Chapter 22

Lexi had been sat in the same spot for several minutes. Suddenly Lexi heard footsteps coming down the tunnels. Then Thierry appeared in the large doorway to their left.

"He got away but we'll get him next time." Thierry then looked around. "Where's Stephen?" A couple of people moved and revealed Stephen's body. Thierry looked stunned then walked over slowly to where Lexi and Quinn were sat. He put his hand on Lexi's. "I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do for him now." Lexi looked down at the body then saw some kind of gas move out of it's place. Lexi watched as the figure of a woman appear in front of her. Lexi recognised the face and stood up straight.

"What now?" Lexi yelled. People looked at her in confusion.

"What the hell is that?" Ash asked turned to Lexi.

"Guys there's nothing there." James said.

"Yeah you're just talking to air." Thea added.

"What do you mean there's a figure right there." Jez said stepping forwards.

"I see it too." Quinn said.

"Guys there is nothing there." Rashel said stepping to where they were staring. She stepped forwards through the figure and shivered. "It's freaking cold though." Quinn moved quickly and pulled her away from it.

"Who are you and what do you want? You've been doing this for three hundred years. Don't you think I deserve some kind of explanation?" The figure pointed towards Lexi. "What about me?" Lexi yelled.

"If there really is something there and it's some kind of spirit, you have to know it's identity before you can hear It's voice." Thea said turning to Lexi.

"It didn't work like that for me." Gillian said moving forwards from the back of the group.

"It's different for everyone. It depends on you, the spirit."

"How the hell am I meant to find out who this is if all she's going to do is point at me?"

"Wait!" Keller said rushing towards Lexi. She pointed at her, then at Quinn, then Ash, then Jez and back to Lexi. "Don't you think it's weird how only the Red fern's can see her?" Keller put her hands on her hips and looked between them. "She's got to be related to you somehow."

Quinn shook his head, "but I'm technically not a Red fern. I'm just… well… adopted I guess."

"Yes but when…. He 'adopted' you… he bonded his blood with yours. So theoretically you are." Ash said.

"That doesn't help at all guys." Jez said turning back to Lexi. "Why does she keep pointing at you? Have you ever met her?"

"I'm sure if I had I'd have remembered something by now. I may be thousands of years old but I never remember a face." Lexi looked back at the woman who kept pointing at her. "Will you stop doing that it's freaking me out!" Lexi turned and walked into a shaded area. She covered her eyes and thought hard. Lexi mumbled to herself then uncovered her eyes. The spirit was suddenly in front of her. It shocked her so much that she fell backwards and ended up sitting on the large chair. As she did her dress lifted up over her feet to reveal her laced shoes. Suddenly the figure pointed at her shoes. "My shoes?" she asked looking at them. She suddenly realised that she had one of her laces untied. Lexi sighed and bent to tie them. "Who are you my mother?" Lexi finished tying them quickly then walked over to the group who were now staring at her. "What?" No one said a word but the figure floated behind her. Lexi suddenly realised what she had just said. She turned to face the woman whose face became clearer and her body came into focus. "Oh my God. You're my mother."

"Yes." The voice seemed far away and close at the same time. It suddenly calmed Lexi. Lexi felt tears come to her eyes again.

"But what? I mean how? But why? And when? And-" Lexi felt her legs shake slightly. Quinn was suddenly behind her supporting her.

"Calm down my darling. I'll explain everything." She suddenly looked at Lexi's dress. "I knew you would look beautiful in it. I only laid eyes on you for a second but I knew you were perfect. Although not in the same way as your father. We knew you had power and I thought you could do great things with this but not this." Her mother indicated to the rest of the room. Lexi looked at her own dress then realised her mother was wearing a red version. Lexi frowned then stopped.

"It's all my fault," she whispered. Quinn shook her hard.

"Never say that Lex. It was your…. Hunter's fault this happened. Not yours. We all know you would have lay down your life for him. In fact you did. So many times. It's just that he was always there trying to ruin your life." Lexi saw her mother nod.

"Wait. But what about them people. All them people who suddenly knew my name and they said things. Like-"

"-I died to save you." Her mother said. Lexi was confused. "When I became pregnant with you, your father was overwhelmed with happiness. You were his first so you were going to be the centre of his attention. He had people watching me all day to make sure no harm could come to you. Until one night he found out my biggest secret that I knew would be the reason I died."

"That you're a shape sifter." Lexi said quietly. Her mother nodded again.

"When he found out he said I had two choices. Get rid of you and he would let me run free for three months or I keep you and the minute you were born I be executed. I of course had to save my princess so I had you and your father executed me. Just as he wanted you to execute that poor child there." Lexi didn't dare look at Stephen anymore for fear that she would completely break down. "Anyway a few months ago I had a sort of premonition that something like this would happen so I came down to try and stop it but humans these days have too much technology and all these different signals meant that I could only stay inside of one person for a short amount of time and afterwards they would be ill. I tried to speak to you but I watched you find out in one of the worst ways possible. However I am happy you know. I always did wonder what kind of animal you would be. You know your grand mother used to be a lion. She was a wise old woman, she also died the night I did."

"But why are you here now?" Ash asked looking at Lexi quickly.

"Oh yes…. Oh…" the woman seemed to stutter quite a few times whilst trying to remember. "It was so long ago."

"You've forgotten?" Jez asked angrily. Lexi had only just realised everyone else had been eerily quiet. She didn't looked at them but turned towards Quinn. In the background all she could here was more stuttering along with Ash and Jez's disapproving comments.

"Quinn why did you come here? I mean other than to get Stephen?"

"I didn't. I came here for you Lexi."

"But why al I ever do is cause trouble for you and well…. Jez was right."

"Because I care about you Lexi. We all do and whether you believe it or not so does Jez. And I don't care whether I'm your cousin, uncle… hey even pool boy, as long as I'm not away form you anymore."

"No Quinn." Quinn leaned away form her slightly. "I don't want you to be my Cousin or my Uncle… or even my pool boy." Lexi could see his face turn into a frown as the words hurt him.

"But why?" Quinn's arms dropped from around her and Lexi felt a few eyes turn to them. Lexi felt a tear roll down her cheek again. Her voice became weak as all of her emotions dropped on her again.

"Because you're my brother Quinn." Quinn's face instantly lit up and a large smiled covered his face. Lexi smiled at him as he hugged her tight. Lexi then turned around to the woman who was still stuttering. She noticed the woman look at Stephen and Lexi stepped forwards. "Hey! Why are you here?"

"Ah yes!" her mother said finally. She pointed towards Stephen. "He's not dead."