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I lay on the ground, the shock of the blast ringing through my bones. I try to crawl towards Nico, who is huddled in the center of the blackened crater in his human shape.

I’m so worried that I don’t even think about myself. With sheer, brute strength, I manage to stumble over to him. With only the slightest hesitation, I throw my arms around him and hug him tightly to my chest.

I’m not getting electrocuted this time. That’s a good sign.

Behind me, I hear Galen’s footsteps as he approaches. He sounds unsteady, but I don’t think either of us has been hurt.

“Nico, are you okay?” I whisper in his ear.

He nods, clinging to me. “What happened, Mom?”

“I’m not sure, sweetie. We’ll figure it out, I promise.”

He nods, sniffing a little. I look up to see Galen standing over us, his dark eyes simmering with turmoil.

We need help , he mouths, and I nod in agreement.

After a few more minutes, we get Nico to his feet and walk back through the woods towards home. It’s a long, painful journey, and Galen has to carry Nico most of the way. When we get back, Nico is sound asleep, and I tuck him into bed.

We go into the kitchen together, and I’m so exhausted, I just collapse into a chair. Galen makes some coffee and puts a cup in front of me. When I look up, I see him watching me, an intense look in his eyes.

“What is it, Galen?” I ask.

He sighs, pressing his lips together as he shakes his head.

What’s going on here? Shouldn’t we be talking about how to help our son? Is he going to kick us out or something?

I don’t know if I’m frightened or relieved by the idea, so I cover it with anger instead. “Speak up, Galen! What’s your problem?”

“Clara,” he says in a gentle tone. “Tell me about your mother.”

A horrible, sharp pain lances through me, equal parts fear and indignation. There’s also a deep sense of loss and longing that I know far too little about her. I don’t know if I care enough to find out why she left me.

“Galen, I told you years ago I don’t know anything about my mother. She left when I was young. I was raised by Dad up to about Nico’s age, then when he died, I went to a foster home. None of these are fun topics for me.”

“I know,” he answers. “But this is serious, Clara. Nico has magic, and he sure as hell didn’t get it from me.”

“If it came from my mother, then surely I’d have it, too?” I snap indignantly. “What are you implying?”

“Nothing, Clara,” he says, sighing. “It’s just the only avenue to check. We are going to need help, and I think that’s the best place to start. Do you have any idea where your mother might be?”

I shake my head, trying to hide my feelings and failing miserably.

Galen puts a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, Clara, any clue at all?”

“Okay,” I answer, wiping tears from my eyes. “I have an address for her sister. It’s written on the back of one of her old pictures. But I don’t know how much help it will be.”

“It’s a start,” Galen says. “I’ll need to get in touch with Kit and see if he can keep watch for me while we go and check this out. We can get Winnie and Mother to take Nico.”

“You want us to leave him alone?” I gasp.

Galen nods. “We can’t take him with us,” he says gently. “He’s like a bomb about to go off, and we have no idea when or how big the blast will be. We have to do this now, Clara.”

I shake my head again, wanting to protest, but I know he is right. I can’t just sit here and hope for the best, not after what we experienced today.

“Let’s get some rest now and be ready to leave in the morning,” Galen suggests. “Is the address far from here?”

“I’ll have to find the picture and double-check,” I say. “It’s further down Wolfshade, I know that.”

“Okay,” Galen says. “I’ll text Winnie and Mother to make sure they will be okay to take Nico, and we can leave tomorrow.”

I nod miserably, hating the idea of leaving my son, especially when he’s so vulnerable, but knowing that I have no choice. I go down the hall to check on him, enchanted by his sweet, innocent expression. His eyelids flicker a little in his sleep, and I can’t stop the cold terror trickling through me.

If something happens to him, I won’t survive. I can’t stand the thought of losing him!

I go back to the bedroom quickly so I don’t wake Nico. When I get there, I find my suitcase and pull out the small stack of old photos, locating the one with the address on the back. I look at the picture for a long time, taking in my mother’s long, dark hair, elegant shape, and carefree smile.

I never knew you, Mother. But it seems you’ve laid a curse on me, and my son will be the one who pays for it.

I fall into a fitful sleep, with unsettling dreams I don’t remember well on waking. I check in on Nico immediately and find him still sleeping soundly. When I get to the kitchen, Galen is already there, making pancakes and coffee.

“How long have you been up?” I ask.

Galen shrugs. “I didn’t sleep well. Figured I’d get an early start. Mother and Winnie are on their way.”

“So soon?” I reply, taken aback.

“Yes,” he mutters, staring at the sizzling batter. “You know as well as I do that we need to get moving.”

“To where?” Nico asks, appearing in the doorway.

I run over to him and wrap him in my arms, rocking him as if he’s still a baby I can soothe with my voice and touch alone.

“Mom, where are we going?” Nico asks impatiently, pulling back a little.

I hold on to his shoulders, shaking my head a little. “We’re going for a little drive up the Range—your dad and me. To see if we can find out about your magic. You’re going to stay here with Aunt Winnie and Grandma.”

Nico looks over at his father, then back at me. “You can’t take me, can you?” he mutters. “Because… because I’m dangerous?”

“No, baby, no!” I cry, gathering him in my arms, but he pushes me away, fixing his father with a firm glare.

“Tell me the truth, Dad!” he demands.

“It’s not that you’re dangerous,” Galen says evenly, “but you have magic. It’s unpredictable, and we have no idea how to protect you, or anyone else, if it gets out of control. We can’t be out on the road when something happens. Do you understand?”

Nico nods, a determined look on his face. “I understand, Dad. Thank you.”

My eyes fill with tears again, but before I can crumble into pieces again, Macy and Winnie arrive. They promise me they’ll keep Nico safe. He seems content to stay with them, which makes our exit easier than I thought it would be.

A tense silence stretches between Galen and me as he drives up into the Range through Lycan Pass, heading for Cyan Lock.

“He’ll be okay,” Galen says with as much sincerity as he can manage.

I scoff lightly under my breath. “Let’s just call it what it is. We don’t know anything about anybody right now, and this situation just flat-out sucks.”

“Okay, then,” Galen says with a smile. “I’m fine with that.”

I let the silence deepen for a second before I let out my other pressing thought. “I’m not crazy about seeing Kit,” I admit.

“Why?” Galen asks.

“I never trusted him. He always seemed a bit shifty to me.”

“Is that a joke?” Galen asks, grinning. “Because if it is, it’s a good one.”

I can’t help but chuckle as I realize what I just said. “Unintended, but definitely funny. Anyway, you know what I mean.”

“I do, and the Cyan pack has been allies with us for some time now. I trust Kit, and I know he’ll keep watch over the town while I’m away.”

Kit meets us outside of Cyan Lock, on the far side of Cerulean Lake, where the family has a private estate. He is polite to me, but not overly friendly, either, which doesn’t surprise me.

The two men talk briefly, and I can see that Galen is very comfortable with him, which puts my mind at ease. When Galen tells Kit how far we’re traveling, I’m very surprised when he offers us an RV.

“That’s extremely generous of you,” Galen says. “Honestly, I won’t say no. We’ll be between towns by the time we have to stop, and I wasn’t crazy about sleeping in the car.”

“Think nothing of it,” Kit says, smiling. “This estate is well-equipped, thanks to my grandfather, and I’m more than happy to lend it to you.”

“You’re already doing so much for me,” Galen says, shaking his hand. “By keeping an eye on the key for me while I’m gone.”

“My patrols will be extended into your territory, old friend,” Kit says. “I’ll check in with the council members and your family, and if anything arises, I will protect your pack as if it were my own.”

“Much appreciated,” Galen says. “I’ll return the favor anytime you need.”

“Safe travels,” Kit says, waving us off. He narrows his eyes slightly as he watches me get into the RV, but when I smile and wave, he waves back.

Maybe it’s just my imagination, but he doesn’t seem sincere.

“Everything okay?” Galen asks as we turn away from the lake and go toward Lycan Pass.

“Sure,” I mutter. “I’ve left my son alone, in a vulnerable state, and I’m going to chase down my long-lost mother to see if she knows why my child can explode like a space rocket. Everything’s just fine.”

“Clara, I already explained—”

“I know. But I still think we’re chasing a dead end.”

Galen sighs, gripping the steering wheel in frustration. “Your father was a shifter, we know that. His family line is well known to the pack. It’s a pure bloodline. So, if there is magic in Nico, it had to come from your mother.”

“And like I said,” I retort, knowing that I’m snapping but not able to stop myself. “Surely if my mother had magic, it would be in me, too?”

“I’m not an expert,” Galen acknowledges. “But so far, this is the only lead.”

I sit back in the big, comfy seat, my arms folded across my chest. I know that Galen is right, and I have no choice in this.

“Clara, are you alright?” he asks.

“No,” I admit.

“I understand,” Galen says.

“No, I don’t think you do,” I shoot back. “I never met my mother, ever. I didn’t go looking for her. She knew where I was my whole life, and she didn’t bother to come looking for me, even when my father died! Do you think I want to see this woman?”

My voice has risen to a shrill pitch, and my hands are clasped together so hard that they hurt. I make a conscious effort to calm down, focusing on my breathing and staring into my lap.

“I’m so sorry, Clara,” Galen says softly. “I really didn’t understand.”

“I don’t, either,” I answer.

He reaches over and puts his hand on mine, and his touch soothes me. Just the lightest pressure of his fingers trailing across my skin, and my body responds, relaxing immediately as warm rivers of pleasure race through my blood.

I let myself drown in the feeling until I can feel my body responding in other ways and break the contact. I’ve worked hard to stay away from Galen since that night in the woods, especially to never be alone with him like this.

And look where we are. Stuck miles from anywhere, in an RV, with not a single person in sight. I don’t know if I should be excited or terrified.

Why choose? I can do both.

By the time we reach the towns towards the end of Lycan Pass, the sun is sinking slowly behind the horizon, leaving long, dark shadows across the road. The sky brightens with shades of pink and orange, reflecting off the snowy peaks like a prism of rainbows.

If this trip was under different circumstances, I could be having a great time right now.

“Do you have the address?” Galen asks.

I rummage in my bag for a moment to find the photo, then direct him to the right street. Immediately, my expectations plummet. The houses in this area of town are unkempt, with long lawns and boarded-up windows. All of them have peeling paint and piles of trash in the corners of their yards.

“I don’t think we’re going to find anything here,” I mutter.

Galen shakes his head. “All we can do is ask. We didn’t come all this way to give up now. Is this the house?”

“Yeah,” I answer, checking the number. “It’s the right address, anyway.”

Galen parks the RV, and we walk up the narrow concrete pathway, dodging the long weeds and thorns that are swiftly taking over the house and the surrounds. The building has ivy crawling all over it, the green shoots wrapped across the windows as if they are looking for a way in.

“She ain’t there!” a voice yells.

The sound shocks me so much, I actually jump, crashing into Galen. He grabs my shoulders and moves me behind him protectively as we turn towards the voice.

“Excuse me?” Galen asks, taking a few steps across the porch.

“I said, she ain’t there. Ain’t nobody been there for years.”

I follow Galen across the porch, finally seeing a small, hunched-over old woman on the opposite side of the fence.

“Do you know her?” I ask eagerly, in spite of myself.

I never wanted to meet my mother, but now that I’m here, I can’t help hoping that she’s here, too, and can answer all my questions.

Maybe she really does love me. Maybe she always did, but couldn’t come to me.

“Who ya lookin’ for?” the old woman growls.

“Lily,” I answer. “Lily Clarke?”

“Lily Clarke, hey? Not too many people be lookin’ for her.”

“Isn’t this her sister’s house? Faye’s?”

“Yeah, that’s Faye’s house, alright,” the old woman answers.

“Do you know how to get in touch with her?” Galen cuts in, clearly exasperated.

“Faye, maybe. She’ll be around, I’m sure. But Lily? Ain’t no way, no how.”

“Why?” Galen demands. “Where is she?”

The old woman cackles. “Don’t be in such a rush, old boy. She ain’t goin’ nowhere. Lily Clarke’s in old Oakpoint Cemetery.”

An icy hand grips my heart as I finally realize I’m too late. My questions will never be answered.

The old woman glares right at Galen as if he’s incredibly stupid and she wants to smack the words right into his head.

“In case ya aren’t getting my meaning, son, I’ll state it plain. Lily Clarke ain’t here, boy. She’s dead.”