Kenzie stops just at the corner of the bed, a bead of blood rolls down from where the iv was inserted. She looks at the Lady suspiciously "how do you know any of that?"

"Because...believe it or not...I have known your parents for years...since before you were born...I was there the night they adopted you...Your mom was so...thrilled...to finally have a baby of her own...She loved you more than anything...So did your dad..."

So many thoughts and feelings were rushing through her. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard before opening them again. She blinked quickly a few times and whispered 'excuse me' as she rushed into the bathroom and was sick.

The Duchess gives a soft sigh...knowing this was a lot for the young teen to process.  She picks up the glass of water from the bedside...walking to the bathroom...but doesnt enter...wanting to give Kenzie some privacy.  

Kenzie stays on the bathroom floor for a little while, her head pillowed on her arm across the toilet seat. She wanted to believe the Lady, desperately. But the last thing her parents told her... she shook her head flushed the toilet and slowly rose from the floor and braced against the sink. She rinsed her mouth and wiped her face. She stared at the person in the mirror, a mere shadow of the girl she once was. Taking a deep breath she straightened an exited out of the bathroom, surprised to see she was still there

She hands Kenzie the water...gesturing back toward the bed.  "You have been through a lot.  Let me help you."

Kenzie takes the water and makes her way back to the bed "thank you, i am fine now" she says softly as she sits on the edge of the bed and stares at the water. Her demeanor different, not as combative.

Alright...get some sleep...

It was very late in the evening...around midnight when Kenzie heard voices talking softly near her room.  

Artemis: ...raid was premeditated?

Hugo: They were there with the express purpose of wiping the Brooks off the face of the planet...

Artemis: And you don't think they knew there was a daughter?

Hugo: Doesn't appear that way...

Artemis: You know she ordered this...

Hugo: Oh I know she was behind it...however we have no proof.  And she is the kind of person we cant go after without proof.

Artemis: What will happen to her now...?

Hugo: One of two choices...we send her out of the kingdom into the protection program like all the others...or we keep her with us...It will have to be her call...

Kenzie lays silently in the bed, listening to the hushed conversation. She had had feeling the attack on her home wasn't by chance. Now she knew. She rolls over in the bed, the frame squeaking.

Artemis: I fear she might be too traumatized to make that call.  She lost her entire world that night...

Hugo: Its still her choice.  She is 18...

Artemis: What about Rommie...Do we tell her she has a twin?

Hugo: They were separated for a reason...We promised Jarame that we would do everything in our power to keep his girls safe.  They were seperated to ensure that at least if one was discovered...the other would remain safe.  

Kenzie had quietly got out of the bed to listen. Hearing she had a twin.... they had to be lying. Her father never mentioned her having a sibling.....

Artemis: It will be a difficult conversation...being forced to seperate them caused them to loose a huge part of their childhood.  I wish.....I wish we had been able to introduce them when they were younger...at least if they had an established relationship as children...it would make it easier for them to accept each other as adults...

Hugo: I agree with you...and its one of my biggest regrets...Justin's too...The danger was putting them together at that age...their magic would have fed off each other...which would have alerted her to their location...They are older now...adults...they can control their magic now...Justin and Lily would have taught her to hide her magic...same as we did for Rommie...

Kenzie opened the door "If you are going to talk about me the least you could is include the subject on the discussion" she says softly. Exhaustion clear on her face but she tries to hide it.

Hugo reaches out to steady his wife as she jumps..."You, young lady...are supposed to be asleep.  "  He says...addressing Kenzie...

Kenzie bites her tongue and just looks at them for a moment "I cant sleep" she says softly and just turns away from them and re-enters her room.

Artemis follows her into the room...sitting on the edge of the bed...watching her..."I know you have been through a lot...talking may help...you must have questions about what you just overheard..."  She says gently...

Kenzie is silent for a few beats, not looking at the woman sitting beside her. Finally she lets out a soft sigh "Could I maybe have some actual food?" she asks then adds "please"

Artemis gives her a warm smile..."I think we can arrange that..."  She says...looking to her husband who nods and heads out of the room...

"Thank you" she says "I do have questions....but I don't want to talk about what happened"

Kenzie wasn't ready to re-live everything that has happened in the last month. At least not while she was awake.

Artemis nods..."You can ask me anything you want...if I know the answer...I will tell you..."

you said I have a sister? My parents never mentioned any siblings when they told me about my adoption

You do have a sister...a twin sister...The reason you don't know about her is when you and she were adopted...your father made us promise to keep the fact that you were sisters secret for your protection.  There were people after him and he didn't want you caught in the cross fire.  He felt that by having you adopted by separate families and your names changed...that you would be safe from the people who were after him.  

Kenzie nodded, that followed mostly what her parents had told her. She began to ask another question when the door opened and a hospital aid walked in pushing a cart laden with food and her stomach growled at the scent of fresh food for the first time

Artemis shifts so the aide can set up the food.  She waits until the aide is down and has left before she continues..."We adopted your twin sister...gave her the name of Andromeda, raising her as our youngest child.  Like you...we told her she was adopted when she was still a girl...but we never told her she was a twin."

Kenzie took in all the food and slowly began to eat from what was brought. She slowly shook her head "So she has known for most of her life?" she asked between bites a mixed look of thoughtful sadness in her body language. Then she shook her head "never mind, it doesn't matter." she said as she straightened her posture and a look of blandness came to her face that was apparently her way to mask her thoughts and feelings

It was left up to us to tell our respective daughters when the time was right.  Rommie started to ask questions when she was about 10 years old.  Both of her older brothers have blonde hair and blue eyes...like their father and me...Rommie is like you...dark hair and eyes.  She knew she was different and questioned us on it...

Kenzie just nodded, she concentrated on eating for a while, deciding if she wanted to know more. "what is she like?" came out before she could stop it. She wasnt going to be staying, that much was clear from the conversation she overheard. She was just borrowing trouble.

Artemis starts to tell her about her twin sister...giving her a glimpse of a beloved daughter...much as she had been to her own parents...It became clear that both girls had been given ideal childhoods...with as much love and acceptance as if they were the biological children.  

Kenzie listened as the Lady talked. Finished eating she began cleaning up, stacking empty dishes and separating what she hadn't eaten. Once she was done she sat back on the bed, a full stomach making her suddenly very tired. She tried to stifle a yawn but failed "my apologies mi-lady, but I should try to get some sleep" part of the real her, that she had burried away peaking out in her exhaustion

Of course...In the morning you will be staying with us for a while until we figure things out...Get some sleep...

Too tired to argue, Kenzie laid in the bed and her eyes drifted shut. She hoped she would get at least some sleep before the dreams invaded.