Victor pulled the car into the school parking lot, shutting off the engine before beaming at his passenger. His heart skipped a beat when the genie grinned back.

"Ready, love?" he asked, smiling when she nodded. He held up a warning finger. "Remember?"

Kristy released a mocking sigh. "Okay. I won't touch the door."

He slung both backpacks over his shoulders and exited the car, proud that Kristy waited until he came around to open her door. He extended his hand and helped her from the car, pausing to kiss her forehead. "I'm impressed. Two weeks official and you've only forgotten once." Victor closed the door, and with fingers entwined, the two strolled toward the back door.

"If I'd known we'd hold hands, I wouldn't have protested."

He chuckled.

The last two weeks had been perfection. So far, his first exclusive relationship was everything he'd dreamed of. When he'd told his family the news, they too were thrilled. Still, Lovedae sat him down for a chat, and he prayed it wouldn't concern teenage intimacy.

"Victor, we should talk about teenage intimacy," she said, her tone determined.

He groaned. Called it!

"Mum, my views haven't changed. Going steady doesn't mean shagging her. I'm happy just being her boyfriend." Victor held up a finger. "We've snogged, but that's it. I know Kristy isn't ready for... that either." 

"Kissing at some point will become less satisfying," said Lovedae.

He took his mother's hands. "Mum, I'm not ready for... that."

A giggling Rosetta popped up from under the dining room table. "You mean sex?"

The conversation ended as he chased the laughing little girl upstairs.

The first time the two walked into school holding hands, people stopped to comment or congratulate them. Nick and Ton had given them their A-Tón-Nick salute, Misty, a surly but approving nod, and Mary Harper accused Kristy of taking the spotlight away from her and Maddox, who still hadn't looked her way.

But Tammy outshone them all. On the half-day before spring break, she presented the couple with a gaily wrapped box that included two black t-shirts. When Victor read the print on his, he laughed, knowing how much Tammy loved werewolf romances.

"Touché, Tams." He chuckled, holding up the t-shirt with 'ALPHA' printed in big white letters.

But a confused Kristy frowned as she held up the shirt with 'LUNA' printed on the front. "You spelled my name wrong."

Tammy threw up her hands in disgust. "I am so done with you, Kris."

Victor drove Kristy home after school and left the car idling as he exited it for one last hug. His hands pushed back stray tendrils of pink hair. "I'll call you later."

"Don't forget." Kristy ran a gentle finger around his ear and down his jawline.

He couldn't help but blush at her display of affection even as he worried about her. Despite her claims that all was well, Victor knew better. He cupped her face and asked, "When will you share what's bothering you, love?"

Victor sighed when the girl froze, her entire demeanor guarded. "Alright, I'll back off," he muttered, determined to approach the subject with purpose instead of springing it out of the blue. "Made any headway with Aoife?"

Kristy frowned. "I've tried talking to her when we're gearing up. She snarls one-word answers, then moves away like I'm the plague."

"Ally keeps an eye on her. She says Aoife weirds her out." Victor ran a hand through his curls. "She's worse with me—like I stole her bloody binky. I'm almost positive she's Birgit, and she's just biding her time."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Marta's reasoning for hiring an inept teacher. Giving Aoife 'a chance' is not Marta's style. She demands perfection. She's fired people better than Aoife." His brow furrowed. "I sense no spell, but maybe because another One Magi cast it. Dr. Mason says he knows a way we might test her."

Kristy whistled. "Good. Keep trying to contact your Carys for help. Maybe—"

"Yo and mahalo! Like totally, what's shaking?" Kenwylis pranced out the front door, sliding next to the couple decked out in what Victor thought was a wetsuit. "Hate to like do a total wipeout on the seri-oso mood, but Princess said she needs to like rap with you in the old noggin like when you got digits to give, you dig?"

Victor took a moment to process what the elf said before nodding. "Thanks, mate." He pulled a willing Kristy back into his arms and whispered, "I'd better head home. You okay with Kenwylis living here?" The elf had invited himself to stay weeks ago.

"Actually, I'm enjoying his company." She giggled. "Not counting the glitter all over the carpet."

His eyes sought permission, and when given, he kissed her, slow and full of passion. The taste of her lips enticed, just as her heady smell of vanilla intoxicated him. Afterward, with his lips  touching hers, Victor murmured, "You're my heart."

She caught his lower lip between her teeth, giving it a gentle nip. "Ditto."

"Yup, the love bugging is totally rad," said Kenwylis as the two separated. The blushing Victor headed for the car, leaving Kristy to fuss at the elf.

"Why are you wearing—no, don't answer. I hope the neighbors aren't looking." Picking up her backpack, she headed for the door. 

But, Kenwylis jumped in front of her. "Yo, kin, you, uh, have a guest."

A look of terror crossed Kristy's face, seeming to startle Kenwylis. "Hey, it's chill. Cross the heart, hope to cry kinda chill." He held the door open. "Gigi agrees with me. It's past time."

The confused genie peeked inside—and gasped.

A young woman sat on the sofa, pink hair falling in gentle waves down her back. The thin flowery sheath covered the petite figure like a second skin. She turned her angelic face to the genie—a face so similar that Kristy gasped.

This was Medi, her birth mother.

The fae stood and faced the silent genie. Medi wrung her hands, her sapphire eyes locked onto Kristy's. "Uh, I know ya weren't expecting me, but I wanted to explain. Then I'll leave ya alone, for forever if ya want."

The voice was light, harmonious, and oozed regret. "I've wanted to see ya since ya escaped the genie realm, to tell ya the whole story—But I was afraid. Ya see, I met yar dad in the central realm. Really hot! He was a good time, but the dude kept catching feelings and ruining everything! Even after taking the Allure off, he stayed attached like a butt plug. I didn't understand it! And when he discovered I was pregnant, the dude imprisoned me in the freaking genie realm! And I was tryna break it off!"

Kristy goggled at the fae's chaotic tale.

"I was dumb." Medi sighed, and her lips trembled. "I could've gotten in a lot of trouble if they caught me in yar realm—even if he had me locked up, ya know? I played him, which was fun, acting really docile until after ya were born. I broke through his weakened wards because dude wasn't thinking by then I'd wanna escape him and his six-inch—"

Kristy's eyes grew wide, and she shook her head. There were things she didn't want to know about her father. "Too much information!"

"Sorry!" Medi bit her lip. "Anyway, we bolted, but I couldn't get ya past the protections because of yar genie side. So, I left ya, but later I begged him for ya. 'A girl needs her ma,' that's what I said. But he refused, wouldn't let me see ya unless I agreed to come back." A tear slipped down her rosy cheek, and the little creature sniffed. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't stay locked up. I let ya down."

Kristy stared at her child-like mother with something close to awe. Years of questions answered in five jumbled minutes. She'd imagined what her mother looked like, wondered if she even thought about the babe she'd bore. Tarje had assured her that no one wanted the daughter of a whore, not even the whore.

"I named ya 'Krystal' because crystal symbolizes purity and perfection. That's what ya were to me and still are. Perfection."

Medi stood before her, bawling like a toddler. Kristy realized she felt no anger toward her mother, only regret. Her inner well of hurt and doubts began healing when a certain dark-haired human sought to befriend her. Not long ago, she had betrayed him, and he'd forgiven her with nary a thought.

Could I do no less? Kristy thought. Like me, Medi was a victim of circumstances.

The little fae had quieted, wiping her cheeks with the backs of her hands. "Thanks for listening. I'll go now."

Medi had taken one step when Kristy asked, "Wanna stay for dinner? There's ice cream for dessert."

The fae glanced up at her now smiling daughter. Her teary face shone with pleasure. "That'd be... swell."

Victor drove home, numerous thoughts dancing in his head. If Aoife were Birgit, it'd come down to a confrontation. His role as caretaker remained at the forefront of his responsibilities. No one hurts my family! He'd give his life before letting that happen. It seemed that Carys had sent him to stop Birgit's reign of atrocities. Professionalism dictated he finish the job.

And if Birgit came at him seeking revenge—he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Victor wondered what Birgit could want with Jason because the professor died over three years ago. Even the most powerful magi couldn't bring back the dead.

He parked the car next to Dr. Mason's junker and saw Jason in the front yard practicing his pitching motion. He strolled up to the boy, nodding his head. "Impressive. Winter didn't hurt your form."

"Nope, but I still need the practice." Jason grinned, pushing back the brim of his baseball cap. "Wanna go to the clearing? If you got time."

"I'll make time. Glad I didn't play for the school this season. I've got dance competitions up to my bloody ears. But I'll help coach the travel league this summer." It didn't feel right playing on the school team when he was the reason the captain, Jackson, had broken his arm. Giving up his spot eased his guilt, although the new catcher was dreadful. He walked toward the house. "Give me five—"

Victor stopped as he spied a small brown notebook on the grass near the walkway. He recognized it as one of Dr. Mason's, who used them for notetaking. The doctor must have dropped it. Reaching down, he picked it up. "I'll take this to—"

He stopped, gazing at the book as Jason began babbling about the upcoming season. The backpack fell from Victor's shoulders.

"No, no," he muttered. "No."

"What?" When no answer came, the younger boy moved closer. Victor's face had gone sheet white. "Vic, you okay?"

Victor gazed back at Jason, a crazed look in his eyes. "Bloody hell!"

He took off for the house, leaving his startled brother to pick up the backpack and follow. Victor sailed through the front door and upstairs to the study while Jason shouted to their mother, "Vic just lost all his marbles!"

It can't be! But Victor thought back to all the little clues and signs he'd missed. He opened the study door and rushed in.

Dr. Mason sat at Professor Craig's desk, eyes tuned to the computer screen. He glanced up, smiling. "Hello, dear boy. How was—"

"When I had that nightmare, and Jason dumped the water on me—how did you know which towel was mine?" he interrupted.

Dr. Mason frowned. "What?"

"My towel is the least visible and farthest from the door. So, how did you know?" he repeated, slamming the door shut.

The doctor eyed him warily. "I... guessed."

"You once called Rosetta 'the moppet.'" His eyes narrowed. "And you're distantly related to Papa."

"Yes, and yes. Victor, why—"

"How did you know Papa decided not to have children?" Victor stepped closer to Dr. Mason, who rose from the desk.

"The journals—"

"Don't lie to me! You mentioned that before we went through them."

"An assumption." Dr. Mason moved closer to the teen, his hands reaching out. "Victor, what's wrong?"

"When I recreated that memory, you said 'reliving' a tender moment!" Victor held up the book he'd rescued in the yard and watched as the color drained from the doctor's face. "I didn't pry, but the emotions, the aura, all jumped out at me when I touched it!" He threw the small book at Dr. Mason, hitting him in the chest. "How could you?"

Dr. Mason grabbed his jacket. "I'd better leave—"

"Victor? Lyle?" Lovedae knocked on the closed door. Victor could hear the Dueling Duo with her, chattering like magpies. "What's going on?"

The handle turned.

"Yes, let's take a trip to the clearing, doctor!" Victor grabbed the startled man, and both vanished before the door opened.

Transporting was a breeze for him since the transformation to higher magic. He set the doctor with his back to the red leaf maple and its beautiful array of flowers. They stared at each other until Dr. Mason turned to gaze around the clearing—and spied the tree and flowers.

The final resting place of Professor Craig Grant.

He screamed and turned toward the path leading out, but an angry Victor shoved him back. Dr. Mason fell, rose, and tried to pass the enraged teen who again prevented him from leaving. Stumbling, the fretful doctor charged him, but once more, Victor blocked him. Dr. Mason fell to the grass and began to crawl away with tears running down his cheeks before stopping. Sobs racked his body.

Lovedae and the Duo arrived at a run, chests heaving as they stood at the edge of the clearing, listening.

Victor stood over the weeping man, fuming as he gathered his words.

"How could you do this to us? We loved you! We were lost without you!" Victor screamed the words at the cringing man. "You're the real deceiver, a liar, a fraud!" The rage seeped out of him as he fell to his knees before the doctor. "I was changed trying to save your tree, your memory." The hurt and betrayal wounded his soul, and he bowed his head as he too began to weep.

His voice broke as he asked, "Why, Papa? Why?"

Professor Craig Grant, presumed dead the last three years, pulled his sobbing son into his arms and whispered, "I'm sorry."

Less than ten chapters remaining! Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment or vote!