knew this was the right course. The Ghost Children were Halflings, but they were different from the Skinwalkers and Spirit Children. They were not born in human form. They were capable of hunting from birth, and they had no souls. And so, no soul mates, no eternal love. He thought again of Samantha and felt the familiar stabbing pain strike his heart.
“It is not your obligation to raise Ghost Children. We agreed that it would be best to alleviate both of you of the responsibility of caring for us.”
“Did you, now? How noble. Did you also decide it would be best to alleviate us of the greatest joy in our lives, alleviate us of our children, our grandchildren?”
Alon felt the certainty that had sustained him for months begin to erode, like ice beneath warm water.
He tried once more. “We never meant to hurt you.”
“Small consolation,” she said, giving him her elegant profile.
“Mother, we know you love us. But we’re not like Skinwalkers. The young ones are dangerous.” He recalled that they had nearly killed Samantha when she had first arrived at their home. “They pose a threat to others.”
“That’s not so!”
She never could see the worst in them. But mothers were like that.
She faced him, her expression earnest and resolute. “Not one of you ever attacked Cesar or me. If you are so dangerous and deadly. If you are born killers. If the world must be protected from you, as they all say—then why did you not kill a small raven and her helpless Spirit Child mate? I have no fangs, Cesar has no claws. Easy prey. Yet here I am. Why, Alon?”
The muscles in his jaw unlocked and his mouth dropped open. Why hadn’t they? Both of his parents were strong, but Bess could not outfly him and Cesar could not outrun him. Yet they let these two scold and teach and direct and nurture. Was she right?
“But...” He could not come up with a rational explanation.
“You never attacked us, even when you did not like the consequences we set for you. You never threatened me and you never hurt Cesar, until now.”
“I never meant to hurt either of you.”
“We are not the only ones you have hurt.”
Did she refer to Samantha?
“I told her I would keep her safe. I made no promises I did not keep.”
“How earnest of you.”
“She has likely moved on.” He feared this was true, though it broke his heart to say it aloud.
“Really? Well, I know otherwise. She told me she never saw a better fighter than you. She said you were the one and only man who ever made her feel completely safe. That does not sound like a woman anxious to be rid of your odious company.”
“She said this?” He could not have her, could not let this tiny silver flash of hope lure him like a bait fish thrashing on a hook. Yet, he clung to his mother’s words, starved for more.
“Yes. She told me at your sister’s wedding.”
Alon’s attention snapped back to his mother.
She nodded the confirmation to his unspoken question. “She is married to Blake Proud. Apparently Aldara does not feel she must spend her life like some outcast. You are part of this world, son. It is past time you claim your place.”
Alon covered his face with his hands. His mother still did not understand. She was blinded by her love and could not see them for what they truly were—soulless hunters, incapable of loving or being loved.
Bess rubbed his back as she had done when he was a boy and still unable to hide his true form.
“Tell me why, Alon. At least give me that.”
He lifted his weary eyes to meet her piercing ones.
“Mother, when Nagi tore the souls from the other Halflings, we alone were standing.”
“Yes?” Her brows tented in question, for she still did not understand.
“He could not tear our souls from our bodies, because, like him, we have none.”
She was on her feet an instant later. “What?”
He stood, as well. “Without souls. That is why he could not take them. He said so, told us. Do you understand now why I can’t go to her?”
Bess sank back to her seat and stared off into space. He could only imagine the shock of this. To realize that all the children she had adopted were not children, not eternal souls trapped in ugly little packages—but unnatural monsters.
When she finally met his gaze, he was taken back. He had expected to see pity or pain, or perhaps