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I rolled my head to look at her. “Mybabyis twenty years old and called me a criminal to my face. Ya don’t see me crying and running off because of her insult.”

“All she had was Jack for a long time. It’s not like you can divorce yer father.”

Resentment of my only daughter pushing me to reconcile with her loathsome father was too large to allow me to have sympathy for Fiona’s life. She said nothing to me over the years about Jack’s promotion, the women he slept with, or the money he made off what he did to me.

Maybe I’d understand her silence eventually, but that wasn’t happening today. My daughter had been choosing her father over me for years, whether or not she realized it. My job as her mother was to point that out.

I turned to stare at the pool. It was a concrete pond full of chemicals. It held no appeal for me, but Fiona loved to swim in any sort of water. My one regret about arguing with her was that I’d ruined my daughter’s fun.

“I know Fiona’s had a tough time of things too, but Jack buying her fancy cars does not excuse what he did to me. I’m done being nice to people merely to keep from making waves. After the cushy rich life I hear Jack gave her, Fiona won’t be able to understand my viewpoint for years. Hopefully, she’ll pick a better man to marry than I did and won’t have to learn the same hard lessons.”

My mother clicked her tongue at me. That’s what my mother did when she disagreed. She clicked her tongue.

“Are ya free of Jack or not, Aran? Every time ya get angry is proof there’s something still between ya needing to be settled. Hate and love are often bed partners. Ya got to shoot for neutrality or apathy instead.”

“Jack betrayed me for a freaking promotion, Ma. I want to cut off his man parts and hang them from the rear-view mirror of his expensive car.”

Ma chuckled. “Good Goddess, Aran, ya need to let it go before ya talk yerself into acting on it.”

“I’m tired of blaming myself for letting this happen in the first place, and I’m tired of people blaming me for Jack’s bad behavior. This madness has to end. I divorced Jack, and Goddess Danu allowed it. I don’t have to be nice to him ever again. That’s the point of divorce.”

“Then why are you so angry?”

I lifted my hand and pointed to the door Fiona ran out of a moment ago. “Because my daughter thinks her father is innocent of doing any wrong.”

“This isn’t only about Fiona, though, is it?”

“No, it’s about Rasmus too, who also thinks Jack can do no wrong. Conn says Rasmus can help me find the demon portal. And since Liam is missing, I don’t have the luxury of refusing to work with him.”

Ma just stared at me. “Is that the name of the ponytail guy?”

“Yes,” I said, closing my eyes. “Rasmus is on Team Jack. No matter how nice I’ve been to the arse, I’ve had no luck winning him over to Team Aran. He’s being obtuse.”

My mother laughed, and I don’t think it was over my word choice.

“Well, men can be like that when they believe something strongly. Women can be like that too. Yer Da and I were both wrong not to tell ya how we really felt about Jack. We probably would have lost yer love for a time, but we should have risked it to plant the seed of truth. That’s what ya did with Fiona just now, right?”

I blew out a breath and nodded. “I’m reacting fiercely because my feelings are hurt worse now. My husband cheated on me while forcing me to be faithful, and my daughter thinks I’m a criminal. What good is magick in those circumstances? None, Ma. None. No one feels sorry for me at all.”

Ma’s laughter had me giving her the side-eye. “I’m glad ya’re amused by my pain.” I yelped at the arm pinch I got for sassing my mother. Then I laughed too. “Sorry, Ma.”

“Buck up, girl. I’m not laughing at yer pain. I’m laughing about the ironies of life. If ya want to win the ponytail guy over to Team Aran, ya probably should start with getting a decent haircut. Ya look like a madwoman who whacked it off herself.”

“Thanks, Ma. Maybe a haircut will get Fiona to see me in a better light too. She’s the one who hacked it off for me all those years ago. The prison didn’t allow me to get my hair properly done.”

“Well, then, that was the first thing ya should have set right when ya got out, don’t ya think?”

I gave her a look I normally reserved for something disgusting. “No. I did things in the proper order. I got back The Dagda Stone, bonded with it, and then divorced Jack. Those were my priorities.”

“Where did getting yer hair done fall on yer list?” Ma asked.

I tilted my head to one side, and then the other, cracking the bones to release the tension built up there. After my head moved more freely, I turned to my mother and smiled. “Since it bothers ya so much, do ya have any suggestions aboutwhereI should get my new stylish look?”

“Yes. Fiona took me to this shop over on Farrington Avenue. They do good work even though they’re far from cheap. The shopkeeper is a magickal person. I suggest ya see if ya can get an appointment with her. Ya’re going to need a true professional to tackle that mess on yer head.”

I pulled out my phone and handed it to her. “Put in the shop's number and I’ll make the call. Goddess forbid people have to look at me like this for another blessed day.”

“Silver hair requires additional care, Aran,” my mother sang.