She opened the door to reveal a distraught Terry Goodmother on the other side. Dressed in head-to-toe white, she rushed into the foyer. Her white hair looked disheveled, and black streaks of mascara ran down her face. Mina quickly waved for Brody to lower his weapon.
“Oh my darling, Mina. I’m so sorry.” The elderly woman, who was both her mother’s boss at Happy Maids and her Godmother, came into the room and wrapped her chubby arms around Mina. Terry’s shoulders wouldn’t stop shaking as she started to cry big, heaving sobs, which only set Mina off on another round of her own.
“I knew as soon as it happened.” She held up her heavy ringed hand, and the sparkle of her diamonds almost blinded Mina as she placed her hand over her heart. “I felt it here, and it hurts so much. What happened?”
“An omen came for me. Mom saved us all by sacrificing herself,” Mina said as calmly as she could.
“She always was one of the most selfless individuals I’ve known. Which is why I’ve been trying to keep her from doing what she just did. By failing your mother, I’ve failed you. I’m so sorry.”
“You’ve been the one adding the charms to her bracelet,” Mina stated.
Terry nodded. “Yes, I’m also the one who’s made her just fearful enough to run with you and hide from the Fae. Otherwise, she would have sacrificed herself long ago to fight the curse upon you. I couldn’t let her leave the two of you orphaned. I added another one after the attacks on the Guild.”
“You made her fearful?” Mina said in disbelief.
“She wasn’t weak as you believed. In her younger days, she fought alongside your father against the Story’s wrath. But when your father died and your mother was pregnant, we needed her to stop and go into hiding to protect you. So we turned all of her passion and fire into self-preservation for you and Charlie.” Terry started to wring her hands and pace the room.
“But you made her forget about the curse, forget what was happening.” It felt good to finally be able to confront her mother’s Godmother.
“The last year has been rough on your mother. She came to me for help. She’d been running for so long, she didn’t think she had it in her to fight anymore. So we did what we could to make her non-interesting to the Story, so she wouldn’t become a target—so there would always be someone here to protect your brother.” She looked up at Mina, her eyes pale with age. “Now that job falls to you.” Terry seemed a little unstable on her legs, and she kept grabbing her heart.
“Are you okay?” Nan asked, worried.
“Oh yes, dear. I just need to sit. ” Mina helped Terry into the living room, and she sat in the high-back chair by the fire. “I’m very old, you know. My joints don’t work like they used to.”
Mina looked Terry over with suspicion. “No, I don’t quite believe that. You’re hiding something.” She sat in the other chair across from Terry. “Who are you really?”
Terry’s eyes flicked between Ever, Brody, Nan, and then to Charlie sleeping on the couch. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do,” she accused. “I know this is a glamour over your Fae self. Mei was a brownie. Constance told us you’re a house elf.”
Terry looked scared, and she twisted the bracelets on her wrist. She seemed like she wanted to be anywhere but in this room.
“Terry, it’s safe. You can trust us.” Nan piped up and smiled widely at the old Fae woman.
Terry nodded, blushing softly. She released a long sigh and glowed white before her body began to shift. The wrinkles softened but didn’t quite disappear, her body became slimmer, and she started to shrink. The smaller she became, the brighter she appeared, until only someone the size of a small doll sat perched on the edge of the cushion. Her skin was a creamy opaque color, and her ears were pointed and long with a cute dip on the tip.
In her house-elf body, it was even more apparent that something was wrong with her.
“Terrylin,” Mina spoke her real name, and the house elf smiled softly and shivered. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m dying. Your mother’s death has affected me more than I thought it would. We’ve been together a long time, and we’ve become connected. I can feel her loss, and it’s tearing at my soul. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, when we Godmothers lose our Grimm, we lose a huge part of ourselves. It’s a risk, but we are all willing to take it.” Her eyes scanned the room and seemed to land on Ever as the only other Fae in the room. Nothing was said between the two, but an understanding seemed to pass between them.
Ever nodded once.
“Oh, Terrylin, what can we do?”
“There’s nothing you can do for me. My time is short, but I must speak to you alone, dear.” She gave the others a pointed look, and they got up and went to the kitchen.
Ever stayed where she was on the arm of the couch. “I’m her acting Godmother. I should be here.
Terrylin shot Ever a condescending look. “When you’ve dedicated your whole life to the cause, then I’d say you’ve earned your place. But you’ve been a Godmother what? All of a day?”
Ever looked away uncomfortably.
“That’s what I thought,” Terrylin said smugly.
When they were alone, Terrylin leaned forward and looked over to Charlie. “He must be protected.”
“He will be,” Mina answered.
“Do you really think you can protect him when Teague attacks again? He will. Make no mistake about that. He wants his revenge. He wants you my dear.”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“I think you know what must be done,” Terrylin said softly as she started to fade in and out.
Mina couldn’t help but cry at the prospect of what had to happen. “I’m not ready for that yet.”
“I know, dear, but you need to think about what I’ve told you and put a plan in place. Do you understand?”
She nodded her head.
“Good girl.”
Ever popped her head in from the foyer and frowned at Mina sitting on the floor crying over Charlie.
“Hey, Gimp! Can I come in now?”
Mina looked over to Terrylin, who nodded her approval. Ever strode in and perched back on the armrest of the couch, glaring at the small house elf.
Terrylin smiled at Ever. “Are you ready to be sworn in?”
Ever stilled, only her eyes moving as she thought about what the elder Fae was asking. She didn’t take long to answer. “Yes, I am.”
“You know that this will bind you two together? As her Godmother, you will always be able to find her, no matter the plane you’re on, but it comes at a great price.”
“Ever, what’s going on?” Mina asked. “I’m not so sure this is such a great idea.”
Ever turned, wings fluttering. She made a shushing noise and waved her hand at Mina. “Hush, before I change my mind. Someone has to keep tabs on you, and it might as well be me.”
Terrylin moved up to the top of the chair cushion and beckoned Ever to come closer. “Hurry, girl, hurry!”
Ever kneeled on the chair before the house elf, and Terrylin raised a finger up in the air and whispered a few words that only the two of them could hear. Her finger glowed brightly, and, as she touched Ever’s forehead, a bright light emanated from the touch and encompassed the room. When the light dimmed, Terrylin was gone, her chair empty. Only a small silver ring sat in her place.