“Damage control. Marrow may be gone for now, but he has his followers. I imagine they feel the truth will help flush them out, in case any of them are students.”
“Makes sense, I guess. Given Paul.” I shivered from the idea and tried to push it from my mind.
Lady Elaine left a few minutes later, and I drifted off, not waking again until the next morning when the nurse arrived to dismiss me.
“You can visit your mother before you go if you’d like. She’s in room twelve down the hall,” said Nurse Philpot.
I thanked her as she left. I stayed in the room another couple of minutes, trying to muster the courage to face my mother while I changed out of the hospital gown into a pair of jeans and a shirt someone had fetched from my dorm room. Mom must hate me. Still, I had to see with my own eyes that she was okay, and I needed to say I was sorry, even if it didn’t matter.
My mother was lying in the bed when I came through the door. Huge bruises rimmed her cheekbones, and she’d lost weight, making her look almost old. Though still beautiful.
“Hi, Mom,” I said when she looked up at me. She didn’t speak for at least a minute, and I stood there, wondering what to do. Saying I’m sorry didn’t seem enough. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Better,” said Moira.
“Oh, well, you look great.”
She narrowed her bright eyes at me. “You never were much good at lying. I suppose that’s one trait you didn’t inherit from me.”
I tried on a smile, but it felt weak around the edges. “I think that one’s Dad’s. But all the good ones are yours, right? Like the stubbornness and independence.”
My mother returned the smile, shattering the tension between us. She held out her arms, and I ran forward, hugging her so hard she groaned.
“I’m so sorry, Mom,” I whispered against her shoulder.
“It’s all right.” She stroked my hair. “It’s my fault, too. I should’ve told you what I was doing. I should’ve been around more. You had no reason to trust me.”
I pulled back and looked up at her. “That’s not true. You were around, I just didn’t pay attention.”
Moira chuckled. “Your generous nature is also from your father. Speaking of which, you need to call him as soon as you can. I’m sure he’s worried. But he has no idea what’s been happening, and I suggest you don’t tell him. If he finds out the kind of danger you’ve been in lately he’ll kidnap you to Siberia.”
“I promise I won’t,” I said, laughing.
“Good.” She hugged me and whispered, “It was never about magic, Dusty. I’ve always loved you. Always. I just let my own selfishness, childishness, get in the way. But not anymore.”
I nodded, tears stinging my eyes. It was the first time she’d ever called me Dusty. “I love you, too, Mom.”
There was more to say, more healing that needed to take place, but I knew this was the start of it. And I was glad.
I said good-bye a few minutes later and stepped back into the hallway. I turned to leave, but I noticed that the room beside my mother’s was occupied. Mr. Culpepper was lying in the bed, with George the hellhound curled into a ball at his feet. I imagined the nursing staff was thrilled about that one.
I stopped in the doorway, staring in at him. He stared back, his expression inscrutable.
“Can I come in?” I asked, even as a part of me wondered what the hell I was doing.
“Okay,” Culpepper said.
George raised his head and looked at me with his glowing eyes. But he didn’t growl, which I took as a good sign.
“Are you doing okay?”
Culpepper grunted. “Been better. What do you want?”
I shoved my hands into my front pockets. “To, uh, say I’m sorry. For everything. And to thank you for helping us out.”
He grunted again.
“But why did you help us?” The question had been bugging me for a while now. It seemed that a demon like Culpepper would stand to gain a lot more with Marrow in power than the Magi.
George made a strange, whining noise, and Culpepper patted him. “You mean why didn’t I volunteer for that lunatic’s army?” He looked up at me. “Oh, yes, I was there. I heard him saying those things to you about putting ordinaries in their place and whatnot. But I don’t believe in it. Not at all.”
“Why not?”
“It’s like they teach you in the military. Power has to be kept in check. You’ve got to have rules and guidelines for things to work proper. Otherwise people get hurt that don’t need to.”
I stared at him, my brow furrowed in confusion. “Okay, but what about your magic? I thought Metus feed off fear and stuff.”
Culpepper’s expression turned stony. “We do. But there’s plenty of fear enough for me coming off you high school kids every day. Worries about tests and boyfriends, break-outs and squabbles with friends. I don’t need nothing more.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this, but I couldn’t help seeing him in a new light. “Well, I’m glad you’re all right. I promise not to bother you again.”
Culpepper tilted his head at me. “Does this mean you’re not going to tell everybody about my business?”
I frowned, not having thought about the warehouse at all. “Um, sure. I mean, you’re not planning on blowing up the school or anything, right?”
“Nope. And I don’t sell the explosives, neither. I just like to be prepared in case Arkwell’s ever attacked.”