Page 104 of Fighting for Her Heart

Ember

“If I release your sisters, you need to give me something too.”

Nora glares at me. “How many times do I need to point out that you aren’t in any position to bargain?”

Looking down, I take a step back from her. “I know. It’s just.” I shake my head. I need to sell this.

I look into her eyes. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. I’m so confused by everything you’ve told me and shown me. And I’m overwhelmed learning of my destiny and of the gravity of the opportunity you’re giving me.”

Her tight lips soften. “I know that it must seem like a lot.”

I touch the key, still in the lock. “Are the key and lock real? The cage around the barracks?”

“Do theyfeelreal?” she asks.

Pulling the key out of the lock, I drop to a crouch. “Your illusions are so well crafted. I don’t know what’s real anymore. I don’t get it yet.”

“You will. With my help, you will.”

Staying crouched, I slip the key under the waistband of my leggings and shake my head. “I’m so confused that I’ve even started to wonder if you’ve used magic to make me believe that Iloveyou.”

I turn my face up to look at her. “Have youalwaysbeen using magic on me.”

She reaches down, but I maintain the light around me so that her hand stays a few inches back from touching me. I need to tread carefully. I need her to trust me, but if I let her get too close, she’ll break through the last vestiges of my magic and I don’t know if I have the strength or skill to raise more.

“Ember,” she says softly. “My love for you has never been an illusion.”

“But that bed, the scraped knees.” I shake my head.

“I created those illusions to help you remember your childhood. To show you how much I miss those days when it was just the two of us, and to show you how much I love you. What you were perceiving was an illusion, but thefeelingsweren’t. Not yours and not mine. I love you so much.”

I straighten to stand, fighting an urge to hug her.

She’s using my emotions to catch me off guard, to make me drop the last of my magic, and I admit I’m trying to use her emotions against her too.

“Maybe it’s you who doesn’t love me anymore.” Nora’s eyes fill with tears. “I know I can’t turn back time to when you were a little girl, but please know that I willalwayslove you. I wish I could help you understand how I’ve always had, and will always have, your best interests at heart.”

I look in her eyes, fighting the strong urge to believe her.

“My darling daughter,” Nora says softly. “All this. It’s not just about creating lambent vampires. It never has been.”

“Then what is it about?”

“It’s about you and I. It’s about us, working together, side by side, forever. That’s what I’vealwayswanted. And now you are a vampire the possibilities for our future have opened up even more. Together, we can rule the worlds of both magic keepers and vampires.”

“Rule them?” I tip my head to the side, my feelings toward my mother clarifying again.

“Influence, guide… Whatever word you want to use.” She smiles as if she’s given up arguing. “I’m happy to return the vampires to their stations, but you must first release my sisters.”

I nod. I have no idea how it will help, but I want the men out of that cage, the stakes away from their hearts. I regret suggesting the men be moved into the barracks in the first place. I’m winging it.

“If I release your sisters,” I ask softly, “how do I know they won’t attack me?”

“Darling.” Nora shakes her head. “I wouldpreferif it was you who releases my sisters. It would help demonstrate that you’re on my side. But I don’tneedyou to. I can release them any time I want.”

I can’t tell if she’s lying.

Smiling softly, she cups my face, and I realize that my ability to keep her away frommewas an illusion. Or at least my ability to hold her back has failed.