Scarlet nodded, slowly sitting back down, wary of Tristan and unable to determine if he was dangerous or not.
She waited a beat. “You know my name.”
Tristan looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
“My name,” she clarified. “You knew who I was…. How?” Although she wanted to sound demanding, her voice came out quiet and curious.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
His eyes were pained but his voice held no emotion when he finally spoke. “Because I know you. I’ve known you almost my entire life.”
Scarlet’s mouth dropped open, a million thoughts racing through her mind.
Gabriel’s brother knew her? Had known her for years?
Scarlet’s voice came out hushed and breathy when she asked, “You’ve known me all your life?”
“Yes.”
Did that mean…?
No…it wasn’t possible….
“Has….” Scarlet swallowed. “Has Gabriel known me too?”
Tristan’s mouth tightened as he hesitated. He slowly nodded.
Why had Gabriel lied to her?
Scarlet sucked in a ragged breath.
Gabriel knew? All this time, Gabriel knew about her past—knew who she was—and didn’t tell her? How could he do that to her? How could he?
Fragmented thoughts and questions piled up inside Scarlet.
She couldn’t breathe.
She didn’t want to breathe.
But suddenly, everything made sense.
Gabriel’s familiar voice, her instinct to trust him, his lack of a total freak-out when she told him about her amnesia…. Gabriel had lied to her. For months.
Her eyes began to burn.
Just when she thought she was going to cry, or scream, or throw something, Gabriel burst through the front door, looking like a guilty puppy as he made his way into the living room. He eyed Scarlet first, then Tristan.
To Tristan he said, “I didn’t tell her. I swear.”
Scarlet stared at Gabriel in disbelief.
“Scarlet,” Gabriel said, making his way over to her. “I know this is weird. But you have to trust me.”
Her eyes grew wide in disbelief as she stood to face him. “Trust you? Are you crazy? Why would I trust you? You know me? You’ve known me for years? You’ve been lying to me and keeping secrets from me, Gabriel! Big secrets!”
“Yes, yes I have, but you don’t understand—“
“No, you don’t understand.” Scarlet pointed at him. “I’ve been living like a ghost for two years. Walking around trying to figure out who I am and where I came from. I’ve been lost, Gabriel. My identity has been lost. And you stroll into my life with answers and don’t bother to tell me?”
“I know, it seems unfair—“
“For starters!”
“But there’s a reason—“
“There’d better be!” Scarlet was yelling now. The quiet voice she’d used with Tristan was long gone, replaced by one of anger, fear and hurt.
Tristan, standing off to the side, said to Gabriel in a low voice, “Have you told her anything?”
Gabriel shook his head.
Tristan cursed and rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. “You have to tell her, Gabe. Now.”
Scarlet realized, even though she knew nothing about him, she trusted Tristan more than Gabriel. Because, so far, Tristan hadn’t lied to her.
And his jaw line was delicious.
Gabriel nodded. “Right.”
Scarlet took a deep breath and tried not to panic.
Gabriel knows who I am. Gabriel knows who I am.
Gabriel took a seat across from her on the other couch, but Tristan stayed at the far end of the room.
“Please, Scarlet. Sit down. Let me explain.” Gabriel cleared his throat.
“Explain what? Your reasons for lying?” Scarlet snapped.
Gabriel swallowed and wrinkled his brow. “No. I want to explain your past. Where you came from…and why you don’t remember.”
A moment passed, filled only by the sound of a nearby clock.
Tick…tick…tick….
Scarlet had no words.
All she’d wanted for the last two years was to know her history and Gabriel had the answer this whole time? And kept it from her?
She wanted to throw something blunt and heavy at him for deceiving her.
But she also wanted answers.
Rage and curiosity battled inside her as she eyed Gabriel coldly.
Tick…tick…tick….
Scarlet decided answers were more important than chucking objects at Gabriel’s head. She’d find a crystal candlestick or a metal wrench to bruise him with later.
Right now, she wanted the truth.
Scarlet narrowed her eyes. “I’m listening.”
“Please,” Gabriel said again. “Sit down.”
Scarlet sighed and lowered herself onto the couch. “This had better be good.”
Gabriel nodded as he nervously fisted and flexed his hands.
Scarlet glanced around the room. Still stoic in the back corner, Tristan crossed his arms in front of his chest.
It was weird to see the twins in the same room. Like looking at two Gabriels. Except the real Gabriel looked desperate, and the other Gabriel—Tristan—looked mad.
What did he have to be mad about? Scarlet was the person who’d been lied to.
“Now…,” Gabriel said, swallowing. “This is going to sound crazy. So, just…stay with me.”
Scarlet shifted in her seat.
“Okay,” Gabriel started, clasping his hands together. “You were born a long, long time ago.”
He waited.
“Okaaaay..?” Scarlet said.
Scanning her face, Gabriel slowly said, “Like…centuries ago.”
Scarlet rolled her eyes. “Gabriel, this isn’t a joke. I don’t have time for—“
“Shhh.” Gabriel held up a hand. “Just listen to me.”
Scarlet stopped talking, but raised an eyebrow at her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.
Did he just shush me?
“Scarlet,” he said, looking at her intently. “You were born in the 1500s.”
Scarlet scoffed, waiting for Gabriel to follow up with some- thing like just kidding! Or gotcha! Or even I’m a pathological liar!
But he didn’t. He just sat there, looking at Scarlet, a serious expression plastered to his face.
He swallowed. “I know it sounds crazy, but...you were born in 1523.”
Scarlet pursed her lips, frustration swelling inside her. “You’re right. That does sound crazy.”
It sounded crazy. It sounded ridiculous. It sounded….
Click.
Scarlet’s eyes blurred as a memory expanded in her mind….
She was a little girl with her hair in a braid and holding hands with a beautiful woman—her mother? They were in a forest and wearing long dresses as they walked into a clearing where villagers bustled about wearing medieval garb and spoke with funny accents. In the far distance was a giant structure…a castle?
Scarlet blinked herself back to the present, breathing unevenly as she tried to wrap her mind around what she’d just seen in her head. Her eyes felt hot.
A memory…her own memory.
Impossible.
Scarlet tried to reason the memory away, but something inside her fell into place.
Something real and undeniable. Like a piece of her mind, waking up for the first time.