Page 64 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
“I think Blaise would have liked you.” His voice was quiet and distant, like he was speaking to a memory rather than me. There was something fragile beneath it, something I wasn’t sure was meant for me to hear.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance to meet him.”
Hell, I was sorry that the fate of their people—our people—hadn’t just killed the mages but made Leanora so rageful she’d killed one brother while enslaving another. While countless lives had been lost because of Elias’s parents’ prejudices, Alastor had suffered the most. It was one of the reasons I worked so hard to help him realize he belonged. It was why I made sure he took care of himself when I knew he’d rather ignore and neglect his headaches than admit to his pain.
He'd told me once he didn’t feel like he could trust anyone. How could he when his own sister had used him in such awful ways? So I worked hard at building that trust that didn’t come naturally to him. Although quiet and serious in nature, he was such a good man, and I was lucky to have him in my life. I was fortunate to be able to call him family.
Two raps at his front door sounded before a lirio entered, ducking his head so he wouldn’t hit it.
“Miss Teddy,” the male said, bowing his head slightly. “There’s a royal guard at the border asking to see you.”
“A royal guard?” Cold sweat broke out over my skin when I thought of why a guard would be asking for me.
With Alastor at my side, I raced behind the lirio to meet with the guard, worried Elias had returned injured or worse. Or maybe Brenton or Everly had been hurt.
When I reached Pietro, he bowed.
“What is it? Who’s hurt?” I asked.
“No one’s hurt, my lady,” Pietro said, casting a watchful eye at Alastor. “There’s a boy at the orphanage.”
My knees threatened to buckle with relief. As if sensing it, Alastor gripped my elbow.
“He said his name is Kieren, and he’s a friend of your son.”
“Yes, Kieren.” I nodded, confused. Kieren never mentioned he was staying at the orphanage.
“The young male is sick, and with all the healers tending to our returned fae, the headmistress is worried he’ll infect the younglings and babes,” Pietro said.
“That’s fine. I’ll take Kieren home with me,” I told Pietro. “Do you think you could bring Leah to my house to tend to him?”
Black covered his eyes, but with a single blink, that darkness disappeared. “My lady, I think it best we leave our head healer to tend to our wounded.”
I scowled at his hardened words, while shame filled me over my selfishness. “Of course. But if another healer becomes available, can you please bring them?”
Pietro dipped his head down at my request, but I didn’t feel better until Alastor placed a reassuring hand on my back.
“You don’t have to come with me,” I told Alastor, knowing that being around the people of Niev made him uncomfortable. Not because he had anything against them but because of how they acted around him.
For the first time, Alastor reached toward me for a hug. “I’ll see you tonight for dinner.”
Alastor tipped his chin down at Pietro, who sneered in reply. Eyes darkening, Alastor blinked twice and left.
“That’s my cousin,” I told the guard, tilting my chin up in challenge as we walked away from Tera Insaldame. “I am part mage. Do you have a problem with either?”
With a grimace, the male’s light complexion paled. “No, my lady. You have my apologies for offending you and your cousin.”
“I doubt Alastor cares what you think of him,” I said. “But I won’t have you or anyone disrespecting my own in front of me.”
“Of course, my lady. I apologize.” He narrowed his heated eyes in what I could only call a backhanded apology.
Asshole.
Alastor’s magic brushed against my mind, and I opened myself to speak to him.
“You needn’t have done that,”he said.
“Oh, but I did,”I retorted, suddenly disliking the messenger.“You’d agree if you had seen the way the blood drained from his face. Who knew I could be so fearsome?”
