Page 42 of Blood on the Ice

Her laugh is bitter as she shakes her head at me. “No. That was nothing. Ask her beloved Magnus what happens when someone truly crosses one of my kind—either of them, really.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I murmur as I lean in to kiss her jaw. “Since I prefer not being decapitated, I promise to not be a philandering fuckwhistle. That way, you don’t twist my head off my neck. Deal?”

Morgana blinks. “You read the transcript?”

I shrug, not worried for a second. “Who hasn’t? You’re infamous, babe.”

She sucks in a breath, pushing Des behind her hair, and looks up at me. “Let’s finish this shit and go home. You’re pale and I’ve probably created an incident. That bitch is probably tattling to someone as we speak.”

“As you wish, Morgana.”

I’ve learnedthat the strong women in my life are rarely wrong and Morgana is no exception. By the time we got home, I was pale and sweaty, so she hefted our bags on her back and damn near carried me to the door.

“You being this strong had to give lesser men a complex,” I joke, trying to erase the worried expression from her face.

Her eyes narrow for a second, then she shrugs. “Just remember how likely it is I can kick your ass if you decide to piss me off.”

She’s so damned perfect for me.

We hobble into the house and she dumps me on the couch to get comfortable while she takes the groceries to the kitchen. My head is spinning and I feel worse than the first day, like that much energy being spent completely reversed any progress I’d made. I don’t want to scare her, but even my bear is making noise in my head.This is terrible and I don’t know what the fuck we’re going to do.But I listen to her humming under her breath as she puts away all the food and snacks, keeping my concern to myself.

“Lucas, are you hungry? I think I’ll make a pizza,” she calls.

I’m not hungry at all, but I don’t want to kick up her anxiety. There’s nothing more she can do than the guys already are. “Maybe a little.”

I hate being a liar.

My eyes close as I let the haziness take over my brain, relaxing as much as I can on the cushions. She’ll take a few more minutes. I might be asleep when she finishes. Letting go of my thoughts, I vaguely hear my bear in my mind as I drift, hoping the rest will help me heal. Hibernation benefits bears and may increase my time.

Before I can slip into the deep sleep of my kind, the doorbell rings, making me bolt up in surprise.Who the fuck is that? Channing or the guys wouldn’t ring the bell.Morgana curses and she appears, stopping to run her fingers over my brow, then heads to the front hall. I should talk to her about getting better security again, because she could have ignored the door if she didn’t want to speak to the intruder.

“Good morning, Dean LeCiel. My name is Liam Spéirgheal, and this is my companion, Kaspar. We are your new neighbors.”

I can almost hear the huff in my woman’s voice as she answers. “It’s very nice to meet you and your partner, Liam, but unfortunately, I’m unable to visit today. If you call my assistant Channing, she can?—”

“You would turn away thePrince of the Daybreak Court?” The second voice snarls and I realize this guy isn’t a ‘partner’; he’s a bodyguard. Fae royals never travel without one, and he sounds pissed.

“I… no offense was intended, Your Highness. I simply have school business to attend to and tight deadlines,” Morgana replies smoothly. She doesn’t even balk at the bodyguard’s tone, which is impressive.

A soft chuckle echoes through the hallway. “Dean LeCiel, you must excuse Kaspar. He’s not the most social of shifters, but heis loyal and keeps me safe. I am not here to make political hay with you. We saw you assisting a friend inside who looks very ill. I wish to offer my help—against Kaspar’s wishes,” he adds quickly.

At least he knows his man is a pit bull off the leash.

“Your assistance? How could you know we need help, Prince Liam?” my girl asks suspiciously.

The amusement in his tone fills the air, leaking into the room I’m in. “Because, dear Morgana, the poison he’s suffering from is certainly of Fae origin. My magic can feel that of my people, even the other types. Without my help, you won’t be able to heal him before it does its job.”

I almost shout at his words.No wonder Iggy can’t find it; the Fae are sketchy as hell about their magic.Morgana opens the door further and I hear fancy shoes and boots clomp inside. I can feel her mistrust, but she also won’t turn away help. Our bond is lighting up like a Christmas tree as she leads them into the back room where I’m sitting.

“Lucas fell ill two days ago after practice. He ate nothing prepared out of his sight, but his water bottle was unguarded while he was on the ice. Professors Shadwell and Briarton believe it’s a mix of magic and science, but that’s all we know,” she says as she looks at me. Her eyes darken, and I realize I must look worse than when we got home.

I tilt my head, looking at the Prince and his man. They’re both extremely attractive in different ways, and I notice their eyes skating back to my woman as they speak to one another in the Fae language. Prince Liam is tall, muscled, and has curly black hair that he’s got tied back in the popular man-bun style. Hisclothing is brightly colored, but perfectly tailored in a way that screams bespoke. It all suits him, though, and I’d wager my weekly trust allowance if he showed us his true form, it would all match like an artist drew him. His guard is dark, swarthy, and huge—if he’s a shifter, it’s a mythic because no normal animal is built like a fucking warehouse.

“Uh, hello? It’s rude to speak in front of others in languages they don’t know—at least, in their own house it is,” Morgana says with a glare. “Clue me in or get lost.”

Kaspar lets out a rumbling sound that gives him away immediately. That motherfucker is a storm dragon and Morgana needs to be very careful startingnow.

“Easy, Kas. She’s right; wewerebeing rude.” The Prince smiles and takes my girl’s hand, kissing her knuckles. “Forgive me, Dean. I am so used to working things out with Kas in my native tongue that I often forget how off-putting it is for those who do not speak Fae dialects.”

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