“She says she was tracking Alex.She wanted her revenge as much as we did.She’d been in a deep depression since your father was killed and felt like she needed to take matters into her own hands when Alex resurfaced.Unfortunately, Alex captured her and infected her with sulfralite.She admitted to stabbing Laina and posing as you to finish Soleil off when she was recovering from her gunshot wounds here in the hospital, although she says she only did so because she was under Alex’s control.”
“Did you ever figure out about Soleil and the heart?”
“Yes.Your mom posed as Grateful and gave Soleil the idea of obtaining the heart for me.Soleil must have figured out it wasn’t the real Grateful.That’s why she was trying to get the heart back.Only, Soleil didn’t know about your mom.She must have assumed the shapeshifter who posed as Grateful was you.”
“I shouldn’t have shot her.That’s what Alex wanted.”
“You didn’t know.And let’s face it, if you’d hesitated, I’d be an extra-crispy corpse.”Silas rubbed his chin.“Was it you I chased from your house after Soleil died or your mom?”
“Me.I figured out my mother was the one helping Alex when I saw the remnants of her shift on the floor of Soleil’s chambers.”
Silas rested his elbows on his knees.“There’s only one thing I don’t understand.Why did you run?Why didn’t you tell me the truth the night Soleil died?”
“Once I put together that it was my mother, I knew that if I left right then I could follow her scent, catch up to her, and figure out what happened.If I stayed and explained everything, I’d never find her again.And I did, Silas.I was able to follow her in my fox form to where Alex was keeping her.I hitched a ride in the back of Alex’s truck and stayed a fox until I dug you out of his cage.That’s how I was eventually able to make it to the ritual site and free you and Jason.But it also meant I left Carlson City with nothing but the skin on my back.”
“You know she’ll have to remain in custody until she can be tried.I believe Olivia will be cleared eventually, but the law is the law.”
“I know.I feel lucky she’s still alive.I still have a mother.That’s something to be thankful for.”
Silas could hear the tinge of empathy in her voice.He didn’t have a mother or a father anymore.But he did have a family, and she was absolutely right.“Yes, it is.”
“You’ll behappy to know I saved the world without you,” Silas said as he walked into Grateful’s maternity room later that day.
His friend opened her eyes and adjusted herself in the bed.“Silas!Thank the goddess you’re okay.I’m so sorry?—”
“Oh please, Grateful.What could you have done?Even you can’t magically stop a baby from coming… Wait, can you?”
“No.Believe me, I tried.I went into labor the moment I arrived at Polina’s.It wasn’t pretty.Rick had to bring me to Bojingles because I was coughing up bubbles with every contraction.”
“Bubbles?”Silas laughed.
“Not funny.Then the lights kept going out.It was crazy.”
“I guess the goddess wanted her born yesterday.”
“Today.She arrived just after midnight.During the eclipse.”
He handed her the gift bag he’d brought.“For Skyler.”
Grateful reached inside and pulled out a floppy stuffed wolf.“Awww.Silas, this is adorable.”
“Where is the little witch anyway?”Silas asked.
“She’s sleeping in the bassinet.”Grateful pointed toward a plastic box on wheels on the far side of her room.“Rick left a few minutes ago to pick up Lucas from my dad’s.We were taking a nap.”
Silas crossed to the bassinet and peeked over the edge.The babe, wrapped like a burrito in a pink blanket, blinked up at him with gigantic stormy blue eyes.
“She’s awake, Grateful.”
“Oh?Bring her here.”
Silas scooped the baby into his arms, supporting her head and neck as he cradled her close.“You are a special little girl, aren’t you?”he cooed to her.“Smart.See how smart she is, Grateful?She’s already looking at everything.”
“You’re a natural with that baby,” Grateful said with a laugh.“Have you thought about settling down?Having a few of your own?”
He handed Skyler to her mother.“Thought about it.Meredith is amazing.She’s what I’ve been waiting for.”
“But?”
