“And to be truthful? I believe Helena is important to all this. She’s integral in how things will play out.”

“Do you say that in general or . . .”

“I have a touch of foresight. Not like my mother, who is quite powerful with it. But enough that my gut tells me she’s part of this in such a way that should she not be around, things would go worse.”

“GET out of those clothes. I’m going to burn some of these herbs in here while you shower. You’ll absorb them through your skin in the steam.”

Helena knew better than to argue with her mother, so she hoped Faine hadn’t given her any of his love bites.

“Oh, they ruined your blouse. And it was such a pretty one.” Her mother picked it up and examined it. “I might be able to fix it. The rip is at a seam.” She put it aside and began to set up the brazier where she’d burn the herbs.

“Do I have to use the green soap?” She hated the green soap. It was gross and slick and she smelled like pesto when she got out of the shower. But it was healing soap and she already knew the answer.

“Don’t waste my time with this nonsense, Helena. Make sure you get it on the back of your head where they hit you.”

“Speaking of that.” She turned the shower on and then finished undressing. The crisp scent of the herbs floated her way from where her mother had just murmured her spell and the flame sparked. “How’s your head now?”

“I’m going to drink some healing tea, but really? I’m all right. At first when I drew it from you it was bad. I can’t believe you were even able to stand in so much pain.”

“I was sitting. And Faine nearly carried me to the front door. Also, I’m used to it. You aren’t.” She breathed in deep, knowing the herbs would work better if she just sucked it up and used the gross green soap and let the herbs her mother burned do their job.

“Sweetheart, between your father and you and your sister, I’m quite used to it. And since the Magister my abilities have grown. I’m astonished at how much in some ways.”

“Mine too.”

“Yes, I saw footage of my daughter on her knees, blood everywhere, stopping a bomb. Nothing I’ll be forgetting any time soon. You foolish, foolish girl.”

Her mother’s tone was sharp, full of fear, and Helena knew it wasn’t a rebuke.

“It was so brave. All that you do. Every day. It’s brave and right and I’m so very proud of you.”

Tears stung her eyes so she closed them and pretended it was the soap. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you. Now. What on earth is this mess on your pants?”

“Pie. Those assholes not only ruined the pie I was bringing over, but they got it all over me and Faine’s car too. It’s going to be a sticky mess in there. But it’ll smell good.”

Her mother laughed. “I like him. Faine, I mean. I like how focused he is on you without seeming obsessive or creepy.”

“I’m in love with him.”

“That much is clear. He feels the same.”

“Yes.” She rinsed off, feeling much better.

“You have clothes here still. I’ll be back in a moment with something for you to change into.”

She dried off and noted the bruises beginning to appear on her legs and side where she’d hit the car door. They wouldn’t be as bad because of the magick and the “greenwork” as her mother called the herbal magick she used. Her head didn’t hurt so much she wanted to puke anymore. But she’d definitely take some pain reliever once she got food into her body.

“Will he take care of you?” Her mother thrust some clothes into her hands. “Like you deserve to be?”

“Faine?”

She pulled on the yoga pants and an old long-sleeved shirt. “I can’t believe you still have this shirt.”

“You and your sister leave things here. I put them away in case you ever need them. And I like having some of your belongings in the house. It’s a tie to you both.”

She pulled on a pair of thick socks.

“Yes. He takes care of me like I should be. He’s kind. Really bossy. But not in a gross I’m the boss, you do that way.”

“Well, that’s good, as you’d have to punch him in the sac if he acted like that.”

Helena laughed as she finished braiding back her wet hair. She turned to her mother and hugged her. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.”

When they both got back out to the dining room, Helena’s stomach growled rather rudely. Faine smiled as he caught sight of her. “You look better.”

Her mother breezed past and took over from her dad. “She’ll be better after she eats. Sit, everyone.”

They filled their plates and ate for a bit, Helena answering questions from her father about the assault at the grocery store.

“I’m afraid we’re going to need to add it to the list of places Others need to be wary about.” They had a list, available at the website, of businesses and places throughout the country that Others had negative and positive experiences with. “I think we should give the owner a chance to issue a statement though. If they deal with this Nancy creature and they’re otherwise fine to do business with, that’s all we can ask really. There are bound to be problem employees all over the place. No matter how awesome the owners and management.”

“You’re probably right. But I want to go over there right now and hit someone. Screw being the bigger person. As they’re so fond of saying, I’m not a person anyway.”

Hearing her normally loving and gentle mother say something like that broke Helena’s heart. She wanted to push that negativity away, even if just for a little while.

“Faine has asked me to marry him. Well, to bind with him. I’ve accepted.”

Her mother’s face lit and she was glad she’d brought it up.

“A binding, like what Lark and Simon have?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Faine nodded, reaching out to take Helena’s hand. “There’s no reason for me to pretend she’s not it for me. This binding is a ceremony older than recorded history. My brother is in Lycia right now, putting all the arrangements in place.”

“It’ll just be a short thing this time. We’ll go, do the binding and have a small family party and come right back. Things are too uncertain here for us to be gone any longer. But we’d like you to be there. Simon and Lark will be as well.”

“Of course we’ll be there. Normally, I’d frown and say it hasn’t been long enough. But you’re not one to make rash decisions. This man has been at your side for months in some rather difficult situations. And he’s proven he can be counted on. It’s something a mother worries over. I knew your father was the one the third day after I met him.”

Helena settled in and ate, listening to her mother tell the story of their courtship. Her father leaned toward his wife, a grin on his face. Faine laughed here and there, nodded, and the sounds of it, the sheer, wonderful normalcy of it, healed her far better than a hospital could have.

Chapter 22

FAINE kissed her awake. “Hello there.”

“Not that I am complaining about the kisses, but it’s really early.” She turned to look at the clock. “Like two in the morning early.”

“Card just called. They’re ready for us.”

“Like binding ceremony ready?”

He nodded. “Are you ready?”

Yes, she realized, she totally was. She tangled her fingers with his. “I am. Let’s call everyone. I take it you’ll have to be with my parents to get us all through at once, right?”

“Card volunteered to do it. He’s going to be with his wife, who is Fae, and her ability to travel between the Veils is pretty awesome.”

“Let me call them to let them know what to expect.” She did, and once her father knew she was calling for something good instead of another assault of some kind, he perked up and said they’d be waiting for Faine’s brother when they arrived.

She went into the closet and stood. “Oh my goddess. I have no dress. I don’t know what to wear.”