by Quinn Loftis
Sally rubbed her face against Costin’s chest as he hugged her. Part of her really wanted to just crawl up in his lap and not move. Ever. But that just wasn’t a possibility. She released him and turned to open the door of her mom’s car. Costin pushed her arm away and pulled the door open for her.
“Are my arms broken?” he asked her with a smirk.
“Not yet.” The sharp comment was meant as a joke, and she could tell Costin took it that way, but the emotion behind it wasn’t lighthearted. It felt vindictive. She didn’t like saying something like that and not meaning it in a completely playful way. It wasn’t in her to be snotty for no reason, and yet, she had been.
“Hey.” Costin placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face to look at him. “It’s okay, Sally mine. You’re going to be okay. I’ll be with you all day. But I’ll respect your privacy and not listen in. I just need to feel you. I need that connection.”
“Okay,” she said, not even addressing the whole it’s going to be okay, you’re going to be okay comment.
Costin leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips and then stepped back so she could get in the car. She closed the door and gave him a small wave as her mom pulled out of the driveway.
They drove in silence. Her mom seemed just as lost in thought as Sally. She wondered what could possibly be bothering Cindy Morgan so much to cause her not to attempt to ease the awkwardness of the moment like she was always prone to doing. Normally, Sally might do the same, but now she was afraid she would emotionally vomit all over her mother and sound crazy at the same time. Explaining to her mom that her husband was a werewolf wasn’t at the top of her bucket list.
It wasn’t until her mom turned off onto a dirt road that Sally was able to stop trudging through her dark thoughts. She sat up and looked around. They were surrounded by forest, well, as much forest as you could get in South Texas.
“Um, Mom, what are we doing here?” she asked.
Her mom didn’t answer until she’d come to a complete stop with the car completely surrounded by trees. Wait, Sally looked behind them. Where on earth had these trees come from? They weren’t here a moment ago. Was she still dreaming? That must be it. She was dreaming and only thought she had woken up that morning.
“I’m going to explain everything, Sally. Would you please come with me?” Her mom opened the door and slipped out of the car. She moved with a smooth grace that was familiar to Sally, but only because she’d been living with supernatural beings for so long. Dream or not, she had to know what was going on. It beat dwelling on her own messy life.
She climbed out of the car and followed her mom, who was several yards away. Cindy was standing in front of a tree that was growing larger before their very eyes.
“What in the actual heck, Mom?” Sally said slowly as her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. The tree trunk began to split until there was an opening large enough for a person to walk through.
“I know you’re confused, but I need you to trust me.”
“Said the wicked witch who handed Snow White the poisoned apple,” Sally muttered under her breath even as she walked toward her mom who now stood inside of the trunk. Sally entered the huge tree and felt warmth envelope her. Her skin tingled, and a sense of rightness flowed through her.
“Sally?” Costin’s worried voice filled her mind.
“Nope. Can’t talk. I’m in a tree, and the reception is bad.” She locked down her end of the bond so Costin would only be able to feel her emotions but not enter her thoughts. He would definitely have something to say about that later.
She took a few steps and emerged back into the trees, but she certainly wasn’t in the same forest as before. “We’re in another realm, aren’t we?” she asked.
Her mom nodded.
“How do you even know about such things?”
“That’s what I need to talk to you about,” Cindy answered. She turned and began walking again. A small cottage appeared, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Okay, now I know I’m still asleep,” Sally said. “I have to be.”
“You aren’t dreaming,” her mom assured her.
As her mom pushed open the door of the little hut, she looked over her shoulder at Sally. “I am truly sorry I’ve waited so long to tell you this. I hope you will understand why I did.”
Sally followed her mother into the house and pushed the door closed behind her. The inside was warm and cozy. There was nothing magical about it. It was just a house with furniture, a kitchen, a warlock queen, a set of stairs— Her head froze and then slowly moved back to the right of the stairs. There, sitting in a comfy recliner, was Lilly Pierce, wife to the warlock king. She was just a human, though, not a warlock. At least, Sally thought she was merely a human. She’d also thought her mom was as clueless as a blind and deaf duck when it came to the supernatural world. Look how that had turned out for her.
“Mrs. P?” she asked dumbly.
“Hi Sally,” Lilly said with a smile that Sally knew all too well. “And no, you’re not asleep.”
“Thank you for clearing that up. Now, what the heck are you doing here? How are you here? Why are you here? Does Jacque know you’re here? And where is here anyway?”
“Slow down, Sally,” her mom said as she motioned for her to take a seat on the sofa.
She did, but it was more of a plop than a sit, as though something heavy had landed on her shoulders.
“You know that I was adopted,” Lilly began.
Sally nodded.
“I’ve never known my birth parents or even my true last name. I was always different, but I didn’t understand that until I realized no one else could do what I could do. It wasn’t until Jacque’s father came into my life that I realized that a supernatural world existed and that I might be a part of it somehow. With me so far?”
She nodded again.
“Since I met Cypher and moved into the warlock kingdom, I’ve had access to records, supernatural records. It was in those records that I found the answers to the questions I’ve had for so long. Who am I really? What am I? Is there anyone else like me? Peri thought I was simply a seer, and yes, I am, but I am more than that. You see, in those records I found two names that are important to me, Lillianna Nyx and Cindira Nyx, both of the forest sprite clans. It seems these two sprites went missing long ago.”
Sally looked at her mom. “Nicks is your maiden name.”
“It is, but spelled in a human manner. It has allowed me a sentimental tie to my former life,” her mom explained.
“I knew that was your mother’s maiden name,” Lilly continued. “So, I did what any sane person would and called your mom to ask her if she was a sprite.”
Sally couldn’t help but smile. “That doesn’t sound like what any sane person would do.”
“I did feel a bit awkward,” Lilly agreed. “I will let your mother take over the story from here.”
“I confirmed Lilly’s suspicion, about myself and her,” Cindy said.
“Does that mean I’m related to Jacque somehow?” Sally asked. “Since you both were Nick’s or whatever?”
Lilly smiled but shook her head. “From my understanding of what I read, different clans have different sur names, though they are not all related. So while both our sur names were Nyx, it is only because we are from the same clan.
Sally’s mom continued. “I’d known since I met her who and what she was. But I assumed, like me, she was simply trying to have a normal life away from the dangers of the supernatural world.”
“How’d that work out for you?” Sally asked as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned back in the sofa.
“About as well as it’s worked out for your mother,” Lilly said.
“Sally, I am a forest sprite. Those are words I truly never wanted to say to you, because as I’m sure you well know, the supernatural world is incredibly dangerous.”
Sally’s eyes snapped to Lilly. The words ‘as you well know’ made her heartbeat faster. “Did
you tell her?”
Lilly shook her head. “I did not. I did not think it was my place to share with her your story.”
Sally let out a sigh. “Thank you.”
“It seems, no matter my desire and attempt to hide you, the supernatural world has found you anyway. Of course, I didn’t know that until about four months ago when the magic your fae friend cast on us was broken. I was able to think then about what had happened. I mean, you’d run off to Romania with people we barely knew, and we’d been okay with it. Obviously, we wouldn’t have ever let that happen in our right minds. It was clear to me then we had been bewitched.” Cindy shook her head as though she was scolding herself. “Since the spell broke, I’ve debated contacting you so many times, but your father and I decided to remain silent. I didn’t want to risk drawing the attention of the Order, which might focus their attention on you.”
“Too late for that,” Sally mumbled.
Her mom’s eyes grew wide. “The Order knows about you? They know you’re a gypsy healer?”
“You could say that.”
Lilly huffed. “Sally, duct tape your inner Jen and join us at the grown-up conversation.”
“Ouch, Ms. P,” Sally said but then nodded at her. “You finish first and then I’ll tell you all about my happy experience with the Order.”
Her mom stared at her, shock and fear in her eyes, but then finally began speaking again. “There are different kinds of sprites. Lilly is a seer sprite. There are elemental sprites, mentalist sprites, luminous sprites, and healer sprites. I am a healer sprite, though I have not used my ability in decades. As I’m sure you have learned, magic leaves behind a calling card, and I didn’t want to share mine with anyone. We are in the sprite realm now, and this is the home I occupied before I moved into the human realm permanently. As long as we are here the Order can’t detect us, which is why I brought you here to tell you all of this.”
“How old are you?”
“I am older than I look, though I don’t remember the exact number. My best guess is around one hundred and seventy. And before you ask, in the human realm, I am able to age as a human does if I do not use my magic.”
Sally blinked several times as she tried to wrap her head around what her mom was telling her. She wasn’t wigged about the whole sprites are a thing. By now she knew that all kinds of supernatural creatures existed besides just werewolves and fae. But the fact that her mom was a supernatural? Kind of a tough pill to swallow. “What about Dad?” she asked suddenly.
“He’s human, though we know the gypsy healer DNA in your blood came from him. The locket that was somehow left in the care of my family actually belongs to his family. Coincidentally, the locket is how we met. I was wearing it, and he recognized it as the one in his old family photos. The rest, as they say, is history.”
Sally could feel Costin’s worry for her coming through their bond loud and clear, and she knew it was because her own emotions were probably doing a chorus line for him. Without opening the bond further, she tried to send him reassuring feelings that she was okay, though that wasn’t strictly the truth.
“Does Jacque know?” she asked Lilly.
“Not yet. But she will soon enough.”
“I’ve shared with you my secrets, Sally,” her mom said. “I truly didn’t mean to hurt you. I only wanted to keep you safe. Now, I need you to tell me why there is darkness inside of you, one who is a gypsy healer, born of light and goodness.”
Sally felt her stomach drop to her feet. She so did not want to have this conversation. She took a deep breath and began to tell her mom the story of how she fell in love with a werewolf, married him, fought witches, warlocks, pixies, and even vampires, adopted a child with her werewolf husband, was kidnapped, had her memory erased, cheated on her mate while under the influence of a strong fae spell, and was contemplating suicide only twenty-four hours prior. When she was finished, she felt as though she’d been trampled by a herd of wild boar. She was exhausted, overwhelmed, and holding it together by a thin thread.
“That’s enough. Come back to me.” She felt the power Costin used to push down the walls forcing himself into her mind.
“I think we’re almost done. I’m just overwhelmed, Costin. Otherwise, I’m fine.”
“You’re also a damn poor liar. Come home or I will come after you.”
He would. She had no doubt he would find her using the bond. Time to wrap things up before the misguided, one-man-werewolf cavalry came running in.
“I’ll be home way before you get to me. Unless you’ve figured out a way to instantly hop into the sprite realm.”
“What?” His confusion might almost have been comical if she hadn’t been so severely drained.
“Never mind, I’ll explain when I get back.”
Her mom took a seat next to her on the sofa and turned so that she was slightly facing Sally. “I have a grandson?” she asked, her voice filled with the same awe Sally had heard in Alina and Lilly the first time they found out about their own grandchildren.
“You do, and he’s amazing.”
Her mom’s smile was huge, which seemed so contradictory for their current situation.
“His name is Titus,” said Sally. She sounded so proud, as if she’d been the brilliant person to name him.
“I cannot wait to meet him!” Her mom’s smile dropped just a little as her eyes met Sally’s. “Would you be alright with me having a look?” she asked as she raised her hand toward Sally’s forehead.
Sally frowned. “You can look inside someone’s mind?”
“Only another sprite, and you are half sprite.”
“Holy sprite gypsy babies,” she whispered. She hadn’t even considered that little development. “Why not? Everyone else has been poking around in there lately.”
“This shouldn’t hurt,” her mom said as she placed her hand on Sally’s forehead.
“Famous last words, Mom,” Sally responded dryly and closed her eyes.
Chapter Seven
“True darkness is the complete absence of light. It is a safe haven for evil where secrets can fester and grow. It is a distorter of reality, hindering my creation from seeing what is right in front of them. It leaves them feeling helpless and hopeless, devoid of joy. Those things that remain in darkness wither and die, as it takes light to grow and change.”
~The Great Luna
She was going to kill them. That was all there was to it. As soon as Cindy placed her hands on her daughter’s head and delved into her mind, the memories crashed over her and sealed the fate of those who had hurt her precious Sally. They were still hurting her. The Order had made Sally think that she and Chris were dead, forcing the girl to face the untimely loss of her parents. They’d stripped her of her identity. They’d taken her from her soul mate and her newly adopted son. It was unforgivable. The penalty for such transgressions, in her opinion as a mother, was to be skewered and then burned alive. Was she feeling bloodthirsty? Absolutely.
She could feel Sally’s anguish and confusion. She wanted to move forward with her life, but something was holding her back. Something in her fake past was hindering her.
Cindy fought not to pull her hand away when the darkness rose up to meet her own light. It taunted her in a haunted sensual dance, attempting to wrap itself around her. But Cindy was no young healer with inexperience at using her magic. She was a seasoned sprite. Though her species was not as powerful as most, she was something special for her kind. The longer she fought with the darkness, the more she began to recognize that it wasn’t just Sally’s mind dealing with the horrid events she’d endured. It was more than that. This darkness had been placed there purposefully.
“You cannot have her,” Cindy told it.
“You’re too late, sprite. She is already ours.”
The darkness was growing in power and, whatever was feeding it was suppressing Sally’s own natural light that emanated from all gypsy healers. Someone in the Order had done this to her. The magic they’d used to take
her memories wasn’t the only spell they’d cast. They must have planted this second spell as some kind of fail-safe, a supernatural backup plan that would be triggered should their efforts be thwarted. Cindy recognized the magic now. She should have recognized it immediately, considering her own parents were members of the Order at one time. She hadn’t told Sally this, and she hoped she’d never have to.
Cindy said some words in her people’s language, casting her healing power over her daughter’s mind. But no matter how hard she tried, Cindy couldn’t get the darkness to recede. She was going to have to get some help. This meant she was going to have to go speak to the queen of the forest clan sprites. And considering she hadn’t spoken to any of them in almost a century, Cindy wasn’t sure how well she would be received.
She pulled her hand away from Sally’s mind and tried to keep her face devoid of any emotion. She didn’t know how much Sally understood about what was going on inside of her, but her daughter was clearly at the end of her rope. What Cindy had found was incredibly serious, and it terrified her. And as frightened as Sally was in her current mental state, sharing this information with her might just push the girl over the edge.
“It will take more power than I possess to heal you. I’m going to need help.”
“Heal me?” Sally frowned. “Did they damage something in my mind when they stripped me of my memories?”
Cindy cringed at the half-truth she was about to tell. “Something like that.”
“Well, is it something like that or is it that?” Sally asked.
Cindy sighed. “I’m afraid it’s hard to say exactly what’s afflicting you. Mental magic is very complicated, as I’m sure you know.”
“So, who can help?”
“The luminous sprites. They carry a light inside of them that is similar to yours,” she explained.
“They can heal?” Sally asked.
Cindy hesitated and blew out a heavy breath. “In a manner of speaking.”
“Why do I feel like you’re playing ‘see how dumb my daughter is’ with your answers?”