Anna Peregrine--Library of Souls

Chapter Eleven

I let out a sob in relief and overwhelment before I ran to her, wrapping my arms around her waist, burying my head in her chest.

I found her, I finally found her. The woman who lied to protect me, the woman who raised me, the woman who made me into the person I was today.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she said, starting to cry now as she ran one of her hands through my hair.

"No, I'm sorry!" I cried, looking up at her as she cupped my face. "I was so ignorant, and a brat, and I--I never understood what all you did for us, for me."

She silenced me as she kissed the top of my head, "You don't need to apologize. There were so many things I kept from you, and you discovered so much. I know you did."

"And now because of me asking Jacob to come with us, he's gone," I said in tears.

Mum put a hand on my cheek, "No one's mad at you. I have so much to explain to you, and I know you need all the answers--"

"Right now I'm more concerned with freeing the other Ymbrynes and making sure the children are freed. We left the keys with Hugh so he could free himself, and then the others."

"Miss Peregrine!" I heard Emma yell, right on cue as the glass door slid open.

"We're over here!" I yelled, hugging my mother again, knowing it was probably the last private moment I would get with her for a little bit, or maybe for forever.

The children ran over, relieved to see her, hugging her the moment they got to her, all of us together again. Well, except Jacob Portman.

But as everyone was happy to see that she was alive, and Mum was relieved that they were all safe, I couldn't help but notice that she was clutching my hand tightly the whole time, focusing more on me than them. Someone talked to her . . . Miss Wren.

We freed the other Ymbrynes, all of them relieved that each other were alright. Miss Cuckoo and Miss Wren were especially relieved that my mother was alright, despite being bruised, probably getting over from being drugged for who knows the number of times already, and mentally not alright.

Emma lit some lamps with her peculiarity, her and I finally getting our best friend reunion before my mum pulled me away, her and I going into a corner by ourselves, away from everyone else.

"I need to tell you everything," she said quietly.

"Mum, please, you're not in the state to tell me everything. I'll be alright for a little longer," I said.

"I have to!", she said weakly. "If I don't make it out of here alive, I'm not going to leave you still searching for answers. I don't ever want to do that to you again. It was cruel of me."

"You were only trying to protect me," I said before looking at her wounds a little more. "Let me get something for those."

I stood up and went to look for some ointment, a cloth, and water to heal her cuts, but she grabbed me by my wrist tightly, "Anna, please--

"Mum, I want you to heal--"

"Please, just let me tell you!" she said, on the verge of tears, as if our roles were reversed.

I sighed and sat down again before her, crossed legged, like a child waiting for a story to be told.

"What questions do you have? I think I know, but I want to make sure I have all my answers prepared."

I blew out some air, "Why didn't you ever tell me about Golan? Why were you with him? Also, did you know I could see the hollows? And, why did you keep the fact that Miss Cuckoo and Miss Wren knew the truth about me a secret? Oh, and why didn't you tell me the truth about Uncle Myron?"