Summary: Dom meets his cousin Lilia Alcantar.
Dom was finally going to meet a member of his family. Aurynn had told him that his first cousin, Lilia Alcantar, was still living in Fydoria. Lilia’s father, Horas, had died some time ago. Dom wouldn’t be able to confront him about the deaths of his parents. Well, he might be able to do it in the spirit world, but after the experiences he had had with his shadow self and the shadow forms of others, he didn’t think that would be a good idea. But Lilia wasn’t to blame for her father’s actions. Maybe they could have a real family relationship.
Aurynn greeted him when he arrived in Fydoria. “Hello, Dom. It’s good to see you again.”
Dom smiled. “It’s good to see you too, Aurynn. Thank you for helping me find my cousin. Is she going to meet us here?”
“I asked her to meet me in the gardens. I haven’t told her anything, though. I wasn’t sure that she should hear it from me. We’re not close, and your family history is…complicated. I thought it might be better if you gave her the news.”
“I understand,” Dom told her. “Depending on what she knows, that might have been an awkward conversation to have.”
A while later, Dom and Aurynn headed outside to the gardens. Shortly after they arrived, they were approached by a young woman with light auburn hair, worn in a braid which had been dyed purple. Dom scrutinized her, looking for a family resemblance. They were both fair-skinned and had light hair and eyes, but he didn’t think they looked that much alike.
Aurynn stepped forward. “Good afternoon, Lady Lilia. I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Dominic Hunter of Stormholt. The two of you have something in common. He’ll tell you about it.” She glanced to Dom, then back to Lilia. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. Since Tevan is in Lykos visiting Zenobia, I have to take care of the royal duties.”
As Aurynn walked away, Dom moved closer to Lilia. “Hello, Lady Lilia. I wanted to talk to you about your family. What do you know about your father’s brother Arden Alcantar?”
“I know that he died young. His wife killed him by witchcraft. Such a tragedy.”
Dom felt the anger rise within him. That’s not how it happened, he thought. But Lilia wouldn’t know that. Her father would have told her his version of the story. He needed to stay calm. He took a deep breath and continued, “Do you know that he had a son?”
Lilia nodded. “He was killed by his own mother, sacrificed to a dark god. It’s so horrible, I can’t bear to think about it.”
Dom struggled to control himself. She’s only repeating what she heard. He looked Lilia in the eye. “No, he wasn’t. He’s alive, and standing in front of you. I’m their son.”
Lilia’s eyes widened. “What? How can that be?”
“I was found in Stormholt as a baby, and raised there. I only learned the truth recently, after a friend found a book at the Library of Ennan.”
“So you’re my cousin.” Lilia looked him over, and then her expression changed. “Are you here to try to claim your father’s lands? Because they’re mine now. My father left everything to me.”
Dom shook his head. “No! I just wanted to meet you. You’re the only family I have. I don’t want to take anything from you.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She stared intently at him for a moment. “Is that some sort of brand on your chest? It looks like a flame. Wait…your mother was a fire witch. Are you one too?”
Dom hoped he could make her understand. “I’m not a witch. She wasn’t one either. Some of the people from the Blackspine Mountains have the power of fire. When I first found out about my powers, I didn’t understand what was happening, but I have learned to control them. I don’t use them for evil. And they’re useful against enemies.”
Lilia eyed him suspiciously. “That sounds unnatural. How do I know you’re not dangerous?”
“Because I’m not your enemy! I don’t want to hurt you!” Dom felt himself growing frustrated. How was he going to make her understand? Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a Fydorian soldier moving towards them.
“Hello, my dear,” the soldier said to Lilia. He then turned to Dom. “Hello, Dominic. I didn’t realize you knew Lilia.”
Lilia smiled. “Hello, Claudius. You know Dominic?”
“Yes, we fought together against Azura. He’s very impressive. He can turn into a dragon!”
Lilia’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“That’s one of my powers.” Dom looked to Claudius. “Lilia and I just met. She’s my cousin, but I didn’t know that until recently. I’ve been trying to explain my powers to her. You know I’m not a threat, right? Well, except to my enemies.”
“Of course!” Claudius glanced to Lilia. “Dom’s a good guy.”
Lilia smiled slightly at Dom. “Can you show me how your powers work?”
Dom held out his hand and focused, and soon a small fireball appeared in his palm. “I can do more than that, but I don’t think I should do anything too advanced. And see, I can control it.” He was relieved to see that Lilia seemed more relaxed. Maybe he would be able to have a good relationship with his cousin.