I wasn't in a very good state of mind when I returned to Scotland, Oliver beside me. Maybe I should have been feeling better than I was. After all, we as a collective had prevented the loss of one of my absolute favorite people in the entirety of creation.

And yet, there was still this crapshow to face, wasn't there? Still Bellanca and the damned maji to deal with. Still my own end to ponder and anticipate.

How would my mother ...