Chapter 21 #2
“Anyway, I’m getting off topic.” Olivia waves her hand.
“The book chooses its guardian. I think fate has a hand in there somewhere too. But mostly, it’s the book.
Infernum contains within it all the magic and powers and secrets of all the Hell dimensions, and it chose me to be its guardian.
I share its power and knowledge, it shares my body.
It’s a completely symbiotic joining. We’re not two individual beings.
We are one. It’s as simple and as complicated as that. ”
“What about the other books?” I whisper.
“Purgatorio was damaged, mutilated beyond recognition by religious zealots.”
“So, Purgatorio no longer exists?”
“We’ve managed to recover a few of the surviving parts to it, but it will never be what it once was.
Spiritus and Terra we suspect were destroyed.
Humans can be so destructive, especially when they don’t fully understand the power they hold in their hands.
Infernum and Caelum seem to be the only two that survived intact. ”
I stare at her. It feels like some part of what she’s telling me is important somehow but I can’t focus enough to really take it in.
“I think that’s enough for one night.” Olivia climbs to her feet and reaches down for my hand. “You need rest, Harrison.”
Sam stands, and between the two of them, they help me to my feet.
My legs feel like jelly and I’m not going to lie, the room spins a bit.
Exhaustion washes over me and I haven’t even got the energy to feel bad that I’m leaning so heavily on Sam.
He wraps his arm around me to keep me steady as we cross the room and join the others.
“Harrison! Are you okay?” Tristan asks in concern.
“I’m okay,” I say quietly, really wishing for a bed to lie down on.
“We should get you to a hospital.”
“No need.” I shake my head, and another wave of dizziness causes me to sway again. Fortunately, Sam still has hold of me and tightens his grip to stop me from face-planting the floor. “Olivia healed me.”
“You did?” Tristan’s eyes widen. “You can do that?”
She shrugs. “I’m not as good at it as my great-aunt was, but I can manage the basics. Harrison will be fine, he just needs a few days’ rest.”
“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. ”
“I don’t know what to say to that,” I murmur. “I understand, I guess, but…”
“I’m so sorry,” she says again. “I wanted you to be safe and happy. That was more important to me than my own happiness. I gave you to Dr Stanford and his husband because I knew they’d love you as much as I do. That’s all I wanted for you, to have a life filled with love.”
“I did.” She found two incredible men to love me and raise me.
She may not have been able to keep me, but she gave me a gift.
She gave me them. And I’m so grateful for that.
“I do. My dads are amazing, although they’re going to be pretty pissed off when they find out about this. ” I glance over at the debris.
She looks over her shoulder. “I have to go, they’re waiting for me on the other side.” She gives me one last look. “Have a beautiful life, and know that I always have and always will love you.”
“Wait.” I reach out to her as she turns away, causing her to look back at me. “I…I wish things had been different. I wish I’d gotten to know you. But I do understand your choices, even if I’m not sure I’d have made the same ones, but thank you for giving me to my dads. They really are the best.”
We smile at each other, and I think we come to a kind of understanding. Then she’s gone. I sag further against Sam. If he wasn’t holding me up, I’m sure I’d just slide bonelessly to the floor and be asleep before I was even horizontal.
Everything spins when I feel arms loop under my legs. Next thing I know, Sam is holding me effortlessly in his arms.
“Put me down,” I murmur. “I can walk. I’m not a baby.” But my head lolls against his firm chest and my eyes start to close.
“Go to sleep, Prickles.” His voice rumbles against my temple. “I’ve got you.”