Page 61 of Merciless
Mari’s gaze slid over to her mother, really acknowledging the other woman for the first time. “We still have to find Andrea.”
Twenty-Four
MARIPOSA
Icouldn’t fully process the fact thatmy motherwas in the cell with Reaper and Shadow, nor that she was dressed like one of the Sha’s guards and had a knife pointed at Shadow’s chest when we showed up. No, she was not the priority. Nor was Shadow, honestly, once we got her away from him. He was still breathing.
My only priority had been Reaper, lying still and pale against the far wall. I used the last pulse of Freyja’s healing power on him, which was far weaker than the previous ones. I didn’t know if it would be enough, he looked like a corpse already. So I started up CPR immediately.
That soft pulse under his skin was the most beautiful sign of life I’d ever felt. I wanted to throw myself over his body and kiss him.You’re still here, my love. We haven’t lost you yet.
But we had no time to waste. CPR could only do so much when he needed oxygen, fluids, X-rays, and most likely several surgeries. My relief was short-lived as I watched Gunner carry him out of the cell. Reaper still had many obstacles ahead of him, but for now, I could focus on the different matter at hand.
Once the guys left the cell and started down the corridor, I brandished my gun again and held it to the side of my body so my mother could see it clearly. “You have ten seconds to tell me why you were about to murder my husband.”
She blinked at the sight of my weapon and a heavy breath left her chest. With the Sha gone, she wasn’t under any kind of mind control and therefore owed me a fucking explanation before we could reunite as a happy family.
“It was going to be a mercy killing,” she said quickly. “We heard nothing from Quetzalcoatl, so we didn’t think you were coming. I gave him the choice. His only other option was to become the Sha’s tool.”
I relaxed my grip on my gun just a fraction. “The Sha is dead. We killed him.”
A smile twitched onto my mother’s lips. “I figured as much, since you made it here.”
“Why are you dressed like a guard?” Q told me she’d been watching over them, but her black garb and the fact that she was about tokill my husbandhad me rattled. “Were you under his control?”
“No, sweet pea. I made the Sha believe that I was loyal to him,” she answered. “Q shielded my mind from him, so he never saw my true thoughts. I found out your dad was here, Mari, and had to get close to him. I pretended to be a loyalist for two years so I could try to save your dad,mija.” My mom’s lip wobbled, tears filling her eyes. “I know he’s still technically alive, Shadow told me. But he’s been so badly damaged. Ifailedhim.”
Only then did I holster my gun, elation and sweet relief sweeping through me.
“He’s okay,” I told her, smiling through my own tears. “He remembers everything now. He’s living at our house. Everything is…” I had to pause, barely believing the words I was about to say were true. “Everything is going to be okay, Mom.”
“He is?” She stared at me, wide-eyed. “He remembers?”
“Yes!” Giddy laughter escaped me now. “He’s still recovering, but he’s going to be fine.”
Unable to hold back any longer, the two of us collided in a tight, clasping hug. My mom was a little shorter than me, so I kissed her forehead like I used to when I teased her about her height. She laughed and swatted my backside, squeezing me tighter.
“I missed you so much, Mom,” I whimpered into her shoulder.
“Oh my sweet girl, I missed you too. Not a day’s passed that I haven’t thought of you.” She pulled away slightly, eyebrows raised. “Andfourhusbands? You have a lot to tell me, young lady.”
I wiped my cheeks with a laugh. “It’s not that weird. Dad already loves both Jandro and Gunner.”
“Can’t imagine why.” She smirked. “So.” She let go of me reluctantly and stepped back. “There’s someone else you need to break out of here?”
“Yes,” I said, returning to seriousness. “A woman named Andrea, though she probably didn’t give that name here. She came here almost two months ago as an informant for us. Dark hair, blue eyes, mid-thirties, really pretty.”
My mother’s face went solemn, recognition lighting up her eyes. “I know exactly where she is. Come with me.”
Mom ledme down another series of corridors, heading the opposite way me and the guys came from. It became clear she was leading me to an area purposely kept separate from the rest of the fortress.
“What’s this area all about?” I tried to keep the worry out of my voice, but nothing stopped the bricks forming in my stomach.
“It’s a…conditioning area,” Mom told me hesitantly. “For the ones newly controlled by the Sha and that were still being conditioned into full obedience. Or those who were particularly difficult to control.”
As disturbing as that was to hear, it gave me fresh hope. “Then they’ll probably make a full recovery, if they aren’t completely gone. How many are there?”
Rather than answer, Mom stuck a key in a door at the end of the corridor we reached. Once unlocked, she pulled a handle to slide it open. The room inside was massive, like a gymnasium, and it was packed with people. Men and women of every age, size, and ethnicity filled the room. It was a small comfort that there were no children, at least.
