Page 106 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
My arms trembled, my nostrils flared, and I could barely see past the gray haze clouding my vision.
“Elias.” She tilted my head down to face her. “I’m going to Tera Insaldame. The kids are already waiting for me there. Ryenne, Donnie, and Nate are going too.” Her thumb caressed my cheek. “Your people are rightfully angry with us.”
I stumbled back a step. “A fae hurt you?”
But hadn’t that one female hurt her with her smoke magicearlier? How many more had targeted her while I was occupied saving younglings?
“I think the safest place for your mate right now is in my village,” Alastor said.
“Who did this to you?” I asked, each word coming out harsher than the one before.
“It doesn’t matter,” Teddy said, her tone far too gentle as if she wished to wrap her words around me in comfort.
“It matters to me.”
“They have every right to hate us, Elias,” she said.
“And I have every right to?—”
“Nothing,” Teddy said, her voice taking on an unfamiliar stern tone as she took hold of one of my hands. “You will do nothing. You will not hurt anyone on my behalf.”
Another angry shiver racked through my body.
“Go, tend to your people,” she said, inching onto her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “I’m sorry I can’t stay to help you.”
I tugged her to me, only now realizing she’d changed from her wedding dress to jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that she’d rolled up to her elbows. Despite her protests, I healed her wounds. It took longer than usual, but I let her go once it was done. Reluctantly.
“Take care of them,” I told Alastor, hating that I couldn’t go with them to ensure they got to his village safely.
But between Alastor and Donnie, I was certain they’d be okay. They had to be.
I watched them leave for several long beats. When I could barely make them out any longer, I pulled out my sword and roared. Nalari’s echoing roar blared from somewhere above.
Everly and Brenton drew out their swords as they ran beside me. When I reached the first uninjured male, I grippedhim by the collar of his shirt. I brought his face inches away from mine.
“Who hurt my mate?” I asked. Spittle flew from my mouth at the ferocity of my words.
Just as he went to answer, another explosion sounded, with smoke and fire blazing from afar. This one was farther from the military school but much closer to the castle.
Vith.
Chapter
Twenty-Two
TEDDY
I couldn’t blamethe fae who hated me. I’d hate me too if I were in their place.
Time and again, their very existence had come to be in danger because of my people, who Elias had let move into his realm, somehow still believing they were good.
They weren’t. At this point, I wasn’t sure any of us were worth the trouble.
All the same, I was grateful for Finley when she’d stopped the male who’d hit me while four other males held Alastor back. With my magic exhausted, I couldn’t fight back. Still, it’d taken four males to hold Alastor down while I’d simply given up. It wasn’t just that my magic was tired, but I was tired. So very damn tired of the violence and betrayal and vengeance. I wasn’t sure if I couldn’t or wouldn’t fight them, so Finley stepped up to do what I didn’t. All it had taken was the threat of Finley’s magic and a quick flare from her fingertips to convince them to walk away.
Uncaring for their own well-being, it’d taken a lot more to get the fae who’d gone after Donnie to relent. It’d been crazyto witness, especially since Donnie had been carrying an injured child in his arms when they barreled into him. The two males who’d attacked him seemed to welcome death, and it made me wonder who they’d lost because of us.
I wanted to apologize to them, but there was no repenting for these sins.
