"I'm so sorry about last night." "Hey, it's over." "Just promise to never scare me like that again, okay?" "You forgive me?" "For everything?" "Of course I do, lover." "Hey." "Hey, calm down." "You're okay." "The last thing I remember is" "Saskia riding you like a theme park attraction, draining your chi?" "At least that's the part I walked in on." " Seemed pretty athletic." " Bo, I'm so sorry." "I didn't mean" "No, look, she's a Succubus." "I get it, Dyson." "And I'm sorry." "This is my fault." "I should've told you about her." "No, it's not." "Look, we need to talk." "Yeah, we do." "We need to talk about happier things like my super cool new Succubus trick." "Breathing you back to life with my chi." "I mean, how rock star am I?" "Who is the best girlfriend ever?" "Bo, I'm serious." "I need to tell you something." "Okay." "Not loving the sound of that, but I'm listening." " Saskia isn't who you think she is." " What are you talking about?" "Her real name is Aife." "And I've been expecting her to come for you for a while now." "Why?" "Because, Bo, she is your mother." "You're crazy." "The polite term is "mentally unstable."" "Don't be sexist." "If a girl has ambition, doesn't mean she's off her rocker." "Even if you are who you say you are how could you possibly think that I would betray my people and join you?" "After everything you've done?" "Oh, awkward confession." "I don't." "You Light Fae honchos, you're so predictable." "I'm counting on that actually." "I don't understand." "Why have you come to me?" "Ignition." "Every fire needs its spark, and you're gonna be mine." "Hey, be a friend and just scootch back a foot or two." "Why?" "New shoes." "One down, boys." "Let's go start ourselves a war." "Life is hard when you don't know who you are." "It's harder when you don't know what you are." "My love carries a death sentence." "I was lost for years, searching while hiding only to find I belong to a world hidden from humans." "I won't hide any more." "I will live the life I choose." "Oh, Sven, you romantic pirate bastard, you." "Bo, just wait." "Would you just please talk to me?" "No, no." "Allow me to leave." "I will give you guys your privacy." "How long have you known who my mother is?" "Or I could stay." "Staying is good." "Quiet like a bunny." "How long, Dyson?" "Since before we met." "I wanted to tell you, tell you everything." "That's why I called you last night, because I was gonna tell you." "Bo, it wasn't my story to tell." "It's Trick's." "What does Trick have to do with my mother?" "I let your mother down long before you were born." "If ailed her." "Tell me." "All of it." "She was of my clan." "The Fae were constantly at war back then." "Nearly fought ourselves into extinction." "I'd grown weary of trying to earn a true peace." "So I forced one." "How can you force peace?" "Trick is a blood sage." "What he writes in his own blood comes to pass." "It's a nifty little skill there, Trickster." "Not really." "Nothing that powerful comes without a price, as I've learned." " So, what went wrong?" " Aife." "Peace demands forgiveness." "In war, there are those who find it too dear a price." "Your mother led a small rebellion." "She killed one of the Dark Fae clan leaders." "She was caught." "But she escaped." "She came to me." "I could've sheltered her, but that would've restarted the war." "Sol handed her over to the Dark for execution." "Well, they need to go back to executioner school because they totally didn't kill her." "No." "Gods forgive them." "But it was a long time before I found that out." "She has hated and plotted against Trick ever since." "Are you telling me everything?" "Yes." "This doesn't really make sense, does it?" "Befriending me and attacking Dyson." "This is obviously personal." "So, what does she want with me?" "And why now?" "I don't know, Bo." "I don't care to find out." "What matters is getting you the hell away from her." "Amen." "I've prepared for this." "We can get her out of town if we act quickly." " No." "Now is not the time to be stubborn." "Please, you need to listen to me." "You two still haven't learned anything from this, have you?" "You think that you get to decide what I do next?" "I just found my mother and you want me to run?" "Bo, you saw what she did to me." "Yeah, I did." "And now I heard what was done to her." "Look, I'm not saying that I trust her or that she's Fae of the freaking year but she is my mother and I wanna hear her side." "Good or bad." "Whatever answers she has, I need them." "I am ready to know who or what I really am whatever the cost." "Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow your roll, okay?" "I just need a little wee recap just to make sure I got everything right, okay?" "Saskia is really Aife." "Aife is really your mother." "And last night, Dyson really, really banged your mom." "I think technically she banged him, but, yeah, that's the basic gist." "Hear that?" "That is the sound of my head exploding." "How are you so calm?" "Shock." "Plus I can't afford to freak out right now." "I have to think." "Clearly I can't trust my friends any more so I'm kind of on my own here." "I know." "I can't believe Dyson played us." "God, my bullshit detector totally failed." "But, hey, you know I had nothing to do with this, right?" "We are good?" "Kenzi, we are always good." "I can always trust you to have my back." "So, hey, big news in the world of you." "You have met your mama." " Yeah." " How the hell does that feel?" "Weird." "Great." "Scary." "I mean, I know she's kind of a big crazy bitch but, still, she's my mom and she's alive." "This is good." "I've been letting everybody else interfere." " And now I call the shots." " If you wanna find Aife, I'm in." "How?" "When she was Saskia, she always found me." "Hey, look, we do this for people all the time: find missing Fae." "If Aife was just a case, where would we start?" " With Lauren." " Why Lauren?" "Because if Trick is right and Aife has something planned for me I need to know how to defend myself." "And besides him, Lauren knows more Fae lore than anybody." "Yes, that is my girl." "Cynical and protective." "I am so proud of you." "It's like my little baby is all grown up." "I still don't know why you've judged yourself so harshly all these years." "I have my reasons." "You did what you had to do as a king." "What's done is done." "I know you won't believe me now, but it is a relief not having any more secrets to carry." "We don't have time for a relief." "I meant what I said to Bo." "Aife means her ill in some way." "You've got to convince her of that." "I'm afraid that ship has sailed, my friend." "I'm not in a position to ask her any favors right now." "I'm sorry that keeping my counsel has come between you." "I know you care for Bo which is why I need you to get through to her." "I know Aife." "Bo's no match for her." "Trust me, I know exactly how strong Aife is." "I'm sorry." "I'm just-- I'm in a bit of a rush today." " Who's Captain Dead Guy?" " He's a Light Elder, killed last night." "By a Succubus?" "By something sharp and pointy." "I have to get my report into the High Elders this afternoon." "Just standard procedure, but it is a mountain of paperwork." "Go." "So you can't help me, then?" "What Succubus are you so afraid of facing?" "It doesn't matter." "I just need to learn how to protect myself from her." " How do Succubi fight one another?" " Slow-motion pillow fights?" "Crotch lasers?" "You're the only Succubus I've studied." "I could ask The Ash, but" "No." "Can we just keep this between us for now until I know more?" "All right." "I'll see what I can find out." "On one condition." "That afterwards you and I finally have that talk and you let me explain myself." "I've missed you." "Okay." "Deal." "I have to go meet a guy about this thing." "So can I meet you back at the clubhouse?" "Yes?" "Cool." "Okay." "Dude, you have spectacularly lousy timing as always." " What is the emergency?" " Wow, mama, look at you." "Wow, your hair." "Real good." "Look at your hair." "It's nice and streaky and relaxed and forgiving and" "What the hell's wrong with you?" "Are you on something?" "You look good." "You just look good." "You" "Oh, nice." "Nice, Brutus." "Oh, well, Brutus." "Wow, that's a little harsh." " Kenzi, wait." " I don't wanna talk to you." "Shoo." "Bo isn't returning my calls." " Gee, I wonder why, genius." " You have to make her listen to me." "You know what, man?" "I don't even wanna listen to you." "Liar, liar, wolf pants on fire." "Damn it, man, we trusted you." "I trusted you." "And you weren't wrong to." "Bull and shit." "You've been spying on her this whole time." "I only want what's best for her." "Well, not any more, I don't, okay?" "Why the hell would I ever trust you around Bo again, huh?" "Because I love her." "You make me regret this, I swear to God, I will sell you for parts." "What do you want me to do?" "Surprise." "Cookie?" "What's with the Betty Crocker?" "Symbolic." "I know I haven't been the best mom, but it's never too late, right?" "You abandon me, stalk me, nearly kill my boyfriend." "Yeah, cookies ought to do it." "It's the boyfriend thing, right?" "Which part?" "The seducing him or nearly killing him?" "I was only trying to make him one of my thralls to get closer to you." "Besides, he's not good enough for my little girl." "A mother knows these things." "So the first time we met, that obviously wasn't by accident, huh?" "Nope." "Busted." "Look, I was watching you for a long time." "I just was trying to find the right time to introduce myself." "Which you never did." "So, what do I call you anyway, huh?" "Saskia?" "Aife?" ""Mom" has a nice ring to it." " I have a mom." "Her name is Mary." "She Knits wicked afghans, helped me with my homework and never abandoned me to figure out my true nature by myself." "I could knit." "You don't know." "Fine." "I know I've made some mistakes." "I'm new at this." "But the point isn't that I was gone, sugar pie. it's that I'm here now." "And I'm not going anywhere." "I have big plans for us." "What did you put in this cookie?" "It's okay." "Mama's got you." "The secret ingredient is love." "Bo?" "The UN voted and it is considered rude to kill the messenger, okay?" "Maybe she's upstairs." "Bo?" "D-Man just wants to talk." "Please?" "Kenzi." "We're too late." "Aife's got her." "Are you sure it was Aife?" " Unfortunately I know her scent." " Dude, gross." "Well, I can't keep this from the Council any longer." "What does that mean?" "It means this is bigger than us and Bo." "I was hoping to get Bo out of the way before I alerted the others." "But the Elders need to know that Aife has returned." " Where are you going?" " To speak with The Ash." "Yeah?" "And what the hell are we supposed to do?" "Pray." "If Aife has Bo in her grasp there's no telling what hell she's putting her through." "Milady, how may we serve?" "Is my mom around?" "Bahama Mamas up." "There's my baby." "Have a nice rest?" "So this is how you live." "Honey, this is how everyone should live." "You're still mad." "It's the cookie thing, right?" "Too far?" "Hey, for your information, I've been looking for you." "I wanna talk to you." "I wanna get to know you." "Didn't have to treat me like the enemy." "Could've invited me." "And you would have come?" "Why?" "You're my mom." "I'm so sorry." "Those years of captivity and torture are hell on a girl's social skills." " What are you talking about?" " How much did Trick tell you about me?" "That he was the king that ended the wars." "That you broke that peace and that he sacrificed you to keep it." " He left out the best part." " What's that?" "Oh, just everything that happened after he handed me over." "The Dark King had a sadistic side and thought it a waste to execute a perfectly good Succubus." "He decided to keep me instead for his own entertainment, for centuries." "He was a very imaginative man." "We had us a lot of fun." "I'm sorry." "So I guess you really do hate Trick, huh?" "Hate's like beauty, baby." "The real stuff fades, but it never dies." "You know, maybe this was a mistake." "You're free to go." "I abhor prisons of all kinds." "I'm not gonna keep my daughter in one." "So why did you kidnap me?" "What can I say?" "I'm a sucker for a dramatic gesture." "Also I thought it would be good to get away from Trick and his lies." "For us to get a chance to connect." "I'd like that." "Your timing is impeccable." "The High Council is gathering in an hour to discuss last night's slaying of Elder Ellis." " Do you think Aife was involved?" " A tad premature, don't you think?" "I know all about our people, including Aife." "And, what, she was mythic." "She's very real and she's here now." " You believe she means us ill?" " I know she does." "And yet you kept this from me until this last moment." "Why?" "To discuss Aife meant revealing myself, something I was loathe to do." "So you're saying you put your personal needs above those of the Fae." " That doesn't sound like you." " I was also trying to protect Bo." "To prevent her from being caught in the crossfire." "Always knew she was part of something bigger." "Just had to wait for you to reveal it." "Withholding information critical to the security of the Fae." " Trick, you've finally overstepped." " What will you do now?" "Raise it at the meeting of the High Elders." " We'll discuss your punishment." " I meant about Aife." "Perhaps you've been behind that bar too long." "You underestimate us, Trick." "We're no longer the motley crew of scattered tribes from your day." "If Aife so desires, then let her come at us." "Surely we can handle one bitter Succubus." "Or two, if it comes to that." "Okay, seriously, what's with the beefcake?" "Oh, you mean my thralls?" "I think they class up the place." "Well, yeah, but how do you get them to obey you for so long?" "I can usually only sway by touch, and it wears off." "It's an acquired skill." "Siphoning chi is an art, but once you've learned to master it you can enslave just about anyone." "Also does wonders for the crow's feet." "Why didn't you use it, then?" "Enthral the bastard who held you prisoner." "Oh, nice, blame the victim." " I didn't mean that." " I'm kidding." "Fair question, easy answer." "He had an amulet that binds chi to your body." "Like Kryptonite to Succubi." "I couldn't influence him." "Is he my father?" " Don't talk about that." " He alive?" " Pretty sure I was speaking English." " Okay." "Sorry." "All in due time, okay?" "Ask me something else." "Why didn't you declare yourself to me the first time we met?" "Honestly?" "I wanted to get a feel for you first." " I didn't know if Trick polluted you." " He never said a bad word about you." "The thing is I've always had high hopes for my little girl." "You can make a real difference in this world." "This where you tell me to go to college?" "This is the part where I tell you we're going to take down the Fae." "What?" "I know you hate the divide as much as I do, the Dark and the Light." "And we're gonna put an end to that, you and me, starting tonight." "Right." "So, what, you, me and your himbo army." "We're gonna take down the Fae as they flee from us and our male models?" "No, honey." "They do more than just mix mamma drinks." "Yeah?" "Like what?" "Forget Trick." "We need to talk about Aife." "We're fools to ignore the past." "I will not open this to debate." "He's proven we can't trust his word." "What do you want?" "Further, how did you get in here?" "Package from Aife." "Boom." " Call if off." "It's done." "You can't be serious." "That's your plan?" "I thought it was elegant." "But I'm open to better ideas." "We can go halfsies." "You're talking about assassinations, murders, anarchy." "Lions and tigers and bears." "Oh, my." "I'm suggesting we finish what mamma started and cut those power-hungry gasbags down at the knees." "When we met, you didn't want to choose sides." " You wanted to be free." " So?" " Why should you be the only one?" " I shouldn't." "You do wanna tear down the establishment?" " Yes, but not like this." " How, then?" " Don't be so naive. it's the only way." " And then what?" "And then we let the world burn." "And you and I reign over the ashes, side by side." "You don't wanna free people." " You just wanna be their new religion." " But doesn't that have a nice ring to it?" "Trick was right about you." " You are crazy." " Don't be a cow." "Mommy has feelings." " I don't want any part of this." " Well, that complicates things." "You said I was free to go." "Now consider yourself grounded." "Hey, let her go." "She'll be back." "A girl needs her mamma." "More salt next time." "How badly did she hurt you?" "Medium." "But I'm gonna need more than just healing." " What do you mean?" " Aife." "I'm gonna need to store up all the energy I can to face her." "Then take it." "Come on, get him in the lab." "Move!" " What's his status?" " He's crashing." "Shit." "All right, come on, hang in there." "Two, three, four, five ..." "I never meant to hurt you." "Please, believe me." "I do." "I'm not angry with you, Dyson." "I don't wanna fight any more." "I know that you thought that lying to me was protecting me." "I get that." "I just don't know how to forgive it." "Bo, I" "Don't." "Please, don't." "Fine." "But whatever is or isn't left between us I don't want you facing Aife without me." "I know." "But I have enough to deal with as it is." "And I can't have people on my team that I don't completely trust." "Nothing I can say to change your mind?" "Dyson." "You have to let me fight my own battles." "Do that, and when the smoke clears we'll see where we stand." "Come on." "Let's go see Lauren." " Phone." " Thanks." "There's a med evac out the south doors." "Move." "FAE-CON one, huh?" " Thank God you're okay." " What's going on?" "An attack on the High Elders' meeting." "A suicide bomber." "The Ash is on life support." "Doesn't look good." " Shit." " The wounded and noble families are being moved until we figure out what's going on." " I know what's going on." " This is about that other Succubus?" "Bo, you listen to me very carefully." "This looks like a declaration of war from the Dark." "And it will not be long until our side retaliates." "If someone else is involved, stop her now." " You can't afford to protect" " She's my mother." " What?" " Doc, you got that list?" "I need it now." "Yeah." "Right here." "Most are expecting you." " What's with the body armor?" " All hell's breaking loose." "Gotta lead this evac, get important people underground." "You are reasonably important yourself." "So don't get too heroic on me, okay?" "No." "I'll play it like you, all right?" "General cowardice with moments of crazy bravery." "I can live with that." " One for good luck?" " Yeah." " What?" " What?" " I'll be seeing you." " Yeah." "I will either stop her myself or bring her in, I promise." "I need one chance to get through to her before you bring the army down on her." "I don't know, Bo" "You have to trust me." "I have a plan." "She told me about some amulet that blocks chi." "Yeah." "Koushang." " I looked into it after you asked." " Well, where do I find one?" "The Light Fae have a trophy room, passed down from Ash to Ash." "We keep one inside an amethyst crystal." "Here, take these." " What is this?" "It's a key and a map." "The guards are helping with the evac, so hurry." "Thank you." "I know the risk you are taking." "And if I get through this, I owe you that last talk." "You please just come back safe." "Thank you." "There is an evac order for the Elders." "I know." "I'm helping facilitate it." "Shouldn't you be getting underground?" " Have you not seen where I live?" " You know what I mean." " She's gonna be coming for you." " Most likely." "I created this mess." "I'm not abandoning my brothers and sisters by hiding from it." "Where's Bo?" " She's gone to face Aife." " Alone?" "She made me promise not to follow." "But I'll be damned if I let her fight this battle alone." "Good." "What are you planning?" "Can I help?" "I'm gonna go see the Norn." "Ask her to intercede." "You know the ancients adore trickery." "Their favors come at a high price." "I know the risks." "They're mine to take." " I'll arrange an audience." " No need." "We have a history." "You're not the only one with secrets." "I just came to wish you luck." "Thank you, my friend." " The Koushang should be in here." " Wait." "What if it's a booby trap?" "Like payback for rejecting Lauren's hotpot lady love, huh?" " All clear." " Good." "I thought there would be guard dragons." "What?" "These people are very freaky." "You never know." "Thanks." "Less sassing and more searching." "All right." "So, what are we gonna do when we face mommy dearest, huh?" "Other than pee our pants a lot." "Also I think I might cry." "I want one more shot to reason with Aife." "Get her to turn herself in before the Fae come for blood." "Good luck with that, because I vote we just knock her head unconscious drag her in by her hair." " Well, that works too." "Oh, shiny." "Well, no of fence, babe but if Aife scares Trick and got the drop on Dyson I'm thinking she's like a grade-10 Succubus." "So, what grade am I?" "You know, kindy-garten with pigtails and a Muppet lunchbox." "So, why come with me, then?" "Because I got your back no matter how stupid." "You know that." "Yeah, I do." "Jack and pot, bitches." "Hey, this Koushang thingama-Fae looks a lot like this, right?" "That's it." "How do we know it works?" "Up for a test run?" "Lock lips and see if I can drain your chi?" "Seriously?" "Did you make this whole thing up just to make out with me?" "Yeah." "You caught me, Kenzi." "Now hold still, lover." "Oh, you just got Succu-busted." "Not so tough now, little Succubus, huh?" "Kenzi, I love you." "Which is why I can't let you risk yourself for me." "Bo, damn it, get back here." "Hale, she's gone rogue." "How do you feel about another evac?" "Hello?" "Mom?" "Oh, pooh." "I was expecting a sneak attack." "It's usually best not to announce your arrival if you wanna keep advantage." "Well, I know better than to underestimate you like that." "Where are your thralls?" "Or are you actually ready for a fair fight?" "I gave them the night off." "The ones who haven't blown up yet." "I thought we could use some privacy." "A little girl talk." "I agree." "I came to officially ask you to stop your attacks." "If you come with me, I will plead with the Light Fae to go easy on you." "Oh, you're adorable." "Oh, and armed." "That's my girl." "You're still rejecting my beautiful plan?" "I'm sad." "You'll get over it." "We'll see, shall we?" "Go." "There will be food and drink at the next way station." "Trick, she's gone after Aife alone." "I can find her if I track her on her phone, but I need help." "Where's your book, Blood King?" "Kenzi, don't." "We both know you can shape destiny." "You've done it before." "Do it now for Bo." "You don't know what you ask." "It's not a game." "You'll help everybody, just not Bo?" "You think I didn't try to fix this thing with Aife long ago?" "I have rooms of books filled with my blood." "Every time, something horrible went wrong." "I can't use my blood again." "I won't." " Fine." "Use mine then." " Kenzi." "Come." "Sit." "Look, I can't explain everything." "Please, try and understand." "I understand that you're a coward." "Bo might die tonight fighting your battle." "Paying for your sins." "If you really care for her, there's nothing you won't do to stop that." "No chance we could hug this out, huh?" "Guess not." "I won't let you ruin everything I've worked for." "I wanted you willing but I can make you join me against Trick." "I can make you one of my thralls." "You bitch." "You have to calm down and listen to me." "I don't wanna hurt you." "And I didn't wanna have to kill you." "Shit changes." "No running in the house!" "I'm here to see the Norn." "You again." "So soon." "Actually it's been a few centuries." "Oh, well time passes differently in here." "My cane." "So what brings you to see me?" "The same as everyone else." "I beg a favour." "My favors aren't begged, they're bought." "You remember my price?" "A sacrifice." "You will grant that which I want most in exchange for what I hold dearest." "Very well." "I am intrigued." "Come, supplicant, kneel." "I will hear your plea." "You're asking for a spanking, young lady." "Where you going?" "Why resist?" "You're my daughter." "Because I know there's good in you." "Gods, help me." "When last we met, you wanted my help as well." "What did I ask for?" "My wolf." "That's right." "Your very essence, shifter." "Strip you bare." "Leave you as a normal man." "What did you say?" "I said it was too high of a price to pay." "Just so." "But I'm ready now." "What's that?" "Speak up." "I'm ready to pay your price, crone." "Give up your wolf for this woman?" "Yes." "Why?" "Reasons are not part of this bargain." "If you give my strength to Bo, you can take anything you need." "Oh, well, then a deal is struck." "A sacrifice is named and accepted." "In exchange for my helping this Bo I will take from you that which you value the most." "I will take your love of her!" "You'll have memories of what you've lost but never feel passion for her again." "No!" "Hold on." "Don't let go." "Why would I let go when I can take you with me?" " I got here as fast as I could." " Get out of here." "Bo, shut up, okay?" "And let go of your crazy mother." "No." "I can pull her up." "I'm strong." "The banister isn't." "I can't help you." "Please, give up." "I am not gonna give up on her like everybody else." "Bo, she's right." " You've got to let me go." " Don't say that." " There's so much I need to tell you." " No." "Ask Trick." "He knows it all." "Tell him I'm sorry." " You promise me one thing, okay?" " What?" "Just try and forgive me." "What the Houdini?" "What, there's no body, no blood trail?" "What the hell did she do, fly off with a broom?" "Wouldn't surprise me." "Come on." "Let's not push our luck." "Let's go." "Thanks for another mind-blowing day, huh?" "You're welcome." "Swamp freaks, headless guys people eaters." "Can't say I haven't introduced you to interesting people." " No, ma'am." " Here." "Pays shit, it's dangerous as hell but life with you, my dear, is never boring." "Right back at you." "So can we please talk about how we feel vis-a-vis the other members of our posse?" "Oh, Kenz, I don't know." "Aife said Trick still knows more." "Yeah, which means he's still lying to me." "Maybe he has his reasons." "Well, he better." "I mean, the shitty thing is is that I thought he was one of the good guys, you know?" "That he was trying to protect me from the Fae." "And now I don't know what to think." "What about D?" "You gonna forgive him?" "Well, he's a stubborn bastard." "I don't know how, but he helped me tonight." "I mean, I could feel him with me when I was fighting my mom." " So you guys are good?" " We will be." "Finally." "There's no more secrets between us." "We deserve a fresh start." "Well, unless your mom goes Succu-cougar on his ass again." "So you do think she's still alive." "Like a cockroach after the apocalypse, baby." "Evil never dies." "Kenzi, she's different." "I mean, you saw her tonight." "She sacrificed herself for me." "And I don't know how or why." "But that was the real Aife." "That was my mom." "And if she's still out there I don't think we have to be afraid of her any more." " I hope you're right." " I am." "I am."