Page 2 of Evidence of a Folktale

“Eamon…”she trailed off as the tears came because she wanted to fight him. Shewantedto scream and rage and beat him with her fists, but did he have a point? Would she hate him if he never grew self-aware enoughto at least admit his concerns? Shedidn’tblame him for her almostdeaths, but if he blamed himself yet never acknowledged his guilt, would she grow to resent him?

“Idon’twant this,”his voice broke, and Bel swore tears threatened his eyes. Eamon never cried. Shedidn’tknow he could, yet his black irises glistened as he stared down at her.

“Iwant to keep my mouth shut and pretendI’mnot to blame. I want to ignore thatI’mhurting you, but I hate myself for even considering that.Thisis new for me, willingly accepting pain to save someone else. But for you,I’dburn the world, myself included. And if saving you means leaving so you can live a long and beautiful life,I’lldowhatever’snecessary to keep you out of the grave.”

“Please stop,” she begged.

“Isobel…”

“Stop saying goodbye.”

“I’mnot saying goodbye,”he argued.“I’mdiscussing this with you, but Ineed toexpress my feelings first. You are the love of my life. Please see that I only want your safety.”

“I know that, Eamon. I’ve always known that.”

“So promise meyou’llthink about whatI’vesaid, okay?Reallythink about it because what would your family say if they knew I was to blame for your neardeaths? What would Griffin say if he knew I was the reason monsters kept coming for you, yet I never removed myself from the equation? What about your father? What would he say if he learned I was the one who ruined your throat yet stayed despite the constant threat to your life?”

“You what?” a horrified voice interrupted, and both Bel and Eamon’s eyes snapped to their intruder.

“Dad—”Belstarted,her mind scramblingfor an explanation forwhat he just heard. How long had he been standing there? How much of their discussion had he witnessed?

“What did you say?”Her father ignored her as he stepped for Eamon, his finger pointing accusingly atBel’sneck.“Did you do that to my daughter?”

“Dad—”

“Yes.” Eamon’s shoulders sagged with defeat. “I’m the one who left her disfigured.”

“That’snot the whole story!”Bel shoved the blankets off her legs and stumbled off the bed.

“Get out,” Reese growled.

“Dad, stop.”Bel feared she might choke on her panic.

“Get out!”her father roared, and with an expression of unbridled pain, Eamon stepped for the door.“Idon’twant you near my daughter again.”

“Iam sorry,”Eamon said.“More thanyou’llever know.”He grabbed the handle, and Bel launched herself at him. But before she could cross the tiled floor, Reese caught her waist.

“Eamon!”she shouted as he crossed the threshold.“Eamon, look at me.”

He obeyed, and this time,therewas no mistaking his tears.

“This conversation isn’t over,” she growled at him. “Don’t you dare leave me.”

Eamon stared at her without a word.

“You’llbe home when I get released, right?”she asked, refusing to let himwalk out ofher life so easily.

“Bel.”Her father dragged her back.

“Swear it!”she demanded, fighting herdad’shold with every ounce of strength left in her aching body.“Do it, Eamon. I order you to do it. Swear to me thatyou’llbe there when I get home.”

“I’llbe there.”Eamon addressed his promise to her father, a battle of wills passing between the men as ifhe werewarning Reese that no matter what he wanted, Belowned him, and her word was law.“I’llbe there.”

“Where’s Eamon?”Briar, Bel’s oldest sister, asked as she plopped onto the couch beside her. “After Thanksgiving, I figured he’d be at all our family holidays going forward.”

“He had to work,”Bel lied. It was Christmas Eve, and she hadn’t heard from or seen Eamon since her father kicked him out of the hospital. Upon her discharge, Reese had insisted she spend the holiday with him. She’d rented a vehicle since hers was in pieces, but Griffin refused to let her return to the station until after the New Year, so here she sat at her dad’s house, Eamon’s words festering inside her. For all she knew, he’d packed up his mansion and vanished into the world to change his nameyetagain so she’d never find him.

“No wonder you look so miserable. I would be too if I had to spend Christmas without Flynn.” Briar patted Bel’s thigh as they watched her husband help Reese put the kids’ gifts under the tree. Briar, Flynn, and their two toddler boys were sleeping over for Christmas Eve, but their four other sisters, along with their husbands and children, were coming in the morning, and the living room was overflowing with presents. Normally, the colorful wrapping paper filled Bel with joy, but her father had barely spoken to her since the hospital, and the other half of her soul was ignoring her. There was nothing joyous about this holiday.

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