Page 81 of Fae Farewells

“It’s not her power that she’s using,” Amelia countered. “Mimicry lets her act as a copycat.”

The mage shook his head. “I don’t disagree with that. But when she copies my magic, it becomes hers. It’s no longer mine. Ask the druid; she’s used his magic against him too.”

“He’s right,” York agreed. “I can’t take control of her creations. It doesn’t matter that she’s copying my natural magic. The moment she uses it, it becomes hers. If it was still mine, I could turn it against her, but I can’t.”

I leaned my head back, rubbing my middle finger up and down my forehead rhythmically before I snapped. Amelia was grating on my last fucking nerve. As badly as I didn’t want to compare her... My mother would have worded even the simplest disagreements into a more graceful conversation.

First, Amelia was more concerned about her brother’s death. Not the fact that her actions caused the reaction that was her daughter. If she’d have killed him a century ago, none of us would have been affected like we had.

Not that I wanted to change my mate. That wasn’t the point of my line of thought.

Second, she acted like she knew everything about Sloane. Or at least assumed she did. Her life, her magic, her feelings... Just no. She may have given birth to her, but she wasn’t acting like a mother. Amelia hadn’t been around since she was a baby. Sloane was grown.

“You know what?” I asked the guys, not waiting for an answer. “I’m tired of keeping my mouth shut.”

“Fuck.” Stone sighed, moving closer to me.

“You don’t know her.” I widened my eyes as I patted the air with each word.

I threw my arms out as I ranted. “You don’t fucking know her, so stop acting like you do. Nate doesn’t even know what she can do with her magic. Gods, neither does she. It’s her fucking magic. None of us knows how it works because there’s never been another Sloane. Just stop. She’ll like you better if you stop acting like you know her and actually try to fucking learn something about her.”

Amelia gaped at me, and Nate narrowed his eyes.

“Get mad at me if you want,” I told him. “But you’re standing there letting your mate assume she knows fuck all about your daughter. You raised her with Charlie and Sam. You should know better than to not shut this shit down.

“How can you stand there and say nothing, Nate? Do you think she popped out of the womb saying she wanted to kill people? Do you think she wanted any fucking bit of this? Because I can tell you now, she fucking didn’t. Doesn’t. She’s doing all this, saving worlds and realms, because of all of us. You included.”

“I know that,” Nate muttered through clenched teeth, his jaw muscle ticking.

“Then act like it,” Palmer snapped, surprising me. “You don’t feel her burdens, but we do. We’re trying to figure out how to help her, but this isn’t it.”

York nodded. “The same way you’ve stood in front of Amelia since we’ve been here... You used to do that for Sloane and Jack. And suddenly you’ve stopped? Did you forget all the shit she’s been cleaning up for you and yours over the years? Jack is taking care of the vampires right now. Are you going to let Amelia discredit his efforts to correct problems that weren’t his, too?”

Vaughn whistled low, tucking his hands into his pockets. “I hope you explain all of this to Raguel when you get him. Because he’s already given Charlie and Sam a lecture about putting him before Sloane. We found him in worse conditions than Amelia, but Rig still knew his family is more than his mate and co-mates.”

“She doesn’t need your help,” I added softly. “But she wants it. You raised her to be too stubborn to ask for it. You raised her to think the way she does.”

Nate glanced toward Valano’s cottage, then chuckled in disbelief. “Did you say all this to Sam and Charlie?”

“We haven’t had to,” Vaughn admitted. “They’ve watched her change over the last few weeks. They’ve been with us through it all, ready to offer a helping hand or tell a little lie or follow her lead in a battle.”

“And what did Rig have to say?” Nate prompted, sounding as if he respected the angel’s opinion.

“He told her the truths the three of you refused to tell her,” the fae answered.

“He stepped up,” Palmer said in frustration. “Instead of acting like he knew her, like he had a right to parent her, he tried to learn about her.”

Nate dipped his head. “I will make amends for my wrongs with my daughter.”

“Fortunately for you, she doesn’t hold grudges for very long,” York reminded the vampire.

“No,” he drawled wryly. “She just sends me offensive coffee mugs and books portraying me as Dracula.”

Amelia furrowed her brows as she shook her head. “What do we have to apologize for?”

“We haven’t made the same mistakes,” Nate explained. “I upset her, Amelia. You left. I can take her dancing and offer candy with my apology. You’re going to have to work much harder, but we’ll help you. We can’t change her mind, so you’ll have to let us steer you toward a friendship.”

“She’s my daughter,” she practically snarled at her mate.