Page 102 of Cursed By Fate

“Ben had said if it was a boy, he wanted to name him Harold after his grandfather.”

“I guess he changed his mind.”

Yume pressed her lips together. “I think I would like to speak to him. Will you take me?”

“I will do whatever I can to help you.” I unzipped my hoodie and hung it across her shoulders. “I’m tall. This will probably be a dress on you.”

She slipped her arms inside the sleeves and zipped the front. It was a micro-mini, but it would do the trick for now.

I lifted the frail figure into my arms and flew to Ben’s house—to Yume’s house. She took cautious steps toward the front door.

“I feel like I should knock,” Yume said.

“Do what makes you most comfortable.”

She knocked.

Ben’s expression was pure, unadulterated joy at the sight of his missing wife. Not a hint of confusion or suspicion. May that kind of love find everyone.

She folded into his embrace without a word.

“You’re safe,” he said, stroking her hair. “It’s a miracle.”

She tipped her head back to look at him. “How’s our son?”

“Perfect, like his mother.” He gazed at her with complete and utter adoration. “I just changed his diaper. Come and see him.”

“Before I do that,” she began, “there’s something you should know.”

She proceeded to tell him everything—her true form, her initial intention, her shame. He didn’t interrupt. Didn’t ask questions. Just listened.

“I hate to interrupt,” I said, “but there may be magic that can help Yume with the frequency and timing of her transformations. There’s a local witch named Harriet who may be able to help with that. Call her at The Mad Harriet tomorrow. Tell her Maya sent you.”

“We’ll do anything,” Ben said. He cupped Yume’s face in his hands and kissed her. “I love you, Yume. Our son loves you. We’ll figure this out. Come home, so we can be a family.”

Yume’s burst of emotion brought tears to my own eyes.

“I’m going to go now,” I said, feeling like I was intruding on a deeply private moment.

“Thank you for everything, Maya,” Yume said, smiling at me through a haze of tears.

Ben only had eyes for his wife. “Yes, thank you,” he said, without a glance in my direction.

“Good luck,” I said, but they didn’t need it. They would be absolutely fine.

Vale was waiting for me at his SUV.

“Consider the family reunited and the monster gone for good. Where’s your crew?” I asked.

“I could see you had everything under control, so I sent them ahead to prep the boats for Evermore.” He gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “We make a great team.”

We did. Couldn’t argue with that. “I have a team on Evermore. You have a team here in Savannah.”

“And yet we still end up needing each other. Why do you think that is?”

Bad luck. A cursed fate. Who knew? In the end, it didn’t matter. I had my life to live, Vale had his, and never the 'twain shall meet. Or the 'twain shall meet only when absolutely necessary.

Like right now. “Any news from Harriet?”