“I’m saying…” She exhaled, long and tired, her shoulders slumping like the weight of the entire Council was pressing down on her spine. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Right now, we focus on Cooper’s funeral. Regardless of what he did or whatever he was, your Aunt Carol-Kay deserves to say goodbye to her son.”
Ihatedthat she was right. I hated that I couldn’t argue with that without sounding cruel. But I didn’t want to give my father another second of freedom. It was far more than he deserved.
“Your father will answer for his actions,” she said. “One way or another. Butyouhave to leave that tome. This ismyburden. And I cannot—will not—lose you like Carol-Kay lost Cooper. Do you understand me, Quinn January Garcia? That wouldkillme. We will find a way.”
She stepped closer again, eyes glassy with the beginnings of tears, but her spine still straight and her voice full of a stronger command than I had accidentally used earlier. “You arenotto challenge him. I say that not as your mother. That is adirect orderfrom your acting Huntscommander.Do you understand, First Blade?”
The words slammed into me like a blow to the chest.
My spine went rigid and straight. My tears came hot, stinging behind my eyes before I could stop them. My fists clenched until my nails bit into the soft skin of my palms. The pressure grounded me. Just barely.
She’d pulled rank.
My mother pulled fucking rank on me.
A Huntscommander’s order wasn’t something I could ignore, and Mama, of course, knew that. It went deeper than protocol. It wasinstinct, baked into every cell of my being. A command like that wasn’t just a suggestion. It was binding. To disobey would mean I would lose my title and legacy. And, that was thebest-casescenario. The only way one could be opposed was if their life was being threatened with death. Not injury, but death.
The anger still coursed through me. I wanted to bring my father to his knees, but I couldn’t use the challenge. Mom was right. He was a ticking time bomb, and we hadn’t even begun to understand his wiring to defuse him. He was ruthlessness incarnate.
I understood why Mama did what she did, but that didn’t mean I liked it.
Still, I realized something as I stood there shaking and furious after the order.I wasn’t afraid of him anymore.Not after Lilah. Not after all I’d survived. The only thing that scared me now, truly scared me to my core, was losing Byrd. I would do anything to keep her safe, whether that meant going to war or challenging the whole fucking Council.
And maybe that’s why I let go.
Because through the rising tide of fury, I felt Byrd in our bond.
Warmth. Strength. A heartbeat that pulsed steadily next to mine.
I love you, Quinn.
I inhaled through my nose.
I love you back, Byrd.
I exhaled through my mouth.
Then, to my mother: “Fine.”
Mama didn’t say anything. She just stepped forward and pulled me into her arms in another embrace. It was tight and firm, as if she could shield me from the whole godsdamn world. Her lips brushed my ear as she whispered, “I’m still your mom, Quinn. And you are my baby. I can’t lose you. Never.”
“I know, Mom.”
“We’ll figure this out. We’ve been through worse.”
I snorted. “You always say that.”
“Yes, and isn’t it always true?” She kissed my cheek. “We fix it. Every time.”
I let my forehead fall to her shoulder. I thought of Byrd’s mom in that moment, unable to stop myself from thinking about what Byrd had lost and what I’d almost lost, too. “I know, Mom, I love you.”
“I love you most, my beautiful girl,” she whispered, holding on like she’d never let go again.
“Oh, there’s something else,” I said, voice steadier now. “I have a ring. For Byrd.”
Weeping Willow
BYRD
