Chapter 101

Victoria Leo remained tense. "You knew what she was?" Thomas nodded. "Of course. Who do you think helped her maintain this place? Your father—" he looked directly at me "—loved your mother dearly, but even he didn't fully understand what she was creating here." "And what exactly was she creating?" I asked, stepping out from behind Leo despite his protective arm trying to keep me back. Thomas smiled, revealing teeth that seemed too perfect for a man his age. "A lifeline. An anchor. A way back to you." He shuffled toward a particular section of the greenhouse where massive climbing vines had formed a canopy overhead. "On the day she gave birth to you, all the flowers in the garden bloomed in full, a miraculous sight I'll never forget. I became the one to help her construct this place. After Luna Elizabeth realized her identity might be exposed, she began creating this as a contingency—a repository of fairy knowledge and power that could only be accessed by her daughter." "Why didn't you