Sin & Surrender (Demigod of San Francisco #6)(78)

“Of course you have my magic, my darling. But let’s not wait for a man to save us.” She winked. “They have a way of stealing the glory. Now, remember when I was talking you through how to get that really nice steak for Christmas each year? Yum, I miss steak. You used my magic then. Just like in the MGB. Remember?”

MGB was what she’d called the Magical Government building so non-magical people wouldn’t catch on. I used to sit in that testing room chair, scared out of my mind, and focus on what she’d told me.

Think of that little red dial going haywire. Isn’t that a funny joke? It’s supposed to be very scientific, and it just spins and spins, out of control. When you have that in your mind, then believe.

That had always been key. Believing. Believing we’d get that steak and have a marvelous Christmas dinner. Believing we’d find a way to pay that tax bill so we could keep our house. Believing I could fool the testing machines so we could stay in the dual-society zone.

I got to it immediately. The little red dial in my mind’s eye spun and spun. It spun so fast it turned into a red blur. A tickle formed in my belly, and then nervous butterflies. The dial kept spinning until the butterflies flew in every direction. The feeling reminded me of standing in that crowded grocery store, waiting for the right moment to grab that steak. Of sitting in the testing room in the MGB, hoping for the best. Truth be told, it reminded me of a great many incidents that had started normal and escalated to crazy. I’d been using the magic all along without knowing it.

Right now, with my mother present, it also brought back memories of laughter. Of running and playing. Of jumping on the bed and singing songs at the top of my lungs.

It reminded me of our fine life together.

Choked up, tears in my eyes, I dove into that feeling. I poured my energy into it, dwindling my remaining supply nearly all the way to zero. I ballooned it out and prepared to cast it around me, like I might do with my Spirit Walker magic.

“Yes!” She clapped in delight, a large smile on her face, as though this wasn’t the direst of situations. “Look at you! Someone has taught you a thing or two. Now send it out into the world.”

“Whatever you are doing won’t help you,” Damion said, his connection to me strengthening even as he blocked my attempts to tear down another of his prongs. “That is the only reason why I am allowing your mother to stay. I am not a monster. Not always.”

My mother laughed, as though his words were a grand joke. And I pushed her magic into the world, filling up the large room and letting it spill out beyond. Letting it flower and spin. It felt like sparklers going off all round me, fizzing and zipping and dancing from the room. I wanted to laugh right along with my mom. I wanted to shrug off Damion’s touch and take control of the situation.

I wanted to at least be on equal footing.

“What do I do now?” I asked, my fingers clenching and releasing. My friends hadn’t attempted to leave, and I could tell they were getting restless. Red had pushed forward to the farthest edge of the stage, knives in hand, not far from trying to help regardless of what it might mean for her.

“You prepare to take the opportunities presented to you,” my mom said. “Who is this Kieran? Is he your beau?” Her eyes crinkled. “Yes, I can see that he is. You have the glimmer of a woman in love.” A soft smile crossed her lips. “Does he treat you well? Does he show you how much he loves you?”

Damion broke one of the prongs holding my soul, his touch hard and brutal, meant to pull back my attention. I gasped but did not look away from my mom. I didn’t need sight to work at his soul. To thwart his attempts to suck my energy. To claw at his efforts to connect us. I soaked in the look of her face and the brightness of her eyes. God, I’d missed her. I’d missed our walks and our talks. I’d even missed our struggles, working together to provide for our misfit family. I’d been tempted a million times to call her back, but I’d honored her wishes until now.

“I created a misfit family of my own,” I told her through gritted teeth, forcing his magical touch away from another of my prongs. He was amazing with all things spirit, but he wasn’t a god. There were limits to what he could do. “I’m really happy, Mom. Usually, I mean. This isn’t exactly a shining example, but other than this, I’m happy.”

She glanced behind her, at the door. When she turned back, her image wavered, and the Line pulsed, calling her back.

“I’m glad, my heart,” she said, and her voice echoed.

“I’m sorry for what you sacrificed for me,” I blurted, needing to tell her. Screams and shouts and noise filled the room. The ground shook and a bronze statue of someone’s head rolled in through the doors and crashed into a line of tables. “I’m sorry you had to leave the magical world because of me. I’m sorry you had to be poor.”

“Anyone who is blessed enough to know love will never be poor.” She tilted her head to the side. “The happiest years of my life were with you. None of it mattered. I never looked back. We had a fine life, you and I. It fulfilled me in every way. Now, it is time for you to save the day. Go with the flow, just like I taught you, and seize your opportunity to shine. I have faith in you, my heart, and I love you.”

The Line sucked her back, faster than a breath. It closed down on itself and vanished, stealing all the ultraviolet coloring with it as it went.