Page 114 of Elora and the Crow

“We should try to get some sleep,” Jonah said.

Elora nodded and followed him to the bedroom, sliding between the cold sheets. Jonah climbed into bed, and they immediately crowded together in the middle of the bed like kids afraid of the boogeyman.

He wrapped her in his embrace and kissed her, their legs tangling together and their bodies pressed up against each other. They lay silently for a few minutes before Elora said, “It’ll be okay, Jonah. We’ll have the fae to help us tomorrow.”

“Have you heard from Nimera?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, but they’ll help us. Caleb is the father of Nimera’s baby. They won’t leave him to die.”

“Maybe,” Jonah said. “Elora, I -”

She knew what he would say, knew he would apologize for the umpteenth time, and she suddenly couldn’t stand to hear him say it, couldn’t stomach to see the guilt in his eyes. Not when no part of her regretted falling in love with Jonah. She was scared, sure. Hell, she was fucking terrified, but she had no regrets, and she didn’t want him to either.

“I love you,” she interrupted. “I love you, and even if I had known this was coming, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.”

She cupped his face and stared into his dark eyes. “Not a single thing, Jonah. I would fight a thousand dark witches for you.”

A faint smile crossed his face. “Is that right?”

“Yes,” she said. “I love you. I will always love you.”

“I love you too,” he said. “So much, little witch.”

She smiled as the hot tears spilled down her cheeks. “Then show me, honey. I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to think, I just want to feel how much you love me. Can you do that for me?”

He kissed her, his mouth fierce against hers as his hand cupped her breast. “I can do that.”

* * *

“Bren, you’re making me nervous,”Elora said.

Bren stopped pacing the kitchen. “You’re facing down a dark witch in less than three hours, and I’m making you nervous?”

“Yeah,” Elora said.

“Try Nimera again,” Bren said.

“Jonah just tried calling her. She isn’t answering,” Elora said. “I don’t think we’ll have the fae’s help with this.”

Bren muttered a curse before pacing again, and Elora reached out to take Jonah’s hand. He squeezed it before smiling faintly at her. He’d been quiet since they’d woken this morning, a look of calm determination on his face, and even Nimera disappearing on them hadn’t seemed to upset him.

Kaida rubbed her belly before reaching out to take Bren’s hand as he walked past her. “Sit down, Bren.”

He sank onto the stool beside her as Cece stood. “I’ll make some tea.”

“Thanks, Cece,” Elora said, even though she was positive she wouldn’t be able to swallow a single drop.

Bren stood again. “I’m gonna call -”

They all froze when Elora’s phone rang. She glanced at it. “It’s Ronin. He and Tori are on watch out front.”

She answered the call. “Hey, Ronin.”

“A woman is walking up to the house. I can’t smell worth shit, but Tori says she’s a fae,” Ronin said.

Relief rocketed through Elora, and she slid off the stool. “Thank you. We’ve been waiting for her.”

She hit the end button and grinned at Jonah. “Nimera’s here.”

---