudly in my eyes. “They thought your mother had shared all the knowledge about it with me , about its powers”
Lucy and Angelica seem to have picked interest in our conversation and Alex turns back briefly.
“You never shared anything with them?”
“I couldn't your mother didn't share the secrets with me.”
His voice is firm and I know he is saying the truth.
“But they never believed you and kept you locked up anyway.”
“Yes.” he lets out a deep breath.
“They all thought I was lying to save myself.”
“And so they locked you up indefinitely.”
My heart is heavy
“For 10 years?”
“Sixteen I left when you turned six .”he corrects quietly
For sixteen years ,I was just a toddler when he left
“They kept asking me.” he continues
“In the beginning regularly then later it became a routine thing until one day it just stopped.”
“At that time I wondered why they stopped after so many years but now I get it .”
“They had la rosa and wanted to do the studying themselves.” I ended his sentence and he nodded.
“But they kept me alive just in case I can still come in handy.”
I wonder what exactly it is they want to achieve with La Rosa I need to start reading those texts with lucy and Angelica. Then I ask my Father one last question that has been on my mind since we escaped via the tunnel under his bed.
“How were you able to start digging the tunnel?”
His eyes crinkle with amusement
“That was a long term work it took a lot of patience.”
“Yes but how?”
“I found the hatch the first day I was locked there.” he says “then I started shifting the stone around it, it is not as strong as the one on the walls.”
“After some time I noticed that under the hatch was an escape route for the builders so it's filled with compacted sand not stone.”
“I see so you started to dig through it.”
“Yes with cutlery any time I was served.”
“Wow that really took a lot of time and precision”
He shrugs slightly “Its those that give up that mess up in life , I had a toddler and young wife to go home to . If that wasn't motivation enough I do not know what is.”
All of a sudden his face hardens. “Your mother must have assumed I was dead.”
“Yes she did.” I don't hesitate to tell him the truth.
He turns away for a moment
“Even though I held on to you two in my hearts I hoped she will move on…” his voice trails
“From a bonded Mate? I whisper “She never did.”
I feel Alex's eyes on me but I don't meet his gaze.
My father shuts his eyes, face full of pain. “She was too beautiful for a life of neglect,How did you both survive alone after all these years?”
I am quiet for a moment. I do not even know how to begin my story ,our story ,my mother and I but I know it's not going to be a short story either…