"Not if it means abandoning you—"
"Coming for me would be a waste. I won't even be here when you arrive."
"Mom—"
"You're overdramatizing my problem," she cut in gently. "I assure you, compared with what's headed at you right now, my predicament is practically a picnic."
I didn't believe her. I couldn't believe her. Fear for her safety was a deadweight in the pit of my stomach, and right on top of it sat the sick sensation that something bad was about to happen. To her—and to us. Yet I couldn't deny the urgency of her warning and the growing need to get to the Brindle. I didn't want any of my friends hurt, but she was my mom. If I had choose one or the other, then my mom was going to win every time.
And yet, if I tried to go to her, she would go elsewhere. And whatever was about to happen to her would still happen no matter where she was.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I closed my eyes and rubbed them wearily. None of this was helping the ache in my brain. "Maybe you should leave home. At least if you're out, you have the Fravardin to protect you."
"This is not something they can help with."
Meaning either that it wasn't a personal threat—and therefore didn't require the interference of the Fravardin—or that it was beyond the ability of the Fravardin to protect her. After all, they weren't infallible. Mom's brother had died despite their protection.
"Promise to be careful, all right?" I said wearily. "I'll call when I get to the Brindle."
"Good," she said. "Just tell Tao to put his foot down."
"Heard that, and obeying," Tao murmured, and a second later the Jeep surged forward.
"I'll talk to you later," I said, and hoped like hell that I could. "Love you lots."
"And I'll love you forever," she replied softly.