“I am older than I look, though I don’t remember the exact number. My best guess is around one hundred and seventy. And before you ask, in the human realm, I am able to age as a human does if I do not use mymagic.”
Sally blinked several times as she tried to wrap her head around what her mom was telling her. She wasn’t wigged about the wholesprites are a thing. By now she knew that all kinds of supernatural creatures existed besides just werewolves and fae. But the fact that her mom was a supernatural? Kind of a tough pill to swallow. “What about Dad?” she askedsuddenly.
“He’s human, though we know the gypsy healer DNA in your blood came from him. The locket that was somehow left in the care of my family actually belongs tohisfamily. Coincidentally, the locket is how we met. I was wearing it, and he recognized it as the one in his old family photos. The rest, as they say, ishistory.”
Sally could feel Costin’s worry for her coming through their bond loud and clear, and she knew it was because her own emotions were probably doing a chorus line for him. Without opening the bond further, she tried to send him reassuring feelings that she was okay, though that wasn’t strictly thetruth.
“Does Jacque know?” she askedLilly.
“Not yet. But she will soonenough.”
“I’ve shared with you my secrets, Sally,” her mom said. “I truly didn’t mean to hurt you. I only wanted to keep you safe. Now, I need you to tell me why there is darkness inside of you, one who is a gypsy healer, born of light andgoodness.”
Sally felt her stomach drop to her feet. Shesodid not want to have this conversation. She took a deep breath and began to tell her mom the story of how she fell in love with a werewolf, married him, fought witches, warlocks, pixies, and even vampires, adopted a child with her werewolf husband, was kidnapped, had her memory erased, cheated on her mate while under the influence of a strong fae spell, and was contemplating suicide only twenty-four hours prior. When she was finished, she felt as though she’d been trampled by a herd of wild boar. She was exhausted, overwhelmed, and holding it together by a thinthread.
“That’s enough. Come back to me.”She felt the power Costin used to push down the walls forcing himself into hermind.
“I think we’re almost done. I’m just overwhelmed, Costin. Otherwise, I’mfine.”
“You’re also a damn poor liar. Come home or I will come afteryou.”
He would. She had no doubt he would find her using the bond. Time to wrap things up before the misguided, one-man-werewolf cavalry came runningin.
“I’ll be home way before you get to me. Unless you’ve figured out a way to instantly hop into the spriterealm.”
“What?”His confusion might almost have been comical if she hadn’t been so severelydrained.
“Never mind, I’ll explain when I getback.”
Her mom took a seat next to her on the sofa and turned so that she was slightly facing Sally. “I have a grandson?” she asked, her voice filled with the same awe Sally had heard in Alina and Lilly the first time they found out about their owngrandchildren.
“You do, and he’samazing.”
Her mom’s smile was huge, which seemed so contradictory for their currentsituation.
“His name is Titus,” said Sally. She sounded so proud, as if she’d been the brilliant person to namehim.
“I cannot wait to meet him!” Her mom’s smile dropped just a little as her eyes met Sally’s. “Would you be alright with me having a look?” she asked as she raised her hand toward Sally’sforehead.
Sally frowned. “You can look inside someone’smind?”
“Only another sprite, and you are halfsprite.”
“Holy sprite gypsy babies,” she whispered. She hadn’t even considered that little development. “Why not? Everyone else has been poking around in therelately.”
“This shouldn’t hurt,” her mom said as she placed her hand on Sally’sforehead.
“Famous last words, Mom,” Sally responded dryly and closed hereyes.
Chapter Seven
“True darkness is the complete absence of light. It is a safe haven for evil where secrets can fester and grow. It is a distorter of reality, hindering my creation from seeing what is right in front of them. It leaves them feeling helpless and hopeless, devoid of joy. Those things that remain in darkness wither and die, as it takes light to grow andchange.”
~The GreatLuna
She was goingto kill them. That was all there was to it. As soon as Cindy placed her hands on her daughter’s head and delved into her mind, the memories crashed over her and sealed the fate of those who had hurt her precious Sally. They were still hurting her. The Order had made Sally think that she and Chris were dead, forcing the girl to face the untimely loss of her parents. They’d stripped her of her identity. They’d taken her from her soul mate and her newly adopted son. It was unforgivable. The penalty for such transgressions, in her opinion as a mother, was to be skewered and then burned alive. Was she feeling bloodthirsty?Absolutely.
She could feel Sally’s anguish and confusion. She wanted to move forward with her life, but something was holding her back. Something in her fake past was hinderingher.
