Immortal Destiny (The Immortal Prophecy Saga) (12 page)

“That’s an odd notion for a person that can read people’s minds at any given time,” Ally said smartly.

“You’re right, but that’s how I felt. I checked in on you again and by this stage, you’d found James again and those eyes of his got me thinking again, maybe…just maybe. So I read the diary from start to finish and discovered the truth of who you were…

“She had been in love with a man that well…wasn’t exactly a nice guy, and as time went on she began to realise what he really was. But it was too late, she was pregnant with you James. She feared for your life and hers if he ever found out that you existed, so she ran away and went into hiding. She had her precious little baby boy and wanted nothing more to spend forever with you…She loved you more than her own life, but she knew that it wouldn’t be long before the man found you, so she did the hardest thing a mother could ever do and gave you up.

“But she wasn’t giving the most important thing in the world to her to just anyone. She knew the Carlisles were good people, that they would treat you right and love you as their own and more importantly, she knew that they could protect you if you were ever discovered.

“So she wrapped you in a blanket and tucked the prophecy into your basket, and the rest you know.”

“That’s so sad,” Ally said, wiping her eyes.

James raised his head and looked at Isabella. “Who were my parents?”

Ally watched her intently as she answered. “Your mother was Nicola Ashworth, and as for your father, I don’t know. He was never named in her diary.”

“But whoever he was, by the sounds of it he was not the sort of father I would’ve wanted anyway,” James said.

“It doesn’t matter who he was, James. I can see you are a good man, and that’s all that matters. I’m sure that Alessandra would agree with me on that one.”

Ally nodded violently. “Absolutely.”

He gave a half-hearted shrug. “Do you have the diary?”

“No,” Isabella answered too quickly. “I burned it.”

Ally’s eyes narrowed and she cocked her head to the side. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

I don’t believe that for a second
…

“I need some time to think about all this, Isabella. But until proven otherwise, I believe what you have told me.” He got up and hugged his sister feeling a mixture of happiness and regret.

“I understand,” she said, hugging him back. “Take as much time as you need.”

“You must stay with us of course. I’ll have Sophie make a room up for you when we go downstairs.”

“Come on,” Ally said. “Let’s go tell the others.”

All eyes in the room turned on the three of them as they entered. It was so silent, a pin dropping to the ground would have been heard. Ally caught her grandmother’s questioning eye and tried to ignore it. She looked at James, who was still stumbling with the new information and took matters into her own hands.

“Isabella is one of the elder members we are searching for. She is the Seer.” She paused to gather herself before announcing the bombshell to the room. “It turns out that she is also James’ half-sister.”

The room erupted into a mixture of well wishes, surprise, and everyone talking over each other. “Guys!” Ally called out. “I know you all have questions about this and we will answer them, but James has been taken by surprise so I think let’s start with the introductions first.”

Ally introduced Isabella to everyone and followed up with Sophie about getting a room made up for her. She turned to look for James and saw that he was in the corner with his brother. Both of them stood rigidly. Damian’s hands were moving about and James just looked irritated.

Adele came up beside Ally and whispered into her ear, “Come with me to the terrace.”

Ally wanted to go to James, but she thought it might be better not to interrupt the brothers. She took one last look at him, then slipped out of the room to follow Adele.

“What is going on?” Adele asked, and sat down on one of the chair.

Ally sat herself down next to Adele and wrung her hands together. “She claims to be the sister and the story she told sounded like it was true, but…”

“But what?”

“I just felt like she wasn’t telling the whole story or she was lying about something…” She looked at Adele and the worry showed in her eyes. “I don’t trust her.”

“Keep an eye on her, Ally.” Adele sighed. “For James’ sake I hope you’re wrong, but you normally know when someone is not being entirely truthful.”

“I’ve never seen James so shocked…She managed to bring him to his knees with one sentence. It was hard to watch.”

“It would’ve been.” Adele said. “Damian was talking to him, making sure that he was alright. He out of everyone knows how James has struggled with it.”

Ally nodded.

“So much has happened in the last few days!” Adele said, and gave her a quick pat on the knee. “You must be exhausted, sweetie.”

“I admit that I am feeling a little drained, but I have to keep going for James.”

Adele agreed. “He’ll need you more than ever right now.”

“I know. Maybe I should go check on him.”

“Probably a good idea. Your grandfather can get a little bit carried away at times.”

“So I took him after then,” Ally joked.

“You certainly did!”

Ally got up and went back inside to find James. She walked into the room, but he wasn’t there anymore.

“James?”

“I’m in our room little one.”

“Do you want some company?”

“Just yours.”

“I’ll be up in a minute.”

Ally found Sophie in the mass of people and pulled her to one side. “Could you organise a room for Caleb as well? But put him in the cottage with Logan. I think he’d be more comfortable there.”

“Of course, Ally,” Sophie said. “Is there anything else I can do?”

“There is one more thing actually. I need to make sure that James is alright, but I feel rude leaving everyone.”

“Say no more!” she said with a wave of her hands in the direction of the stairs. “Go and take care of him. He needs you. I’ll take care of everything down here.”

“Thank you, Sophie,” Ally said and gave the housekeeper a hug. Then she dashed upstairs to her new room that she would be sharing with James.

She opened the door and walked in, quietly shutting the door behind her. James sat on the couch opposite the fireplace with a glass of whiskey in his hand.

She sat next to him and curled her legs underneath her, then patted his arm. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”

He put his hand on hers and stared at her. “I am now that you’re here.”

She smiled. “I’m trying to think of something wise and wonderful to say, but I haven’t got a clue.”

“Makes two of us,” he said. “I just don’t know how I feel about all this. I discover that my mother loved me so much and that I have a sister, but I have no idea who my father was other than someone awful and the mother that loved me is dead…” He stared into the flames. “I mean, what do you do with that?”

“I wish I had the answers for you.”

The gratitude shone in his eyes. “I don’t expect you to have the answers, but it helps that I have you here.”

“I’ll always be here for you.” Ally wrapped her arms around him, then pulled back. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“We’re getting out of here.”

Chapter Fifteen

“We need to jump off the balcony for a start,” she instructed.

James drew his eyebrows together. “Seriously?”

“Yep! We’re breaking out.”

James felt his body tingle at the idea of escaping for a while. “But what about everyone downstairs?”

“I’ve got Sophie covering that,” she said as she walked out onto the balcony. “Now are you coming or what?”

“I’m coming,” he replied and scooped her up into his arms before jumping off the balcony.

They landed with a soft thud and he set her down on the grass.

“This way,” she said, and motioned for him to follow her towards the stables. “You and I are going for a ride. It’ll clear your head.”

“Ok, wait here. I’ll be back with the horses in two minutes,” he said.

As promised, he was back and they took off at a gallop towards the fence. Ally cleared it first with James following behind. She turned around and saw the smile that lit up his face, and she knew she’d been right to suggest this.

“Do you have a destination in mind?” James called out.

“Not really,” she confessed.

An idea struck him. “Then follow me.”

He took the lead on Cooper and she followed behind on Destiny both horses going at breakneck pace, weaving through the trees and jumping over fallen logs. Ally’s mind ticked over the afternoon’s revelations as they rode on. There was something about Isabella that she couldn’t put her finger on. She was inclined to believe that she was James’ half-sister but burning the diary was what had bothered her.

“The diary,” she muttered aloud. “She’s lying about the diary.”

“What?” James called back.

Damn it.

“Nothing, just thinking aloud.”

“It’s not far now,” he said. “I used to come here sometimes when I wanted to think or get away from it all.”

They rode up a small hill and James pulled his horse to a stop. “Down there,” he said and pointed to the hidden paradise.

Ally drew in a deep breath and the noise of rushing and crashing water filled her ears. “It’s gorgeous,” she said as her eyes took in the waterfall and the small river flowing from it.

“Come on,” he said kicking his horse into a slow walk.

Ally eagerly followed him down the hill.

James pulled up his horse and dismounted on the wild green grass beside the fast flowing stream. Ally did the same. She walked closer to see the waterfall up close and ran her hand over the mossy boulders surrounding it.

She peered into the water and saw the pebbles at the bottom. She’d never seen water so pure before. A tree hung out from the rapidly descending water catching her attention. “How can a tree possibly thrive in that situation?”

“It’s one tough little tree, that’s for sure,” he replied. “It’s strange that caught your attention, because I’ve always wondered the same thing.”

She turned back to the water and gazed at her reflection, until a second face appeared beside her. She couldn’t help but smile at the image of her and James.

“When I met you the second time, you reminded me of that little tree.”

“Why is that?” she asked as she sat on the boulder and looked at him.

“You were thriving against the odds, when a waterfall of despair, chaos and destiny were crashing down on you.”

Ally looked at the tree again. “You know, I feel a bond with that little tree now.”

“I’ll make sure you come and visit often then.”

She smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”

James stepped back and went to sit down in the long grass. She followed him and picked a blade of grass that she began to play with absently.

She knew that if James wanted to talk he would, but if he wanted to sit in silence, she could do that too. The magic of the place held her captive and all her troubles melted away momentarily.

Eventually James began to speak. “There is a legend about the waterfalls up here.”

“What is it?” She asked eagerly.

“According to legend, a female creature, known as the Caoineag will be heard wailing at a waterfall the night before a calamity befalls her clan. She is invisible to the human eye, and only her heart-stopping wails let you know she is nearby.”

“Creepy,” Ally said as a cold shiver ran through her.

“Very,” he agreed. “It is also said that one should avoid her, because she will lash out with her wet washing if you get too close.”

Ally couldn’t help but laugh. “Wet washing? Really?”

“Yes, but not just regular laundry,” he said, his voice taking on a sinister tone. “She is washing the blood out of the clothes of the dead.”

Ally shivered again and goose bumps rose up on her arms. “Is it real?”

“Maybe…” he answered mysteriously. “Apparently she cried the night of the infamous MacDonald slaughter. Some of the clan members heeded her warning and ran off into the night, lessening the slaughter, but who knows really.”

Ally’s eyebrows shot up. “Well, if immortals and vampires exist, then why can’t the wailing women?”

James gave her a small smile and stared out at the late afternoon sun in the sky. “I don’t know what it is about this place, but it seems to bring clarity to my mind every time I come here.”

“And what has it clarified today?”

“That even though I want to believe Isabella with all my heart, the fact is that she could be lying. I mean your dealings with her in the past haven’t been wonderful.”

“Well, no they haven’t,” Ally agreed. “But as much as I hate to admit it, she was right to tell the truth that day, even if it wasn’t pleasant.”

James agreed.

“I won’t lie to you and say I trust her completely because I don’t. There was something she wasn’t telling us today.”

“I was too stunned to really take much notice of anything,” sighed James.

She put her arm around him. “That’s to be expected, sweetheart. You weren’t prepared for anything like this.”

“No,” he said shaking his head. “I’d given up on ever learning the truth of my heritage. And now I know some of it, but there are still blanks that I’ll never know. Like who my father is for example.”

“By the sounds of it, you probably don’t want to know.”

“But that’s just it, Ally. I’m half of this horrible person. What if I end up like him? That’s why I wanted to know who he was and what he did so I had some idea of the amount of crappy DNA I had floating about in me.”

“James,” she said grabbing his face with her hands. “Listen to me very carefully. You are not your father, whoever he was so it’s irrelevant. You are your own man with your own faults and flaws and brilliant qualities. DNA might play a role in a person’s personality, but I think it also depends on your upbringing too, and by all accounts it was pretty awesome.

“I don’t want to sound like I’m dismissing your concerns or worries off hand, but I want you to understand and know in your heart that you are a good man regardless of who your father is.”