Page 71 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
“You should sit, Miss Teddy,” she told me. “I’ll do my best to clean up, and we’ll get someone to fix your door, but you should sit and rest.”
“The man I killed broke one of the bedroom windows,” I told her, my voice flat while I pointed toward the hallway.
She bowed her head. “Someone will tend to that too.”
Gratitude stuck in my throat and spilled in the way of tears.
Kieren touched my arm, his palm hot. I reached a hand to him, feeling how much his skin had warmed, and as we made our way to the couch, I took in his grayish complexion. When we sat on the couch, I grabbed the closest blanket and gave it to him before I brought my knees to my chest.
He took his time wrapping the blanket around himself, his movements slow and sluggish. When he leaned his head back on the cushion, I touched his cheek and then forehead. His skin burned as hot as it’d done before he drank the herbal tea. It worried me how quickly his fever returned.
“Why don’t you go to your room?”I said, my tone soft.
“I’d rather stay here with you if that’s okay.”
I edged to the other side of the couch and placed a small cushion beside me.“Lie down.”I patted the cushion.
He did, bringing the covers with him and tucking the end close to his chin. I ran a hand through his hair.
“Thank you for what you did,”I said.“If you hadn’t thrown your dagger through his hand . . .”I shook my head.
He blinked up at me, a small smirk on his lips.“I’m not the one who used my body as a shield. Wait until Aidas hears you have a new favorite.”
I snorted, tugging lightly on his hair. His chuckle sounded in my mind.
As he fell asleep, my mind whirled with all the possibilities of today. Of how things could’ve ended differently.
Kieren and I were safe and unharmed.
Were the babies okay?I held a hand to my stomach. Using my magic, I reached for them. Whether it was because I didn’t know what I was doing or simply that my magic couldn’t communicate in that way, I came back empty. God. ..was that normal? Should I be able to feel something with my magic?
I felt like I should. I shook the thought away, not wanting to cause my babies any more stress.
Outside, I heard George, Alastor, and Pietro. I tried to listen to what they were saying, but I was unable to do so. I turned instead to Kieren. His cheeks had reddened with his mounting fever, and I wondered if I could use the herbs to make him another tea. It’d been a little over an hour since he’d first taken it, and the headmistress of the orphanage had said he should take it every four hours. But still, this fever couldn’t be good for him.
I stood, steadying myself on the couch when my body swayed.
“Miss Teddy,” the female lirio said from the kitchen.
George and Alastor must’ve heard the alarm in her voice because they both rushed in with swords in their hands. George was the first to put his away while Alastor scanned the room with quiet assessment. When he was satisfied, he also tucked his sword away.
“Sorry.” I let out a forced laugh. “I just got a little dizzy.” I rubbed a hand to my temple before I snapped my attentiontoward the kitchen. “I forgot about the soup.” When I moved, the female lirio lifted a hand.
Another wave of dizziness hit me, so when George guided me to sit back down, I did.
“I saw you were making a broth and finished it for you,” she said. “I hope that’s okay.”
On the couch, I turned my body to the side to see her better. I sighed, my eyes burning with tears that I brushed away. “Thank you,” I told her. “I’m sorry, but I don’t even know your name.”
“We’ve never properly met.” She grinned, her sharp teeth on display. “I’m Fia.” She pressed a fist to her chest and bowed.
“Thank you, Fia,” I said. “For everything. I—” I wanted to say so much more, but I didn’t know where to start.
Hell, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to stop if I did get started. Twenty people had surrounded my house, along with the two who’d made it in. Despite Kieren’s quick thinking, the two of us wouldn’t have been able to fight them off.
We were alive because of Alastor and those two lirio.
“Don’t you worry yourself about anything but you and your younglings.”
