"Rose. What if I said, it was everyone? Everyone you know, in your whole life has betrayed you."

I sat still, my body froze. What was he saying?

He continued. "Let's start with your family. Where are they?"

I heard Morgan mutter something like "For gods sake."

"Daisy's probably told you. My parents are in the Middle East, and my sister is in Manchester still."

"How would you feel if I told you that none of it was true? That it was all a lie," he leaned forward to see the hurt flash in my eyes. "I'm telling you the truth, aren't I McCaw?" he leaned over to see if Morgan had taken the bait.

"She's doesn't deserve this, she's not ready," Morgan yelled.

"Well I think she is. I think she deserves to know the truth about who she is. Why her life has all been a web of lies. Hey, I'm the only person that's ever been honest with her," he flung out his arms in gesture.

"You're despicable. I hate you so much," Morgan cried. "Leave it now, while you still can."

"You know what, Rose? I've had enough of this, we need to talk without all of these constant interruptions," he sat again then yelled a word I didn't know but it sounded like "Shipile!"

A young man Aiden's age ran from one of the tunnel entrances to stand by Aiden.

"Yes, sir?"

"Please gag him, Spencer. But don't hurt him," he pointed to Morgan. "And bring him over here. I want him to see Rose when I tell her everything."

"Yes, sir."

To my left I watched Spencer prop Morgan on the floor against the side wall. He protested noisily, kicking his bound feet as Spencer applied a material gag to his mouth tying it behind his head.

"Do you want me to stay, sir?" Spencer asked, once finished in his task.

"No, leave us. Just make sure we don't get interrupted again."

Spencer left as quickly as he arrived down the centre tunnel behind Aiden's head. I strayed a glance at Morgan again, who had his eyes fixed on me.

"Tell me where my family is?" I spat out at Aiden.

Aiden lifted his finger, pointing it at Morgan who shook his head.

"They're all in his house. His proper house, that is. Mum, Dad and Amy, all together in this very town. They've all deceived you, Rose."

"No, I don't believe you!"

"No?" he looked at Morgan. "Tell her, McCaw. Are they there or not?"

I scowled at Morgan. "Morgan, please tell me it's not true?" I saw a tear fall from Morgan's eye, but it didn't help with what I was hearing.

He gave me a small nod, and I winced. After all I had said, this afternoon especially, I couldn't comprehend it fully. It didn't sink in, and I began to feel light headed.

Daisy would have known, Morgan already knew. And Aiden knew. How far did this lie spread? To Mira or Hannah, whom I trusted with anything?

I pinched my face, the reality dawning and spat at Morgan. "How could you? After all I said about missing my family? You knew, and you said nothing?"

Morgan hung his head at my words, and he didn't look in my direction for a while.

Aiden continued. "All your life, you've been moved from pillar to post. You think it was all because of your fathers work?"

I nodded.

"Did you ever visit his office? Or have family barbecues for his work colleagues? Did any of them ever visit your house?"

I shook my head.

"Didn't it ever occur to you that it might actually have something to do with you?"

"No. Why should it? I'm just an ordinary girl," I cried.

He laughed. "You're so naive. You're not ordinary in any way. You're extraordinary in every way. Don't you get it? It was because of you. They moved around so much because you were the threat. There are a lot of people that want you dead. People who've sought you out from the minute you were born. You've been hunted nearly all your life. Your parents could never keep you in the same place for too long in case you were found. It had nothing to do with Daddy's job. It was all because of you."

I shook my head, denying the words.

"No, it's not true. You're twisting everything. They love me, and if that was the case they would have told me."

"They're scared of you, Rose. Your sister despises you. You've brought her nothing but misery because you've ruined her life. She didn't have a normal, loving family home like ordinary folk. You took precedent above everything else, you stole her childhood and she hates you for it."

"No, you're wrong."

"Am I? How many times has she called you? How many times has she written that she misses her little sister?" he leaned his head down onto the chair back.

"Why are you doing this?" I choked. Tears stung at my eyes, my chin was quivering as I looked back at him.

"Because you need to know the truth from someone who wants what's best for you."

"You think this is best for me? Trying to turn my family against me?"

"Your parents lied to you. This whole thing was a set up, a conspiracy arranged by your family, with Daisy's help, to get you here. And all of your friends, including Mira and Morgan were told to keep the truth from you. They all know about your abilities, Rose. What you can do. What you're going to become."

"Become?"

"You haven't worked it out yet?" Aiden laughed.

Morgan strained at his gag and tried to yell something incomprehensible.

Aiden continued. "You were born prematurely by four weeks, roughly. Which would make your proper sixteenth birthday on the 23rd of August, which is ten days from now. In ten days you're going to become Halika Dacome, the first Primord Elemental with the longest bloodline in the world, the oldest bloodline in our human history. She was the first 'Homo Sapien', the Matriarchal Eve. That makes you very special."

"You're insane!" I shook my head uncomprehending. "What are you going on about?"

"Shall I start from the beginning?"

I huffed. "Do the short version."

"Okay, the short version," he leaned forward on his elbows, closer to me. "Halika Dacome was brought up to be a warrior, and she led the fiercest and largest armies of the planet. She was feared, revered and no one could match her in battle. Her father was the leading Primord Elemental or 'King' as we would call him. They were called Primord Elementals because the royal bloodlines had abilities, whereas ordinary folk, plain and normal Primords didn't.

Anyway, his rule was threatened and then lost to a younger usurper who claimed the throne. So Halika Dacome conspired with three other royals, each from the neighbouring lands, to take back the throne for her father. One of those conspirators was Nerido Xipile, her lover. Theirs was a forbidden, heart-wrenching, bone-aching to-die-for, love. But unbeknown to Halika Dacome, her father had only given up his kingship because he had promised her hand in marriage to the new king in exchange for his own freedom. Halika Dacomes own father betrayed her for his own selfish means. He would give up the crown but the bloodline would carry on through her.

On hearing this marriage arrangement, Halika Dacome married Nerido Xipile in secret before the new king, the usurper, had a chance to claim her hand. Afterwards, the two and their royal friends, Sanatu Batave, and Avira Maloke conspired for days on how to depose the new king and claim back the throne for Halika Dacomes father, even though he'd treated her despicably.

Halika Dacome and her trusted allies were within one day of attacking with armies so large and so staggering that the usurper would have been toppled in a second.

But on the night before the attack Halika Dacome was followed home to her secret hiding place by one of the new kings spy's. He overheard their plans and reported it back to the new king. Once the plans for war against him were uncovered, the king scuttled it in the nick of time and tortured her father.

As their punishment for the threatened coup, all four royals were cast into prison until a suitable place was found for their exile. Royals can't be executed like common folk, so for a year and a day they waited, all alone, all separated, until the news came through.

A place had been discovered and it was ideal for their incarceration.

Earth, 200,000 years ago was a very different place. It was mostly forest or ice, but on the barren plains the environment was harsh and almost devoid of humans at that time.

All four Primord Elementals were sent to Earth with a mission, their penance. They must advance the civilisation of humankind; prepare it for the time when the rest of the Primords would need it. The four planets were overcrowded and short of space and people lived longer, up to two hundred years of age. Soon the time would come when they would need to expand, and move to another planet. But the new planet needed to be ready for them.

After the four Primord Elementals landed on Earth they scattered, for their own safety. The continents of our world were much the same then as they are now. One went to the Americas, one went to the Orient, one went to the Southern Hemisphere, and last one went to the Northern Hemisphere."

Aiden paused, and I stared at him in disbelief.

"This is a very interesting story, does it have a point?" I squeezed my sarcasm through my teeth.

"I'll continue. The Primord Elementals didn't meet again for some time. Many years past, hundreds, thousands even.

Halika Dacome still felt her love for Nerido Xipile, like a pulling of her ropes. Even when the most basic instinct, to keep the bloodline alive, meant she had to breed with the hominids that she deemed to be subhuman to her.

When she was thirty she began feel her powers wane. The affects of our Earth, our oxygen and environment on her own body was making her age quicker. While she was young it was almost impossible for her to die. She grew older, and she knew her life was ending. But before that day came, she saw her own abilities develop in her first granddaughter. It was the origination of the mitochondrial path, in other words, her gift travelled down the female line but it always skipped a generation.

To keep the granddaughter safe from harm, she removed her from the nomadic tribe they lived with, and began teaching her everything she could about their power. Halika Dacome held on to life for as long as she could and at sixteen the granddaughter gained the full power. Soon after that Halika Dacome perished. But, thanks to the blood Halika Dacome was reborn again in her granddaughter. The granddaughter found that she could speak to her grandmother as if she was standing by her side. Then, when the time came and the granddaughter became a grandmother, the same thing happened. Each time the power grew, and each time it was stronger. Halika Dacome was the First of the human race as we know it."

"So let me get this straight. You're saying that Daisy is Halika Dacome and I'm going to become Halika Dacome too." I spluttered a laugh. "You're seriously deranged."

Aiden stared at me closely then stood, shoving the chair away.

"Rose, I want you to show you something," he drew up his sleeve and I froze. A long spurt of fire, thick yellow and red flames came from his fingers. The flames hit the ground, scorching the floor before he dragged it back into his body.

I choked at the spontaneous fire. I knew there was something about him, his essence, and his lack of body vibration had never been normal.

I think I understood now. We were the same.

"Inside me, I'm Nerido Xipile, and I have known it since I was a child," he sat again and leaned forward but with his head facing the floor. "I've been alone with this secret, with these abilities all my life. I've had no one to share it with, and no one to understand my fears and doubts. My grandfather trained me with what I needed to know, but he was never a loving man."

"Have you a bracelet?" I said softly, slowly understanding Aiden for who he was. Aiden lifted his left sleeve exposing a saltire cross in silver, the cross similar to the flag emblem of Scotland. He twisted his arm over so I could see his wrist, the two pronged bar stuck in his skin as mine did.

"This is the mark of my race, the Xipile bloodline, as yours is the mark of the Dacome bloodline."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

He sighed. "I wanted to but they wouldn't let me. Daisy and the others kept saying you weren't ready. But I knew you were," he smiled genuinely.

"I am ready. Somehow I've always known about this. It all makes sense now. Thank you," I smiled. "Can you let me go now?"

He laughed. "Sure." He knelt and undid my feet, and then behind me he undid the ties on my hands. I glanced quickly to Morgan, his face full of tears. Having to watch what he just had must have been so painful for him. My deception must have been so much to bear.

Aiden walked in front and helped me to my feet. I stood, checking my wrists and quickly healed the welts on my ankles from the ties. I felt strong again.

"Rose, if I upset you I'm sorry," Aiden offered.

With one bound I swiped the back of my hand across his face so hard that he staggered, and then fell to the floor. I kicked his stomach and punched his nose where he lay.

With one foot pressing on his chest, I kept him down; my hard stare surprised him more than the punch.

"Thank you for the story, Aiden. It was most enlightening. But there's one thing you forgot. I am not Halika Dacome, my name is Rose Frost, and you and I will never be the same."

He tried to push my foot away but I shoved it down harder on his chest.

"Stay down while I speak. If I am the First, then you are not. That means I'm older, I'm stronger and I will always be better than you. One thing you didn't realise? I am loved. Even if my family deceived me, they did it out of love. And even if my friends betrayed me, well they like me too. All I see in you is a little boy who couldn't control his temper. So don't ever think we're the same. You had it all, a stable home life and a loving family and you lost it. It doesn't mean that you take it out on other people, or on other children. You followed all of Ben Deverill's instructions even though you did more harm than good. Why? Because you're scared of him? You should have done better than that. You're a Royal Primord. Do you know what? I feel sorry for you."

He spat blood from his mouth before he could speak. "Rose, you don't understand. I expect nothing from you, so think what you want of me. It doesn't change anything, but you must know. He has Daisy, and he's going to kill her."

I stepped harder on his chest, and he yelled in pain.

"Where is she?" I yelled.

"You won't be able to get near her without my help. I've been waiting for you all my life so that we can fight him. I couldn't do it on my own, you must believe me.

"Where is Daisy?"

"I want to save her as much as you do."

"Really? So where did this newly found empathy spring from?"

"Henry Cole. It was me that freed him."

That caught me off guard.

"Get up," I hissed through my teeth and lifted my foot from his chest.

Aiden pushed himself up gingerly, but his face was a bloody mess. I felt ashamed, but my anger was bigger, like an angry fire burning away inside.

He stood up but his shoulders bowed over and he grimaced as his arm went to his chest.

"Aiden, I didn't hit you that hard."

He breathed uneasily. "It's not what you did. It's what he did to me."