"He found out what I was," she said, keeping her tone even. "And he beat me so badly, I couldn't walk for two days. I had a fractured collarbone and a dislocated shoulder. He called it off with threatening to ruin our collective lives. He'd tell the world who I was, and make sure they locked me away so I could never see you again. I'm not asking you to forgive me. I'm just asking you to try and understand. That I never would have done this willingly. He made the idea of taking you with me impossible. It is a gift that I have lived this long. I'm not powerful or well known, I couldn't have hurt him and taken you boys anyway. I am, for all intents and purposes, a slightly glorified human who makes people tell better stories. And a bit of a witch, but that's neither here nor there."
Jesse looked over at her. "I think that's the !most I've ever heard you say at once," he remarked. "And Jay, come on, please don't leave. We told you as soon as you came back, we didn't try and keep it from you at all."