“Yes, the Brassards and the Debreks have crossed paths at one time or another, but once my family enshrined the value of consent into our beliefs, we came to a truce. I never connected you to the Brassards because of your MacDougall family name.”

“Yeah, my mum was a Brassard. I didn’t know until recently that they were both killed by a vampire. My granny always told me they died in car accidents. She lied to me, but somehow I was always drawn to this other world.”

Amelia sat forward in her seat. “I’m sure she thought she was doing the right thing to protect you. I was in the same boat. Sybil and my parents—adopted parents—thought it was safer for me not to know I was born a witch.”

“I know, but I just wish I would have known sooner. People always made fun of me because I believed in this world. Now look at me, surrounded by vampires.”

“Tell us what you found out about Victorija,” Amelia said.

Amelia felt she had to be the voice of reason here. Since Sera had been taken by Anka, Byron, Alexis, and Bhal had been so emotionally charged.

“Granny gave me a chest with lots of family heirlooms. One of them was a locked notebook. Granny said every Brassard has tried to open it but couldn’t. I opened it easily.”

“Do you think you were meant to open it, then?” Byron asked.

“I must have. That’s when the enchantment kicked in.” Daisy began to explain that she was pulled into Angele’s memories.

“It’s strange. I can’t picture my great-aunt as a young, vulnerable seventeen-year-old,” Byron said.

“She had a terrible start to life. Angele helped her, gave her hope, taught her to love,” Daisy said.

Bhal then piped up. “We all have bad times in our lives. How can she possibly redeem herself from what she has done?”

Amelia was impressed when Daisy replied quickly, “That’s my job. She has to face what’s she’s done.”

“Principe? The blood bond,” Alexis said. “It must be having an effect on Daisy.”

“I suspect the same. Daisy, I have to question your blood bond. You left safety here and allowed yourself to be picked up by Victorija’s vampires,” Byron said.

Daisy sighed and sat down. “I’m sorry I took off without telling you, but I trusted what Angele and the Grand Duchess were telling me. I had to take a chance, and it was worth it. Torija chose me over her clan. She tricked them just to get me to safety, and now the Dreds and Anka are looking for her as well as me.”

Byron got up and started to pace at the head of the table. “The Grand Duchess did leave a letter for me after her death. She implored me to give Victorija a chance, to pull her back from the darkness.”