Page 186 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
I agreed, but I also didn’t trust anyone else.
Chapter
Thirty-Seven
TEDDY
Shouts echoedfrom outside Finley’s and Etienne’s townhome. Even without super-fae hearing, I heard them as if they were screaming right beside me.
“You can’t continue expecting your mate to take care of me,” Etienne shouted.
I didn’t exactly disagree with him.
I sensed more than felt Brenton and let those senses guide me to where Brenton sat at the foot of their front porch steps. I sat beside him, wrapping my arms around him as he dropped his head to my shoulder.
“It’s killing him, Finley,” Etienne continued, his words resounding higher. “Vith,don’t you care that it’s killing him?”
Something inside crashed. “Of course I care.” Her tone was just as loud and rageful as his.
Brenton’s body shuddered, and I tried to wrap my arms around him tighter.
“Alastor and I are going to go inside to help Etienne,” I said quietly.
Brenton stilled before he lifted his head to look at me. Hishazel eyes were dull and filled with pain. I wound my arms around his neck, clinging to him in the hopes of easing even the tiniest bit of his pain. His arms went around my waist, pulling me closer.
His grief swam through my veins, filling me with his escalating emotions.
“Elias can either take you to our home or the tavern while Alastor and I work on Etienne,” I whispered, running my hand over the back of his head. “But you’re leaving now, and you’re staying with us tonight.”
“What about the babes?” he asked, his voice breaking while his arms shook.
“Leah’s going to meet us here, but Alastor is certain this won’t hurt them.”
I flinched when Etienne’s shouts grew louder, but I didn’t listen to what he said.
“I trust him, and you’re going to trust us to take care of Etienne. Okay?” I waited for him to nod. “After this, you’re done, Brent. Alastor and I will do everything we can for him, but you’re done taking care of him. No more looking for cures or . . . any of it. You’re not going to hang around to sense an oncoming seizure or help him if he has one. You’re going to distance yourself from them and let them live their lives so you can live yours. Understood?”
His hold on me tightened. “Teddy?—”
“I know you love her,” I said, holding the back of his head when his body trembled again. “Now, I need you to love yourself, even just a fraction of what you feel for her. You can do it, can’t you?”
“I don’t know.”
His honesty, the way he loved her, ripped me to shreds. It made me want to go in there and beat some sense into Finley.I couldn’t understand how anyone could turn away someone as good and kind and selfless as Brenton.
“You can,” I reassured him. “I’ll force you to until you can do it on your own.”
Elias’s hand found my knee, and I felt his other hand when he wound it around Brenton.
“I’ll force you to as well,” he said.
“Are you going to try to use your kingliness against me again?” Brenton joked through a sniffle.
Elias playfully slapped the back of his neck. “Let’s go home. I’ll even let you make us fries again.”
Although Brenton’s laugh was watery, it warmed me to hear it. Elias held my elbow to help me stand when he and Brenton did. Brenton squished my cheeks with both palms on either side of my face, and then he kissed my hair with a loud smack.
“Thank you.”
