Page 47 of Eclipsed Heart

It was the equivalent of a cold shower, and even Bodey jumped to his feet. Taking my hand, he led the two of us down the stairs and into the den with everyone else.

Stevie, Mom, and Dad sat on the couch while Samuel leaned against the island. His face was still paler than normal, but he wasn’t struggling to breathe.

Jack stood across from Stevie with Lucas, Miles, and Stella on his left, all four of them facing the kitchen. Michael, Janet, Carl, Dan, Phil, and Dina were on the side of the room, close to the sliding glass door.

“It’s so nice that you two could finally join us. I figured there would be a creaking bed and loud moans before you got down here.” Jack crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes at us. “Must have done it on the floor or something.”

“Son,” Carl warned. Somehow the gray in his hair seemed more prominent, making his blond hair look lighter than his son’s.

My face flamed. I hadn’t expected to get chastised byJack, but if what I suspected was happening between Stevie and him was true, then it shouldn’t have shocked me.

“The two of us had something to discuss in private.” Bodey wrapped an arm around my waist, anchoring me to him, and continued, “So don’t you dare try to make her feel bad.”

“Stevie was severely injured, and you think that you two can have a quick—”

“I was worried about Stevie andSamuel, but I knew the witches healed them,” I cut him off. “Bodey was spelled to endure torture, and that couldn’t be healed the same way. It was all mental. If you disagree with our decision to take a few minutes upstairs to discuss something serious between us before coming down here so we wouldn’t be distracted, then you can take that up with me…alone.” I didn’t know where that came from, but the words poured out of me.

I expected Jack to push back, but instead, he averted his gaze.

Stepping away from Bodey, I touched Samuel’s arm and asked, “Is there something I can do for you?”

He shook his head. “Just need a good night’s sleep is all.”

“And maybe a nap now?” I hated for him to wait that long. I could see the scabs peeking out from the top of his shirt.

“Let’s see how this conversation goes.”

I couldn’t argue with that. I went to the couch and stood by Stella. I focused on Stevie, who stared at the floor, avoiding my gaze.

My heart ached, but I deserved it. “Stevie, I’m sorry—”

She lifted a hand. “Don’t, please. I’ll live, which is a vast improvement over what I thought just a short while ago.”

A lump formed in my throat, and I blinked as my eyes burned. I didn’t want to cry…at least, not here.

Babe, I’ll handle this,Bodey linked, stepping next to me. His protectiveness filled the bond, making me feel less alone.

Don’t. I deserve her anger. Though I wasn’t sure what the right call had been, I was certain ensuring she couldn’t protect herself while not leaving someone to protect her couldn’t be fixed by an apology.She almost died, thanks to a decision I made. She has a right to be mad at me.

“So what's our next move?” Lucas asked, his gaze on me and then the other advisors.

“I’d like to hear what our queen thinks.” Dan leaned against the island. Like the first time I’d met him, his brown hair was spiked, suggesting he’d been running his hands through it. The dark circles under his eyes made them look sunken against his tan complexion.

I winced. I had no idea what to say. But they were looking to me for answers. Something that never would’ve happened two weeks ago, and for the first time, I missed the scant responsibilities I’d had before now.

Phil shook his head. His dark-bronze complexion seemed to glow under the kitchen lights. His eyes were locked on me, waiting for my answer.

No pressure at all.

“First things first.” I rubbed my hands together, knowing there was one thing I wanted to rectify. “Dina, can you remove the pack link block on Stevie?”

Dina’s jaw dropped. “Uh, are you sure that’s wise? She could still be working with someone. The attack on her could be a setup.”

“Maybe, but I doubt it, especially after seeing how they left her to die.” If we’d been just a few minutes later, the outcome would’ve been extremely different. There was no way the queen could know that we would return in time to save her. “Either way, my decision left her vulnerable, and she almost died because of it. I want it removed, and I’m going to trust that my sister isn’t telling me lies.”

My parents’ shoulders sagged with relief.

Mom placed a hand on her chest. “Thank gods. We can at least link with you now.”

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