Chapter 109

Dad!

Pup? What’s wrong?

She won’t stop… I don’t know what to do.

She who? Won’t stop what? Pup, I need more information to go on… His voice didn’t sound panicked, but I knew mine did. I didn’t know how to explain it. Bring Nix forward. She can send what you see directly to me. My dad sensed my distress. So that’s what I did. I allowed Nix to come to the surface, and she saw our mother losing control. I could sense her opening to Loki, and then my mind was filled with his howl too.

Loki?

What happened to your mother, pup? My dad’s worried voice came through the howling.

She knows.

Knows what? Amy, you have to tell me what is going on, or else I can’t help. His frustration was evident.

She knows the truth. About our second chances, our power, the fact you lied. Everything. My voice was barely above a whisper, but I got it all out. The truth that had been nagging at me since the beginning of the summer.

Why did you tell her? We said we wouldn’t tell her until this was over… He trailed off and I felt his pain.

Because she told me her secret, and she deserved to know the truth.

Oh, baby. Where are you?

A hidden cabin. Mom said it was her home.

Stay there. I’ll be there as soon as I can be.

I focused on my mother, and her howls were still going, but she lost her voice. I watched as she threw her head back, and the whistle of her broken voice breached her lips, as did a droplet of blood. “Mom. Don’t worry. Dad’s coming.”

Her head snapped to mine. “No. Amy, please. Tell him not to come. I can’t face him. Not now. Not ever.”

“Mom,” I pleaded with her. “Don’t say that. He loves you. Has never stopped loving you. Your side of the closet and your office have sat untouched, except by me, since you left.” She grabbed my hand, and squeezed. “Mom. He knows the truth.”

A sob broke from her lips, and she shook her head. “Amy. I can’t face him, not yet.” She dropped her head and her body shook with silent tears.

“Then when?”

“What?” She snapped her head up to look at me.

“When?” I stared at her, and even though I knew she was hurting, I was becoming frustrated. My parents ruined their lives for nothing. And now she was coming up with excuses not to fix it. “I know you’re hurting, but so is he. I know you are ashamed, but so is he. You now know the truth, and so does he.” She wouldn’t meet my eyes. "You both ruined your lives. He did it to keep us safe. You did it to keep me safe. Do either of you know how much that hurts me? And I know it’s selfish of me to throw that in your face, but I know you are coming up with a million reasons not to meet with him, and another million to continue to hurt yourself instead of facing him."

She looked into the fire and swiped at the tears on her face. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“No, Mom. You don’t understand. Dad loves you. So much so that he broke your heart to make sure you lived. He would rather you in another’s arms than dead. You love Dad so much that even seeing him would break the very fragile foundation you have built yourself. The times shared with Morgan were the better choice than being made into a slave because of Vince. And Dad… Dad is glad you did it. The thing that hurt him the most was learning you were drinking."

She looked at me with hopeful eyes, but then she shook her head. “We can’t wait for him here."

“So when? I need a time so that Dad doesn’t just start a war, which he will.”

She looked down at her hands. “Baby, do you think he would forgive me?”

“Without even a second thought.” My dad walked through the front door, and we both whirled and screamed. He ran to my mother and picked her up from the floor and kissed her.

I watched as the two of them reunited for the first time since I was a baby, and it was like they had never left each other.

“Ainsley, I am so fucking sorry.” My father pulled away and cupped her face.

“Why did you lie? You should have told me the truth. I would have worked with you, helped you.” She wrapped her hands around his.

“I couldn’t lose you.” His voice was rough. He trailed his hands over her hair. “I’m so sorry I put you through this. It’s all my fault.”