Page 63 of Cage Me

She lets out a light huff. “Don’t thank me yet.”

I’m not sure if she’s trying to convince me not to use whatever is inside, or if she’s really that worried, but either way, I shove the offering into my front pocket, noting that it almost feels like there’s a bunch of tiny pebbles inside, and head toward my mother.

She’s sitting up straight on the couch and there are dark circles under her eyes that I don’t remember seeing yesterday morning.

“Have you been up all night?” I ask her as I sit.

Kasha had said she spelled both Mom and Peter to not be overwhelmed with grief, but maybe whatever magic she used didn’t do its job right.

Mom shrugs as she reaches for my hand. Her fingers are cold, and she shivers next to me. “What’s going on?”

Instead of answering, she leans her head against my shoulder and presses her side flush with mine. “You’re so warm.”

“Kasha!” I shout, only staying where I am because I don’t want to further upset my mother.

When she enters the living room, she receives my full wrath. “What the fuck did you do to my mother?”

She reaches a hand out to touch Mom’s clammy face, and it takes everything in me not to snarl at her.

Kasha must sense my overprotectiveness, because she says, “I need to feel the magic inside her to know what’s wrong. The spell worked just fine on Peter, so calm your ass down.”

Easier said than done.

With reluctance, I let Kasha inspect my mother who has her eyes closed, resting against me.

“I think it’s the bond she shared with your…father,” she finally says after a tense minute of silence. “The spell is suppressing the ache of her bond, and this feels as though it’s fighting back.”

“Well, make it stop,” I practically growl, hating that my mother is in pain and there’s nothing I can do to help her. Again.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” Kasha says with awe, “but it’s not my magic. It was a potion from Natalia. I can give her a call—wait.” She holds up a finger. “I think I have something else that will work.”

My first thought is to take my mother and get the hell out of this place, but I’m not supposed to be pushing people away any longer. I have to remind myself that Kasha isn’t the enemy. She hasn’t tricked me into being here and she’s promised to take care of my family.

I feel confident that she will honor that even if it costs her own life.

Instead of stopping her from leaving the room to go get whatever she thinks will help, I hold my mother tighter and brush her hair back from her face. “It’s going to be okay, Mom.”

“I know,” she murmurs. “No matter how bleak things get, you’re going to be okay. You’re my angel.”

That’s the first time she’s ever called me that and I tense, remembering yesterday’s revelations. Has Mom known this entire time that I was blessed by an angel?

I try to sit her up, but she burrows closer to me, seeming to be soaking in my warmth. I call her name several times, but she doesn’t respond.

I start to pry her off me, but Kasha returns. “Sorry. I had to search a few boxes, but this is a cleansing spell. It works like a healing one but strips the body of anything foreign. Whatever I gave her before should get taken out by this.”

I take the vial of mint green liquid from her and lean my mother’s head back onto the couch. She’s so cold that her body is almost stiff. My throat tightens as I try not to pay attention or hate myself for not checking in on her yesterday. If I had, maybe I would have…

Shaking my head, I open the potion and part her lips. “You’re going to be fine, Mom. I’ll make sure of it.”

With her not really lucid, I’m not sure how I’m going to get her to swallow, but I don’t worry about that too much as I tilt the spell into her mouth. Holding her jaw shut, I watch to see if her body will act on instinct and sure enough, she chokes a little, then I see her throat move.

“How long does this take to work?” I ask Kasha while keeping my eyes on my mother.

“Maybe a few minutes.”

I hate to do this, but I release Mom and stand. I need to know my brother isn’t having a reaction as well. They were both supposed to be napping together yesterday. If Kasha didn’t notice anything wrong with my mother, I doubt she would have with Peter.

“I’m going to check on my brother. I’ll be right back,” I say to Kasha and without needing to be asked, she gets up and takes my spot.

---