“No, wait,” I said as he began to stand up.

Ellhan sat back down again and looked at me with eyebrows raised.

“If my mother was an elf, and you are a human… What am I?”

Ellhan looked shocked for a second then became expressionless. It was just a flicker, I might have just imagined it.

“That makes you a half-elf,” he said. He glanced at me. “But since you have royalty in you, I would say you are more elf than human.”

There was a silence. My brain was so exhausted, I couldn’t think. It was too much information, too much all at once, attacking me.

I stood up in a daze.

“I might go to bed,” I said.

Ellhan nodded. “Good night. Sweet dreams.”

“You too,” I whispered.

As I was turned, Ellhan grabbed my arm.

“Ellya? I’m sorry. I should have told you before. Will you forgive me?”

I looked at my father, his face pained and hopeful.

“Of course, there’s nothing to forgive.”

And I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek and went to lie on my bed.

And that night, I dreamt.