Old Promises, New Mysteries: Book 2 of The Kinstone series

I awoke to someone softly nudging my shoulder. Opening my eyes, I peered over to my right, seeing Elizabeth smiling to me. I pulled up my phone and shut off my music, lowering my headphones.

“Sorry to wake you up.”

I yawned, shaking my head, “It's okay, what’s up?”

She smiled, “Well, I was wondering if you and I could have a little chat.” My stomach then twisted into knots. Oh great, am I in trouble for something?

Her smile never faded, “If you think you did something wrong then don’t worry, you haven’t.” I swallowed back nervously; Okay…people can be scary sometimes.

Her smile was warm and gentle, reminding me of Rachel in a way. “You and I never really got the chance to talk during the summer gathering. And I wanted to see how you were doing.”

I shifted in my seat, pulling myself up a little, “I’ve been doing okay. Rachel’s been keeping me busy with schoolwork and I still help out around the Estate.”

She shook her head, “That’s not what I meant. It’s been nearly a year since your birth family passed away and being adopted by Rachel. That’s a lot to handle in such a short amount of time.”

I slunk back into my seat. “Yeah, it is. But I’m doing okay, honest.”

Elizabeth smiled to me. Again, it felt as though I were with Rachel. I turned in my seat, resting my back against the side of the plane, pulling my legs into my chest, “I gotta ask, why are you so interested in me?”

She leaned into the seat, “I’m not entirely sure sweetie. There’s just something special about you. Something that a lot of people have taken a liking to.” I hugged my legs, resting my face on my knees.

“I’m not trying to draw attention to myself.”

“We know you’re not, but these things do happen.” I felt a hand resting onto my head. “I know it seems as though everyone has been peering in on you. But then again, your entry into the coven wasn’t entirely typical either. Do you recall when your mother was visited by coven members last year?”

I nodded, remembering those first few months I was visiting Rachel. That includes all of the shouting that came along when she had visitors.

Elizabeth looked to me, “At that time, there were a few whom were skeptical about you. They were nervous, if not scared of you.” I curled up even tighter on my seat.

She gently stroked my hair, “Do you want to what changed their minds?”

I looked up at her, “What?”

Her smile broadened, “Your duel with that vampire.” My heart fluttered rapidly.

“With that duel,” she continued, “you proved beyond any doubt of your loyalty to Rachel. You defended her honor when she was insulted and threatened. And then you fought for her. That single act changed everything. You proved that you were willing to shed your own blood for her. So naturally, the skeptics came around to your side. Not to mention the reputation you garnered amongst the children.”

I blushed softly, looking up at her, “Family protects its own.”

The woman grinned, “Exactly. Even though Rachel wasn’t your mother at the time, the two of you were just as close. It was then that everyone fully accepted you into the coven, into our family.” My face burned red, listening to her. She chuckled.

Elizabeth raised the armrest and scooted closer to me, “Want to hear something else?” I nodded to her. “You already should know that the rumor mill within the Coven moves quickly. So a question rose if Rachel was ever going to adopt you.” My cheeks burned even hotter than before.

Her face then became slightly sullen, and yet her smile brightened. “That changed after the death of your birth family. So the question turned from if she was going to adopt you to when.” I felt my heart fluttering on my chest, forming a soft smile.

She then pulled me into her, holding me close, “I for one have always been rooting for you since I first starting hearing details about you. Your mother was in such need of someone to fill her heart, and I am glad beyond words that it was you.” I grinned softly.

A chuckle then rose from her, “I’ve also been hearing who you have been slowly garnering a number of suitors.” My face then burned like fire. “Care to tell me about this vampire?”

I looked to her, “How…how do you know about that? Only Jenn and couple others know about that.”

She grinned, “Again, it’s a small coven sweetie, and so news travels fast.”

I sighed, trying to not throw up in my mouth. “Well for starters, he’s the brother of the vampiress that I fought last year. I have no idea why he’s so interested in me. Then there’s this merman from Nerazon.”

Elizabeth leaned in closer to me, “A merman you say?” a sly grin rose on her face.

“What’s this about a merman and our little Aria?”

I looked up to see Alexis hanging over the backrest. My cheeks felt hot enough that they could cook something, “It’s nothing Alexis.”

Her grin broadened, “Oh yes it is. Now I heard that you received some “gifts” from both of these guys.”

I groaned, rolling my eyes, “First off, both of them are like way older than me. I’m no way in hell going to have anything to do with either of them in any sense of romantic relationship. And secondly, who told you about them sending me gifts?”

Her grinned broadened even more, “Who do you think told me?”

I grumbled, slamming my head into my knees, “Jenn.”

“Bingo. So tell me you have pictures. Please say that you do.” I sighed, pulling up the pictures, showing them to both women.

Elizabeth’s mouth dropped when she saw that dress. “Aria…that…that dress is gorgeous. And that necklace, you could buy all of Dulles with that.”

I blushed, quickly stashing away my phone, “Yeah well…both are hidden deep within my closet. Never to see the light of day again.”

“Oh don’t be that way,” replied Alexis, “if I were you, I’d play with both of their hearts and see who could win in the end.”

I shot a fiery glare at her, “Not in hell.”

Elizabeth looked at me, “Mind your language young lady.”

I turned back to her, “Yes ma’am.”

She then gazed up at Alexis, “We sort of were having a private conversation.”

Alexis grinned, “All right, I’ll leave you to it.” She then disappeared back behind the seat.

I sighed, craning my head back to the woman beside me, “Hey, I remember you telling me about someone Rachel had a relationship with before me.”

She nodded, “Yes. A certain man that I, and many within the coven, would personally enjoy skinning alive.”

I lifted my head, “I think I met him. His name was, Regulus?”

Elizabeth’s mouth dropped, “Regulus Cromwell.”

I nodded, “Yeah, that’s him.”

She looked at me, “When was this?”

I thought for a moment, “It was back in September. I could tell she wasn’t happy to see him.” Just remembering him caused my stomach to twist. There was indeed something about him that just didn’t sit well with me.

She placed her head against the headrest and sighed, “I can’t believe he would just show up like that.”

I looked up her, “You sound like you’ve met him before.”

Her hands folded into her lap, clenching them tightly, “I have. Again, this all happened before you were born. The truth is...the Coven didn’t care for the man in the slightest. In fact we were worried when your mother began to spend a lot more time with him and slowly drifted away from us. There was something about that man that I personally could not pin my finger on, and your mother was blind to it.

"While I hate speaking ill of someone I care for deeply," she said, sighing softly, "I still must say that even though you mother is as well-experienced in life, she was incredibly naïve when it came to him. It was though he held a darkness or hidden ambition that turned my stomach. I’m sure she told you what happened between them?”

I nodded. “When your mother distanced herself from the Court, everyone was ecstatic.” I smiled softly.

In all honesty, I love hearing more about Rachel, just more information about my mother.

My head then tilted slightly, “After Regulus was there anyone else that Rachel was involved with before me?”

Elizabeth nodded and smiled, almost grinning, “There was one man, and I rather like him. Many do in fact. An honest man, without the veil of any ambition aside from genuinely pursuing your mother, a rarity.”

I giggled, “So how come they didn’t get married or something?”

She turned her head to me, her eyes gazing gently into mine. “I’ll leave that question for you to ask her.”

I pouted, “Awww, come on.”

She chuckled, leaning over, and kissed the top of my head, “Now, get some rest. We’ve still have a long ways to go before we land in London.”

I slunk back into my seat, pouting, “Fine.” She smiled, slipping out from the seat.

So…Rachel has this mystery suitor that she didn’t tell me about. I giggled softly. While I loved and immensely enjoyed my conversation with Elizabeth, she just handed some ammunition to fire into my mother when I got home.

I must stress again, if I haven’t already, but the Coven is more than simply a gathering of witches and sorcerers, even beings who aren’t really even human (haven’t met some of them yet aside from Silvi and Velhemina). It’s really just one big family and one that I've been adopted into it. With all that being said, when I hear that the Coven didn’t approve of Regulus, it really caught my attention.

I pulled my headphones back over my head and resumed my music. I stared out the window, seeing the near endless expanse of the Atlantic Ocean below. I couldn’t believe that for the second year in a row that I was flying across an ocean, hell the same ocean I crossed just three months ago.

I craned my head, seeing some of the younger children running up and down the lanes, with some of the adults chasing after them. I soft smile rose on my face, remembering when I had to watch some of them during the prep for the winter festival.

I pulled up my phone, scrolling through my pictures. I smiled, seeing Rachel and the others. I kinda missed them in that moment. Now I really felt like I did before being adopted by my mother, slightly alone, but then again, not as much.

My eyes once more trained on my group. I wasn’t alone. I placed my phone into my lap and closed my eyes. I should be grateful that the part of the plane we were in wasn’t filled to capacity. Not sure why, but didn’t actually care. I drifted off once more, letting sleep take me yet again.