My One and Only (Bewitched and Bewildered #10)(33)

"The king and queen left," she corrected.

"Why? Where did they go?"

"They..." She shook her head back and forth trying to clear the haze.

"Shush, it's okay. It will be harder for you to fight the manipulation since you left Storm Keep this morning."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Whatever altered the memories of our people five thousand years ago permeated the very stone of the castle turning it into a broadcast tower. The longer you are away from the city, the clearer your mind will become, it will also help if your memories are challenged on a regular basis."

"The people have the right to know," she started and he placed a finger on her lips. "Less than a dozen people know the truth. Any attempt to reveal what is going on will be shut down by innocent citizens. Remember your reaction."

"How do you know all this?"

He held her close. "My family served the Stormharts. The night it happened my great-grandparents were in the castle reporting to the king and queen."

"Reporting?"

He chuckled. "My family ran what would be equivalent to the intelligence service for the royal family back then. The Ashleighs were the sword, the Ironwoods the shield, but the Whiteoaks were the book."

"Whiteoaks?"

"My true last name, Whiteoak. Micah Whiteoak. My family is descended from the druidic line of the Darwids. Dar, means oak, wid roughly means to know. My people were scholars and seekers of knowledge. They used that knowledge to serve their king and queen."

"That's amazing."

"It was also a death sentence. Their minds were conditioned to question everything, to search out truths, and uncover secrets. None of the manipulation worked and they rose up to defend the king and queen. They're the ones who opened the way for them to escape. My grandmother lost everyone that night. Her parents, older brothers, uncles, aunts, the entire family gone, in eight blood filled hours."

"Oh your poor gran! How did she survive? How did she figure out what happened?" Serenity held him as he told his story.

"She badgered her parents into allowing her to train with the unit warriors. She wanted to hurry up and start field work. So she spent that weekend with the Nu unit. When she returned to the city and couldn't find her family she raced back to the units crying hysterically. They couldn't remember her family. To them, she had always been alone. Later she figured out that after she left the unit estate and was out of sight, the warriors' minds were altered," He took a shuddering breath. "The entire kingdom was gaslighted and my poor gran thought she was going mad. For the longest time she kept the truth to herself. She carved out a life and slowly began asking questions and gathering information. One by one she found other witches who had a different set of memories from what was generally accepted and they compiled all of what they learned into a book. One of those witches was in the castle that night and was able to tell my gran how bravely her family fought, but it was a cold comfort."

"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."