Page 17 of House of Embers
“You can’t,” he said as his arms slid around her back and drew her into him. “This is what he wants. He wants you to think he’s too big to defeat. That it’s too scary and you should stay away and let him ruin our world. It’s easier for him if you do.”
“I wouldn’t want to make it easy for him,” Kerrigan said as she rested her head against his chest.
“It’s not your style.”
Kerrigan laughed. “No, it’s really not.”
Fordham kissed the top of her head and held her tight against him. She could have stayed there forever. This was what she wanted for everyone. Not the hell that the Red Masks had unleashed on her world. No matter how strong Bastian got, she would have to face him. Because she couldn’t let this stand.
“This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning.”
“It sure feels like it is.”
Fordham stroked his hand through her hair. “If the end is hate, then it isn’t the end.”
Chapter Seven
The Amulet
Clover
“They were rude,” Darby said as she slid her nightgown over her inky skin.
“We knew they would be rude,” Hadrian reminded her.
Darby stuck her bottom lip out, and Clover thought about drawing it into her mouth and having them all forget about the last couple days, weeks, months. That was what she wanted for the two loves of her life, for them to not continue to know all the heartache and risk everything for her.
Not that she could let them go. Even when she thought about how much safer the two full-blooded Fae would be in their little houses married to someone else or, gods forbid, each other. She just couldn’t fathom letting them go. Yes, she was a human with zero magic of her own, just her father’s amulet, which promised her something she was sure would forever be just out of reach. She’d used it once to save her loves from the Red Masks’ arena purge. She’d never been able to make it work since and was almost certain she never would.
“Don’t pout,” Hadrian said with an eye roll.
Clover smirked. “Now, now, sweetheart, be nice to our little princess.”
Hadrian’s back went up at the old nickname. “We can’t control how these bigoted people see Kerrigan is all I mean. They hate humans and half-Fae. I’m not sure what they’re thinking, bringing us all here as if we can change their minds just by having Fordham on the throne.”
“I for one believe that’s the only way to initiate change,” Darby argued. “We can’t let their prejudices stand. Kerrigan is half-Fae. Clover is human. They’re the best of us.”
“Aww, baby, you say such sweet things,” Clover teased, tipping Darby’s chin up with a finger.
Darby’s eyes went round with desire. “Do you think we can change their minds?”
“No,” Clover said automatically.
Hadrian huffed. “Don’t be a pessimist.”
Clover arched an eyebrow at Hadrian. “You were just agreeing with me.”
“I didn’t say we can’t change their minds. I just don’t think we should start with the House of Shadows. They’re nightmare fodder for children.”
“We need their army,” Clover said with a shrug. “A show of strength. Once Kerrigan and Fordham secure that, then we’ll work with the allies we already have. We don’t have to convince everyone. We just have to show enough force to go up against the Red Masks and the Society.”
“Oh, is that all?” Darby muttered.
Hadrian slid an arm around Clover’s waist and drew her into him. “You’re sexy when you discuss strategy.”
Darby held her hand out. “Why am I not involved in the sexy strategy?”
Clover laughed and drew her girlfriend against her as well. It had been such a long time coming for them. She had always likedDarby, but as a human, she had felt so far beneath Darby and all her beauty and magnificence. She was going places, and that was away from Clover. And when that possibility had splintered, Clover had fallen into Hadrian’s arms, content to have him but always yearning for both. When Darby had finally come around, they weren’t sure how it would possibly work. But in the weeks of Kerrigan’s absence, hidden away from the world, they had found that it had worked better than expected.
