Laughter broke out among us, easing the tension further. I took advantage of the lighter moment to press for more details. “Talk to us, Talon. What’s really bothering you?” I asked softly, encouraging him to open up.
“My father went to see King Edward,” Talon revealed quietly.
“Is the king trying to force you to reconcile? If so, I can have Brian talk to him,” Lucas offered.
Talon shook his head. “No, he’s not intervening beyond speaking with me, but,” he paused, taking a deep breath, “my mom is sick—very sick.”
Fuck. Guess the storm wasn’t over, and we had more shit to deal with. I placed a hand on Talon’s back, offering comfort. “Are you sure? Could your dad be lying just to draw you back?”
“No. Edward confirmed he seemed genuinely distraught. And as bad as my dad is, he wouldn’t go as far as saying my mom was dying just to get me back,” Talon replied.
“What are you going to do?” Lucas asked, his voice tinged with concern.
“I don’t know yet,” Talon admitted.
Standing up, I felt a resolve settle over me. “Come on, I’ll flash us to your parent’s house,” I offered, extending my hand.
“But what about my dad and sister?” Talon’s voice wavered slightly.
“Lucas and I will handle them if they try anything,” I assured him.
“That’s right. We’ve got your back,” Lucas added, his tone firm.
Talon bit his lip, a look of uncertainty crossing his face as he weighed his options. I crouched in front of him, meeting his gaze directly. “Talon, this is about your mom. I saw how she looked at you at that dinner. I saw her tears. She’s made mistakes—sure, a lot of mistakes,” I amended, noting Talon’s expression, “but she loves you. I don’t want you to live with the regret of not seeing her one last time—I know you would.”
After a moment of silence, Talon nodded slowly and stood, taking my hand. Lucas joined in, placing his hand in mine, too. Closing my eyes, I focused on the familiar setting of Talon’s family home. In an instant, we were standing in the dark foyer of their house.
“Talon, you’re here,” Talon’s dad announced, his tone cautious as he greeted us at the door.
“I’m not here for you. I’m here to see my mother,” Talon replied, his voice steady but cold.
“Talon, come on, don’t be an asshole,” Tessa chided, stepping around her father.
I positioned myself in front of Talon and fixed a firm glare on both of them. “He’s not here for either of you. Stand down, or you’re going to make me angry,” I warned, ready to release my demon nature.
Before they could respond, a frail voice called from the living room, “Seb, let Talon come see me.”
Talon’s father closed his eyes and sighed heavily, stepping aside to let us pass. Talon moved swiftly, brushing past them without a second glance, and headed into the living room.
The sight that greeted us was sobering. The room had been rearranged to accommodate a medical bed in the center, with curtains drawn tightly shut. Talon rushed to his mother’s side and took her hand. The woman lying in the bed bore little resemblance to the vibrant figure we had encountered just a few weeks ago. Now, she appeared frail and diminished, her vitality seemingly sapped away.
“Mom, what’s going on?” Talon’s voice cracked as he spoke.
His mother exhaled a labored breath. “Baby boy, I wanted to tell you at dinner. I wanted to tell all of you, but your father…” She paused, gathering her strength. “I was so angry he invited those people here. I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry for not standing up to him, for not supporting you, for not being the mother you deserved.”
“It’s okay, Mom,” Talon replied, tears streaming down his face. “We just need to get you better.”
“It’s not okay, my sweet boy. I was scared, scared of losing a man that I loved, even though he never truly loved me.”
“Mira,” Talon’s father tried to interject.
“It’s true, Seb. You never loved me, not really. You always loved Graham, Vivian and I both saw. But we were fools, both loving men who never loved us. She was thrilled to get you two apart while I…I destroyed my relationship with my son.”
“And I allowed my daughter to be infected the same way,” She reached out to Tessa, who quickly took her hand. “I know you cared for Mark.”
“What, Mom, I didn’t,” Tessa weakly protested.
“You did. You loved someone who wanted someone else. I allowed you to fester hatred for your brother. I wasn’t a good example to you. I’m sorry.”
