Echo sucked in her breath. The name that was on her birth certificate. “It’s Echo now,” she replied softly.
Margaret’s knees buckled and Echo reached for her as she fell to the ground, tears spilling freely as she sobbed, “No, no, I thought you were … you’re dead! You were dead!”
She tried to soothe her, quiet her, but her birth mother started to scream, “You’re dead!” over and over again. Echo stared helplessly into the shadows where her companions waited.
Fionn stepped out of the darkness and pressed a hand to the top of Margaret’s head. Her eyes rolled, and she slumped into Echo’s arms, unconscious.
They had only a few hours before they needed to be at Margaret’s apartment. The sun would set soon. With no other choice, they’d brought an unconscious Margaret back to Fionn’s townhouse, and Echo waited nervously with Elijah at her side for the woman to wake up.
“She’s so fragile,” Echo whispered hoarsely. “Emotionally. Mentally. She shattered right before me and I haven’t even told her the worst part.”
“Maybe you don’t,” Elijah offered. “Not right now. Not when you need to be in a good headspace for what we’re about to face. Maybe you just tell her that you’re protecting her from William.”
Echo contemplated this and wondered if he was right. Maybe the whole ugly truth could wait until after she’d dealt with William.
Margaret groaned from the bed, and Echo sucked in a breath as her mother’s eyes fluttered open. Elijah threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed.
“What?” Margaret sat up too quickly and moaned, her hand going to her head. “What happened?” Her gaze locked on Echo and realization dawned. Her lips trembled. “It wasn’t a dream?”
“No.” Echo released Elijah’s hand and stepped forward to sit tentatively on the edge of the bed. “My name is Echo, and you’re my birth mother.”
“Ella.” Margaret looked seconds from breaking down like last time. “How? How!”
“William stole me from you. Raised me as his daughter. I only found out you existed a few months ago. I know what he did now.”
Margaret shook her head, her fear so big it seemed to expand into the entire room. “You … is he … you know what he is, then?”
“I know what he is. And because I know what he did to you … to you, to my father … I’ve done something to betray him. In revenge, he’s coming for you.”
Her terror was so strong, it reeked from her. Echo’s guilt was unbearable.
“I won’t let him,” Echo assured her. “That’s why you’re here in my friend’s safe house. We’re going to your apartment and we’ll take care of William. Once and for all.”
“Safe house. My flat … I don’t understand.” Margaret’s gaze moved to Elijah and she tensed, squinting. “I kn-know you.You’re …” She looked at Echo. “He’s Elijah Webb. What is going on?”
Echo hadn’t even thought to ask Elijah to mask his face with illusion. “He’s a friend. He’s going to help me take down William.”
“You’re alive.” Margaret suddenly reached out to her but pulled her hand back nervously. “I thought you were dead. I thought he’d killed you both.”
“No. I’m … alive.”
“You can’t go.” Margaret grabbed at her hand now, her grip surprisingly strong for a human. “You can’t face him. He’s too strong. He’ll kill you.”
“I’m stronger than I look,” Echo promised her.
“No!” Margaret screamed, her fear so thick now, it was pungent in Echo’s nostrils. She grabbed at Echo’s arms, her nails scoring down them as she tried to grip onto her. “I won’t let you! I won’t let you die too!”
“Margaret.” Echo struggled to restrain her without hurting her. Throat burning with unshed tears, she pinned her birth mother to the bed, baring her teeth, feeling her incisors shift down.
Dawning realization filled Margaret’s expression as she suddenly slumped beneath Echo. “No,” she whispered.
Echo released her and stood back. “I’m sorry, but yes.”
It hadn’t been the plan, but she needed Margaret to know she wasn’t powerless.
“When?” She sat up slowly, taking it far better than she had the news of Echo’s existence.
“He made me turn when I was twenty.”
