Riley’s POV
My face folds in confusion the mont Dahlia finishes speaking.
I stare at her like she just said sothing completely insane.
"History of my roots?" I repeat slowly.
My mind struggles to process that sentence.
Honestly, everything that has happened since I stepped into this strange place has been one ridiculous thing after another and right now I feel like my brain cannot handle more surprises.
"Oh my goodness," I mutter while rubbing my forehead.
"Can this ridiculous place get any better without more ridiculousness?"
Dahlia does not laugh at my reaction.
Instead she watches very carefully like she is studying my face.
Then she says sothing that imdiately makes my stomach twist.
"You don’t even know how your na is Aemoria Morvayne Emberwyn," she says calmly.
My brows pull together instantly."What?"
"You subconsciously answer that na whenever it is called," she continues.
I stare at her.
"You do not even know your real parents," she adds.
My chest tightens slightly.
"No doubt you do not rember your childhood either."
I shake my head imdiately."That’s not true," I say quickly.
"My parents are dead." The words co out firmly because that is what I have always known.
But Dahlia suddenly laughs. The sound makes my stomach twist even more.
"Of course your human parents are dead," she says.
Her voice carries a strange tone."That was what you were told."
My head shakes again."No," I insist quickly. "I saw it."
My voice becos stronger as I speak."I might have been young but I rember it."
Dahlia’s expression does not change. Instead she slowly crosses her arms.
"You rember what they allowed you to rember," she replies calmly.
My chest tightens."What does that even an?" I ask.
She takes a slow step closer to ."Listen carefully," she says.
Her voice becos more serious."You do not rember your childhood because it was erased."
I freeze."Erased?" I repeat.
"Yes," she continues.
"Completely erased from your mory."
I stare at her like she has lost her mind."That’s impossible."
She shakes her head."No, it’s not"
My heart begins beating faster.
"After your mories were erased, you were sent to Crescent Hollow," she continues.
I frown."This place is still in Crescent Hollow."
She shakes her head again."The human Crescent Hollow is what I an."
My mind spins.
"You were placed with human parents so you could grow up without knowing who you really are."
I feel a sudden wave of frustration."This makes no sense," I say quickly. "You’re basically telling my entire life is fake."
Dahlia takes another step closer."That is exactly what I am telling you."
I shake my head harder."No, I won’t believe that bullshit."
My voice rises slightly."I rember my parents.""I rember my house."
My chest rises and falls faster."I rember growing up, you’re wrong."
Dahlia watches quietly for a few seconds.
Then she speaks again."You rember the life that was given to you."
My hands clench slightly."This is crazy, stop talking" I mutter.
But she does not back down. Instead she takes another step closer towards .
"Your mories were taken from you," she repeats calmly.
"And the truth was hidden."
I shake my head again."No."
But my voice is weaker this ti. Sothing about the way she says these things is starting to make my chest feel tight.
Dahlia suddenly steps closer again.
Instinctively I move backward."Stop," I say quickly.
But she does not stop. She keeps walking toward slowly.
I step back again. "Dahlia," I say firmly.
But in the next second she reaches out and grabs my arm.
The movent surprises so much that I stumble forward.
"Hey—!"
I almost lose my balance but she catches imdiately.
Her hands hold my shoulders tightly so I do not fall.
"What are you doing?" I demand.
But she does not answer. Instead she suddenly lifts both of her hands and places them on the sides of my head.
Her palms press against my temples.
My eyes widen in shock."Dahlia what are you doing?" I gasp.
But she has already closed her eyes. Her fingers tighten slightly around my head.
Then pressure builds suddenly.
At first it was small.
Just a slight ache inside my skull.
But within seconds the pain explodes.
"Ah—!"
A sharp scream escapes my lips.
My entire head feels like it is being crushed from the inside.
"What are you doing?!" I cry out again.
But Dahlia does not respond. Her eyes remain closed and her hands stay pressed against my head.
The pressure grows stronger. Then suddenly sothing inside my mind breaks open.
A blinding white flash fills my vision."AHH—!"
Another scream tears through my throat as images burst into my mind.
They co fast. Too fast.
I cannot control them. I cannot stop them.
Flashes of places. Flashes of people.
Voices shouting. The sound of tal clashing.
Then more white light.
I see shadows running across stone floors.
I see people screaming. I see blood spreading across the ground.
My breathing becos wild and uneven.
"What is happening?!" I cry.
But the visions do not stop. They grow stronger. More intense.
I see a large hall filled with warriors. I see banners hanging from tall walls. I see wolves shifting and fighting.
Then another flash. A woman running through a burning corridor.
Her face is blurred but she looks terrified. Behind her I hear loud crashing sounds.
More screams. More chaos.
My heart feels like it will explode. "Stop!" I scream.
But Dahlia’s hands remain locked on my head.
The pain continues spreading through my skull like my brain is being forced open.
Another flash. I see a young girl standing in a large courtyard.
Her hair moves in the wind. Her clothes are elegant.
People around her bow their heads.
My breath catches. The girl looks familiar. Too familiar.
Then everything shifts again. More white light. More screaming voices.
A battlefield appears in my mind. Warriors are fighting everywhere. Blood covers the ground.
So people fall while others keep fighting.
My chest feels tight as panic builds inside .
"What is this?!" I cry out again.
But the visions keep coming.
I see a tall massive building rising above a mountain. I see fires burning around it. I see wolves running through the gates.
Then another flash. A woman appears clearly this ti.
She has long dark hair and strong eyes.
Her face is filled with fear as she looks around desperately.
Then she suddenly turns and looks straight at .
For a mont everything freezes.
Our eyes et.
And then she screams."Aemoria!"
My entire body stiffens.
The na hits like a shock.
The woman runs toward soone behind .
Her voice is full of panic and urgency.
"Aemoria run!"
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