Page 92 of The Little Shop of Curiosities, The Music Box Part 2

“Thank you,” Tristan says. “I don’t know what we would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.”

“You’re welcome.” She glances over at the wrecked floor. “The trap is closed and dormant now, but it held a demon for centuries and the very ground will always bear the scars.”

“What was that thing you did with the purple smoke”—Tristan gives a strange gesture with his hand—“when you first arrived?”

“It’s witch smoke. You must have seen it loads of times? Your friend…” She glances at me.

I shake my head.

“You can’t travel by witch smoke?” I shake my head again. “God damn Brits.” Olivia rolls her eyes and gives an exasperated sigh. “What the hell are they teaching you over here?”

“You ready to go, Olivia?” Lucien says in his low, growly voice. I’d forgotten he was even here.

Olivia looks down at her watch. “Shoot, I have to go. I have cookies in the oven.”

“You bake cookies in Hell?” Tristan looks really confused.

“No,” Olivia replies in amusement. “I bake cookies in Massachusetts, where I live.”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, I really do have to go. My husband, Theo, will be home soon. He went to collect the twins from soccer practice. But, hey, if you guys are ever in my neck of the woods, look me up.” She hesitates for a moment. “Just…don’t actually go wandering in the woods near my house. Hades has a habit of leaving me little gifts of the mythological creature slash killing kind.”

“They’re very protective of Olivia, Theo, and the kids,” Lucien agrees.

Tristan blinks slowly. “Hades?”

Olivia nods, then her gaze drifts to the edge of the room, and I swallow hard.

It’s my mother.

Dressed in her usual long tie-dyed dress and bangles, the rest of her is…healthy. Her skin is rosy and clear of symbols, and her dark hair is glossy, without a touch of grey. She watches me nervously.

“Does she belong to you?” Olivia asks me softly.

“She’s my mother,” I whisper.

“Well, take some advice and go talk to her,” Olivia says. “Trust me, no one understands mommy issues like I do, but if you don’t make your peace with her, you’ll always regret it. The demon spell that was used on her was one of the cruellest, most inhumane forms of magic that can be used on a soul. It locked her within herself so she couldn’t communicate, but inside she was in torment, drowning in her own pain and unable to escape or feel a moment’s peace. But the moment you were trapped in that circle and in danger, she managed to break through. You have no idea the strength of will it takes to break through demon magic. It’s damn near impossible for a regular human soul. She would have been in absolute agony. But all she knew was that her child was in danger. So whatever she did or didn’t do while she was alive, don’t ever underestimate a mother’s love, even if it comes with complicated strings attached.”

She’s right. I may not get another chance.

“Okay, my work here is done.” Olivia turns to the others. “I’m sure we’ll all meet again sometime. Just try not to let any more demons loose.”

Then she and Lucien disappear in a swirl of the strange purple smoke they’d arrived in.

I shuffle towards Vivienne, thankful Sam’s there by my side holding me up.

“Sage,” Vivienne says quietly.

“My name’s Harrison.”

She gives me a shy smile. “I like it. It suits you.”

There were so many things I’ve wanted to ask her, but standing here now, there’s really only one thing I want to know.

“Why did you do it?” No matter what Grumps suspected, I need to hear her reasons from her. “Why did you give me up? Why didn’t you want me?”

“Oh,” she whispers, her eyes filled with sadness. “I didn’t give you up because I didn’t want you. I gave you up because I loved you… I gave you up to save you.” She looks around the wreckage that was once her bookshop. “I wanted to spare you this, so you would not be trapped here like I was. I never wanted you in harm’s way, and I’m so sorry that in the end you got hurt anyway.”