Page 38 of A Hint of Delirium

“Do you want to tell her or should I?” he asked my mother.

My mother shook her head and turned to me. “The problem is that you’re not fully human, Vi,” she said. “You’re no longer a host for the orb … you’re a weapon.”

“If the Ancient Order of Leviathans ever learned about you, they wouldnothave good intentions,” Ansel added. “It’s best if they never learn about your existence.”

What the hell am I? An atomic bomb?

“Where will you go? Where willIgo?” I asked, feeling helpless and small.

“You can stay with me,” Ansel offered.

My mother’s face darkened. “How do I know she’ll be safe with you?”

Ansel straightened. “My sole purpose here in the human realm is to protect the orb. That means my sole purpose is to protect Vi. It’s simple, really.”

“How do I know you’re not going to whisk her away to your world?” my mother accused.

Ansel grinned. “You don’t. But rest assured, Vi has already made it perfectly clear she wants nothing to do with her fae half. I won’t force it on her.”

My mother nodded and then turned to me, taking my hands in hers. “I’ll head south as planned. Once I’m settled, I’ll contact you. I promise.”

It felt like my whole world was crashing down on me. It had always been me and my mom, the two of us against the world. I couldn’t imagine parting ways like this.

“Ma.” I glanced down at our hands with tears that threatened to spill. “I’m scared … What if something happens to you? How will I know?”

She was about to go on the run on her own. If they found her and took her, or worse, if they killed her, I would never know. I couldn’t just sit around day after day, waiting on her call.

“Don’t worry about that,” Ansel cut in. “I have a friend in Florida who I can set you up with,” he said. “It’ll be good to have back-up.”

My mother was reluctant to accept his help, but when I nudged her, pushing her to take him up on his offer, she nodded.

“I’ll give you both a minute to say your goodbyes before we head back to the apartment so you can pack up,” Ansel said, then left the living room, giving us space to say the goodbyes we never thought we would need to say.

20

ANSEL

Vi and her mother spent a long time hugging and saying goodbye. I almost couldn’t tear them apart, but I didn’t rush them. Who knew when the next time they’d see each other would be? The Ancient Order of Leviathans tracking her down was definitely unexpected. If they managed to find her, it wouldn’t be long before Alec did. It was best that they part ways now to keep Vi safe. They cried and promised to reunite again. It was all very human.

I created a portal back to Jackson Heights to their apartment. Except this time, we left Vi back at my apartment. It was late at night, and I scoped out the area first before giving Vi’s mother the okay to enter. We stepped inside to see the entire apartment had been tossed.

“I guess when the trackers didn’t report back, they sent back-up.” Vi’s mother nudged some of their belongings that had been flung on the ground. “They completely destroyed our apartment. I don’t know what they were looking for.”

My eyes widened with a sickening thought. “You don’t have any baby pictures of Vi, or of when you were pregnant or anything that could reveal that you have a daughter, do you?”

She shook her head sadly. “No. We’ve always lived like we were on the run because I knew it would end like this. I never wanted to leave a trace behind. If anything, our apartment looks like I had a roommate, not a child.”

I sighed. “That’s a relief.”

She eyed me for a moment. “Why are you doing this? Why are you helping us?”

I frowned. “It’s my job.”

She tilted her head. “Nowit’s your job, but before it wasn’t. You were hanging around Vi long before you knew anything about her. Why?”

Her question caught me off guard, which wasn’t easily done. “I … uh … don’t know,” I stammered, losing all my fae grace in an instant.

“Do you care for my daughter?” she asked bluntly, crossing her arms over her chest.

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