Page 123 of Live Like Legends

“How is she?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned around the door frame.

“She’s fine. She won’t be shifting any time soon, but she’ll survive. I had to calm her moms down, which was my second least favorite part of the day.” I had been informed that Beetee had been my second light source. I didn’t know how I would ever thank her, but I would spend every minute of time I had figuring out a way. Beetee wasn’t like me. She didn’t need rigorous training to find her light and nourish it. She quite possiblywasthe light and used it in a different way other than for fighting. For Beetee, it was a demeanor and not a weapon.

I sighed. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to…”

She held her hand up to stop me. “Yeah, I know. I would have been surprised if you didn’t explode with your unhinged hybrid powers at least once. Never again though or I’ll kill you myself.”

I let out a small chuckle. “Right.”

We heard crying coming from one of the rooms down the hall. I looked down at the floor and shook my head. Elise clucked her tongue. “She’s been like that for hours.”

Xander ended up having to give Leah a soothing tonic just to get her to stop convulsing into tears. She fought the healers that tried to take her husband away and she’d always tried to run out of the infirmary to find him. Natalia had attempted to talk to her, but she wouldn’t listen. She’d respectfully asked the High Priestess to leave her room.

“How would you feel if your husband died right in front of you?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Elise shrugged. “I don’t know. From what daddy Cassial says, Daya and Alex are watching her kids.”

Fuck, her kids. I had fought so hard to control myself and keep the powers in check so that Garrett could reunite with his family. I wanted to do something good and for it to work out. I held myself back to keep a family together, just for Dimitri to tear it all apart with a literal snap of his fingers.

I could still feel the weight of his heart in my hand and I wished I had crushed it, burnt it to pieces and stuffed the ashes down his throat. My heart beat loudly and I fisted the fresh shirt I wore, giving my hands something to do. Before I knew it, I was walking down the hall towards Leah’s room.

“Dani, if she didn’t want to see the witch, what makes you think she’ll want to see you?” Elise called after me but I ignored her.

I took a deep breath before I peeked into the room. Leah was huddled on the bed, her legs bent so that she could rest her chin on her knees. I took a tentative step inside, lightly knocking on the open door. She looked over at me, the area under her eyes was swollen from crying and red splotches decorated her face. “Please get out.”

I pressed my tongue into my cheek. I should have left and done exactly what she wanted. I really was terrible at following orders. I stepped further into the room and she huffed out a sigh.

“Dani,please, leave.” Her voice was small and the words that came out didn’t hold much ill-intent.

“I’m sorry,” I said, knowing that wasn’t enough and it never would be.

She squinted at me. “You’re sorry?”

I nodded, deciding that where I was standing was as close as I would get for now. Leah placed her hand over her mouth, shaking her head. “Dimitri should be sorry, not you.”

“You shouldn’t be dealing with this. You should be doing what you always planned together, whatever that may be. The two of you should be hugging your kids.” She let out a choked sob for a moment, causing me to stop speaking. She wiped her hands under her eyes, collecting herself. I continued,“you can’t punish Dimitri for what he’s done, but you can punish me in his place. I let you down and you deserve some kind of justice for all your pain.”

Leah swallowed, placing her hands on her cheeks as she stared at me. “Punishing you would be useless since you’ve done nothing wrong. I want to make someone hurt for Garrett, yes. I loved my husband and having him taken from me is the worst thing I have ever,everfelt. A part of me is missing, Dani. We were bonded in a way that makes my very soul weep.” She held her hand to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks. “He would want me to fight when the time is right. He would want me to save my energy for our children and be there for them because they are going to hurt, just as much if not more than me. I just need time to wrap my head around the fact that I am without the other half of my heart.”

My heart thumped against my chest at her words. I felt my eyes burning from my own tears. “I want justice for you.”

She nodded solemnly, moving her hair behind her ears. “I do too, sweetheart. Garrett, Yuri, Jasmine, they deserved it.” Her eyes locked onto mine as if she wanted my full attention. “You gave my husband his family back by keeping Dimitri’s men at bay in Hell. You let me hold my husband for far longer than I thought I might get a chance to.” She scooted off the bed and leaned back against it. “He was one of the last resurrecting Enchanters and now there is just your Nicholas. We were hoping Yuri or Jasmine would start to show some signs of it soon, to keep their father’s line alive.”

“I’m sure Nick can learn right alongside them if they do,” I said, hopefulness in my tone.

“I overheard that he hasn’t woken up.”

I rocked back and forth on my feet. “Rumors are true.”

Suddenly, she was right in front of me, taking my hands in hers. She looked deep into my eyes. “You want to do something for me? Younevergive up on him. You stay by his side and wake him up however you can. Garrett was rooting for you two, as odd as your pairing may be. If you ever for a second thinkabout faltering, think about how Garrett would have loved to see the things that you two would achieve. The moment you think Nicholas is a lost cause, you are hurting everyone who ever believed in you both. Sometimes healing medicine and wishful thinking isn’t enough. Sometimes all they need is you and you alone to bring them back.”

I swallowed the very big lump in my throat wanting to verbally commit to ayesbut I simply nodded. She grabbed my shoulders and pulled me into a hug. I nuzzled my face into her neck. “Garrett was so lucky to be loved by you.”

She cried harder, her words coming out choked. “Oh, I was so lucky to be loved byhim.”

I pulled back, planning to leave her in peace, but she stopped me. “In a few minutes can you tell them to bring my children here. I don’t know how I’ll make it through it, but I can’t leave them in the dark forever.”

I gave her one solid nod. “Yeah, I can do that. If you want some additional strength, I’m here.”

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