Page 86 of Blood Bound

I stare at her mutely.

Her eyes are so much like her son’s.

I shrink back when she moves forward and reaches a hand to me. She stops. “Please, we need to understand. Heath… How could he be involved in this?”

I open my mouth, but no words come out. How can I explain the betrayal, the horror of what I witnessed? The memory of Heath’s cold eyes as he spoke about getting rid of me makes me shudder.

“I- I don’t…” I stammer, not sure how to answer without breaking this mother’s heart.

“That’s enough,” Mom interjects firmly, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Can’t you see she’s in no state for this? She’s been through an ordeal.”

Seraphina’s expression softens slightly. “I understand this is difficult, but time is of the essence. If there are more collaborators—”

“Then you can wait until morning,” Gran cuts in, her voice leaving no room for argument. “Rowan will speak when she’s ready and not a moment before.”

I watch numbly as Gran ushers the elders out, her voice firm but polite. “We’ll continue this tomorrow. Rowan needs rest.”

As the door closes behind them, I let out a shaky breath. The room feels emptier, but the tension lingers like a heavy fog. I make my way to the couch and sink onto it, hating how pitiful I feel.

“I need to speak to them at some point, Gran. Sooner rather than later,” I say, injecting firmness into my tone. There’s no sense in putting this off. I need to get this behind me.

“You’re right,” she acknowledges. “But you need to take care of yourself first. Give your body time to recover. And your heart…”

I know that will take longer. But I give a faint smile.

Kara plops down next to me on the couch, her eyes bright with determination. “Hey, Ro. I’ve been thinking about Mia. Now that we know more about what’s going on, maybe we can—”

I try to focus on her words, but they wash over me in a meaningless blur. Mia. God, I should be worried about her. I should be planning. But all I can think about is Darick, and the ache in my chest threatens to swallow me whole.

“Kara, honey,” Mom interrupts gently. “Maybe we could talk about this later?”

Dad settles on my other side, his arm around my shoulders. “You’re safe now, pumpkin. We’ve got you.”

I lean into him, grateful for the familiar comfort of his embrace. But it can’t chase away the chill that’s settled deep in my bones.

A tiny paw tugs at my sleeve, and I look down to see Poppy. My familiar is dancing about clownishly. “Hey, Ro,” she chirps, “Wanna see me do a backflip? I’ve been practicing!”

Before I can respond, she launches into an exaggerated tumble that ends with her sprawled dramatically on her back, tail twitching. Despite everything, I feel the tiniest hint of a smile tugging at my lips.

“Ta-da!” Poppy announces, rolling to her feet. “I call it the ‘Squirrel Spectacular.’ Patent pending.”

I reach out and stroke her soft fur. “Thanks, Poppy.” I manage another smile. It’s a ridiculous gesture but sweet in its sincerity.

As my family surrounds me with their love and support, I clutch Darick’s pendant tighter. The weight of it grounds me, a reminder of what I’ve lost and what I still have.

I push myself up from the couch, my limbs heavy with exhaustion. “I think…I think I need to go home now.”

Mom’s brow furrows with concern. “Sweetheart, are you sure? You’ve been through so much. Maybe you should stay here tonight.”

I shake my head, forcing a smile. “I appreciate it, I do. But I need some time alone. To process everything.”

Dad steps forward, his face wreathed with worry. “Pumpkin, we’re just not sure it’s a good idea for you to be by yourself right now.”

A flicker of frustration cuts through my grief. I’ve always been the fragile one, the one they’ve had to protect and coddle. Now, with everything that’s happened, they’re treating me like I might break at any moment.

Maybe I will. But I need to face that on my own.

“I know you’re worried,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. “But I’m not a child anymore. I can’t keep relying on all of you to hold me up. I need to learn to stand on my own.”

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