The paper felt heavier than it should have when I took it from Twobble.
I stared at my name, and suddenly, the thing that frightened me most wasn’t the Priestess.
It was whatever my mother believed she had to do.
Chapter Sixteen
I unfolded the letter, and the paper crackled in the stillness.
The wolves remained stationary, and the world held. I saw her handwriting, and it steadied me, but shattered me at the same time.
Maeve,
If you’re reading this, I’ve already gone. I know how that feels ~ sudden and unfair. I’m sorry for that. You deserve honesty, even when it frightens you. I have lived too long in fear of her shadow. I left Stonewick to protect you. I hid what I was to protect you. And still, she circles. You are stronger than I ever was at your age. Stronger than I allowed myself to be. But strength does not mean you must carry every battle yourself. There are things only I can say to her. There are truths she will not yet hear from you.
Please, don’t mistake this for loyalty to her. It is loyalty to you.
My vision blurred as my dad’s hand rested gently on my shoulder, and I forced myself to continue.
You asked about legacy, and about blood and what it remembers. Blood remembers fear if we let it, but it also remembers love. And I love you.
But I need you to know that magic means something different to every one of us. To the priestess, it means control. To me, it means saving my family. It always has. I can’t promise an outcome, but I can’t keep hiding from this woman.
Love,
Your Mom Forever
The words ended there, and there was no hidden message or secret instruction. It was just a mom’s love being revealed in the only way she could after a decision was made like that.
I lowered the letter, and guilt ran through me because if this was protection, then she believed I needed protecting. And I didn’t know whether to be furious… Or terrified of what she thought was coming.
The wolves didn’t move until I did. They were still stationed in a wide, living circle around the cottage. Shifters I barely knew stood shoulder to shoulder with Caleb’s pack. A few of the northern orcs had shifted their camp closer to the outer tree line, forming a quiet second ring. I was certain the leader's wife orchestrated that for me.
Karvey had already resumed his perch above the roofline. The sound of stone against slate as he repositioned himself for a better vantage point was a source of comfort to me.
But one thing I couldn’t get over was that no one had asked any of them to do this.
I never asked for more protection. I hadn’t requested anything. They came here of their own free will to offer support, and for that, I could never repay them. It was something I didn’t even know I had needed until they all arrived.
I still couldn’t believe that my mother had stepped into the Wilds alone.
But I wasn’t alone in that awkward stage of disbelief.
We were all in this together.
Keegan’s hand remained at my back as we walked toward the cottage steps. My father stayed close on my other side. Caleb followed a half pace behind. Twobble trailed us more quietly than I had ever seen him before.
The door creaked softly when Keegan pushed it open.
The cottage greeted us with warm lamplight and the faint lingering scent of chamomile.
I stepped inside and felt the warmth of familiarity wash over me as Grandma Elira stood near the kitchen entryway, and Miora hovered near the hearth.
My grandma’s eyes found mine immediately, and I didn’t know what to say. So, I stated the facts.
“She’s gone.”
Elira nodded once. “Yes.”
