Page 98 of The Collector

Mynx

"Mynx,— it's your mother, she's not well!" Shelby's muffled voice called to her from the other side of the door, more frazzled and chaotic than usual.

She ran to the door and pulled it open.

Shelby stood there, one hand still raised mid-pound. Her eyes were red-rimmed, as if she had yet to sleep. Her blazer hung crookedly on one shoulder; her shirt was untucked. Her hair, which was normally sleek and sharp, looked like a fizzed halo. Mynx blinked, taking in the image. The woman before her wasn't the Shelby she'd come to know—the one who curated every detail, who moved through rooms like a chess master in heels. Shelby was someone on the verge of unraveling. Last night had been an escape from reality for both her and Raven. From the looks of it, for Shelby, it had been the opposite.

Her voice, when it came, was low and tight.

"Sorry to wake you like this, but Stoker says Cyndi's been trying to reach you. Your mother's not well. They don't expecther to make it through the day." Shelby's eyes held unshed tears as she watched Mynx with empathy.

Mynx's breath caught. Her knees felt weak as the words overtook her. She knew her mother's death was coming, but she wasn't ready yet. Raven just lost his father yesterday. How could they manage another death so close? Shelby's grip was on her arm firm, but gentle—an anchor in the storm that had just broken loose inside her. She guided her to the edge of the bed, lowering her slowly. Mynx sat, shoulders hunched, breath shallow, the weight of inevitability pressing down on her chest. Shelby watched her with careful consideration before she spoke. Her hand slid down Mynx's arm in a soothing motion.

"Listen— I couldn't even begin to imagine what you're feeling right now, and I know your life has been turned upside down in the last few weeks— But let me help you. Let's get you ready— so you can at least say goodbye. Tell your mother what she means to you." The look in Shelby's eyes as she spoke was filled with concern and worry, as if Mynx's feelings were important to her. Mynx's heart clinched. Shelby had become as vital to her as Raven.

Mynx didn't move. Her fingers curled into the blanket like it might hold her together. Shelby crouched beside her, voice low, steady. "You don't have to be okay. You have to be there. Let her see you. Let her know you didn't disappear. That you love her—"

"You're right, I know you are," Mynx whispered. "But how can I say goodbye to one of the most important people in my life without breaking down into some version of myself that's barely recognizable? I don't want her to see me that way, remember me that way?"

"Mynx—" Shelby began softly, crouching beside her. "It's not about the words you say. It's about being there, for you, for her. You're her baby. She needs to know you'll be okay without her. It'll make it easier for her to let go, be at peace—"

She reached for Mynx's hand, gentle but firm. "You said it yourself—she's in so much pain. The people we love aren't ever truly gone. They evolve. They become part of us over time, reshaping our lives until we carry pieces of them with us forever. Perhaps she needs to see that her strength and love are still alive in you. Maybe— that's what will help her let go."

Shelby's voice trembled, but she didn't look away.

"Just go to her. Let her know she matters. You'll know what to say when you see her. Now… let's get you ready, okay?"

"Shelby—," Mynx said. "Will Raven be able to go with me? I.. I need him to help me through this." Tears flowed silently down Mynx's face as she waited for an answer she already knew.

"He won't— I'm sorry and so is he— but he can't get away, now with everything that's happened. But Stoker is going to be with you. And there is no one Raven trusts more to help see you through this— And when you're ready, Stoker will bring you to Raven— no matter where he is. He will be waiting to hold you, give you strength."

Mynx felt so numb that she let herself be guided by Shelby's sure hands as she ushered her to get showered. Inside the shower, she felt like she was being sucked into a vortex of memories, like she had stopped moving with the world even though it continued around her. Memories of every hug, bedtime story, and piece of important advice Mom'd given her over her lifetime flooded her. Her tears mixed with the stream of the shower, draining her.

She wanted to hold her mother's hand, whisper something that mattered. But the thought of watching her slip away—of being the last thing her mother saw—made her stomach twist. What if she couldn't keep it together? What if her mother saw the fear she felt instead of the love?

Mynx turned off the shower, took a deep breath, and tried to pull herself together. She could be strong for her mother;she owed her that much. She wouldn't let her leave this world questioning her worth. Later, she would mourn her loss. When she knew she was at peace, when Raven could hold her.

The ride home felt endless, as if time had ceased to exist, as if it had slipped into mourning and began dragging its feet so Mynx could catch up to the truth. Trees blurred past, but inside the car, everything was still. Shelby's voice was a distant hum. Her own breath sounded foreign. The driveway of her childhood home came into view, and she could feel her tears threatening to fall. Her stomach clenched.

How could she say goodbye to her beautiful, loving mother? She wiped the tears away. Steeling herself for her mother.

Her door opened, and a hand reached out for her, pulling her from the last moment she had alone before facing one of the most challenging moments she would ever have to live through. The walk to the house was a blur. The security team stopped at the door, flanking either side of it, as she grasped the handle to go in. Mynx looked at one of the men. He nodded, as if to assure her she was safe; they would be here just outside the door. Mynx took a deep breath, opened the door, and walked into the only home she had ever known and prepared herself to say goodbye to it as well as her mother.

The first thing she noticed when she walked in was that the house was quiet. She walked into the living room expecting to find a nurse or Cyndi. No one was there. She walked into the kitchen, and it was tidy, and everything was in its place. "Cyndi—," Mynx called, and the sound of her sister's name felt as if the house had swallowed it. Mynx couldn't shake the feeling that something felt wrong— off.

Cyndi—?" she called again, stepping into the hallway. "It's Mynx—. I'm home."

No answer. Ju t the soft creak of the floor beneath her feet followed her through the old house.

Mynx turned to head up the stairs. When she reached the top, she stopped. Her eye caught on the hallway rug, the one her mother used to vacuum every Sunday. The sight of it filled her momentarily with grief. She wondered how things would affect her from now on, given that all her memories of her would be bittersweet.

Mynx stopped in front of her mother's door. It was closed, but the normal sounds of the medical equipment weren't even audible. She closed her eyes and prayed. Mynx hoped she wasn't too late to say goodbye. When she opened the door, she found the room empty. Her mother wasn't there. Her heart sank. Was she too late?

Panicking, she went to see if Cyndi was in her room. Maybe they had just taken her mother to the hospital.

"Cyndi—," Mynx called as she pushed open her door. Her jaw dropped when she saw Cyndi. She was bound to the bed. Tight restraints pulled her arms and legs wide, securing them to the bed. Cyndi was unconscious. Mynx started to the bed to free her.

Then she felt the prick of metal slide into her neck from behind. She turned to see what caused the metallic taste in her mouth. Behind her stood Pierre LeGrange. His black eyes watched her as she stumbled away from him. An evil grin formed on his cold face as he watched her try to make sense of the moment.