Silence descended on our group, and Elle and Trissa took this as their cue to leave the kitchen.
I swallowed hard. “Of course, it’s okay. We own the homes free and clear. Electricity and everything is paid for by a trust that’s set up. You can have the place—”
“No,” Liam growled. “You’re not safe here alone.”
His mother reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes. “Honey, I’m tired of the back and forth, of constantly being in danger of the energy of the crystals. Or that you boys are in danger without the energy. Now that I know the boys are safe in Faerie with you, I can live safely here with peace in my heart.” A tear streamed down her cheek as she held his face in her hands. “You can visit me every day. Once you find that portal in the Redwoods, you can use it and come here all the time.” Tears filled her eyes, and my heart broke then. I wasn’t a mother, but I couldn’t imagine having to live separately from my children just to keep them and myself healthy. Though, it seemed common with the halflings, a grim reality for them, a dance they had to do.
Liam swallowed hard. “What if Dad finds you?”
She shrugged. “I found a shotgun in the garage. I’ll blow his head off.”
Whoa.
I’d mistaken Liam’s mother for timid until that moment.
“Mom, I’m serious. He could overpower you.”
She squeezed his hand. “I have nothing left that he wants, honey. He wants you boys, he wants power. He doesn’t want me anymore.”
She said it with the sadness of a jilted lover.
He doesn’t want me anymore. Tears lined my eyes, and I wondered if I should leave the room until she reached out and took my hand, pulling me closer. “What you two have is special. I know you’re young, but promise me you’ll always take care of each other and remember the love that brought you together.”
The tears spilled over onto my cheeks, and I nodded.
She smiled. “And promise me that you’ll help take care of the boys when I’m not there.” She looked at me—as Liam’s girlfriend or the Queen of Faerie, I didn’t know, but it didn’t matter.
“I’ll treat them as if they were my own brothers,” I promised her.
A radiant smile crossed her face and then turned sad. “It feels right here. Out in the open with nature and with Mara.”
Mara.
Knowing someone would be here to look after her grave, bring her flowers once in a while, it filled a bit of the gaping hole in my chest.
“But, Mom—”
She dropped my hand and took Liam’s face into her palms once again. “Liam. You got the shitty end of the stick. You were the brunt of your father’s wrath, and you had to grow up way sooner than any child should.” She smoothed her thumbs over his cheeks. “Go restore Faerie. Go give your brothers the life you never had. Do it for them, and do it for me.”
Holy fuck, I was sobbing. Legit sobs escaped my throat, and she pulled me into a hug with Liam. All three of us squished into this powerful woman as she held us both. It reminded me of my own mother’s hugs. Strong but gentle at the same time. Man, I missed her so much.
I missed mom hugs.
“Okay, Mom.” Liam’s voice was raspy as he spoke into her shoulder. “Okay. But I’m coming here every day to check on you.”
Not sure how he would do that with it being a twenty-hour drive, but I didn’t say a word. I knew from stories that the original portals were created by the Queen. Not the current Spring Queen Dahlia we had now, my mom-aunt, whatever she was, but Summer Queen Isana, ages ago. Still, if a Queen could make portals, maybe when we woke Queen Dahlia, she could make a portal leading here. I didn’t want to mention it and get their hopes up, but I was going to look into it when we got back.
When she released us both, we all wiped our eyes.
Liam’s mom looked around the kitchen and sighed. “It’s a wonderful home, so peaceful. I’ll be happy here.”
I didn’t even know what town we were in, where the nearest store was or neighbors, but she was right. The home had an energy to it. There was a sense of peace here that most would search their whole lives to find.
“What will you do for food, work, friends?” Liam said everything I was thinking.
His mom shrugged. “I saw a farm down the road. I was thinking of knocking on the door and introducing myself. Starting from there. I know how to care for chickens, milk cows, garden, do some canning and cooking. Maybe they need a helping hand.”
I’d forgotten Liam lived on a farm just outside Seattle. They’d had a barn with animals and gardens, so that actually sounded perfect, assuming these people needed help.
“Okay…” Liam breathed. “I’ll check on you in a few days and bring some food and money.”
She waved him off. “Jasper gave me his credit card and said I could buy groceries on that until I got settled. Don’t worry son. I’m going to be fine.”
Jasper?
Geeze, we had totally read that guy wrong. He was a teddy bear inside. Well, mostly.
When it was time to go, there were more hugs and more tears. Seeing Liam’s mom wave to us from where she stood on the front porch, wrapped in a blanket, brought warm fuzzies to my stomach.
She was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay.
It had to be.
Chapter 13
We drove all night and the next day, taking turns at the wheel or asleep against the car windowpane. Jasper only slept in one-hour bursts so that he could bring our shield back up quickly, but we could see in the strain on his face that it was taking its toll on him. When we stopped for food, he ate enough to feed
