Page 93 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
“We did plenty of speaking.” Elias’s voice came out dark and silky. “And each one confessed to their crimes. They were guilty.”
“This isn’t right.” Donnie lifted a hand that he dropped in frustration. “Teddy, you know this isn’t right. This isn’t how we do things back home. Death shouldn’t be the first line of punishment.”
“This is how things are done here,” Elias said.
I felt the power Elias repressed, and knowing he was fighting off his instincts to force Donnie into submission, I stepped in.
“We’re not in the human realm anymore, Donnie,” I said, but despite the calm I tried to force, I heard the way blood flooded through my ears and the way my heart hammeredin my chest. “Fae do things differently than us, but it doesn’t mean they’re wrong. You didn’t see the man who came into my home. They might have claimed they weren’t going to kill me, but the guy who slammed me against the wall didn’t exactly make me feel safe.” I rubbed the back of my head, where Elias had healed the bump I’d gotten. “You didn’t see the way he looked at me or Kieren. He hated us.”
“You’re justifying this.” He let out a dry, disbelieving laugh, not willing to give an inch to see things from my perspective. I wasn’t surprised, though. He wasn’t just a police officer but someone who believed in justice, and to him, there was no justice in killing someone. “They were scared. How do they know they could trust the fae after the soldiers who were protecting them were killed? They’re trying to stay alive and protect their families.”
“By killing me, Donnie,” I said, resting a hand over my stomach. “By killing my boys.”
“I get it.” He lifted a hand to his temple. “Those who went after you in your home, I’m glad they’re dead. I would’ve done the same to protect you or Ry. But these people, they weren’t the ones who went after you.” He turned to Elias. “You had a chance to be better and show humans it didn’t have to end in bloodshed.”
“I guess that’s the difference between us,” Elias snarled. “You’re willing to sacrifice those you love to make the world better, while I’ll sacrifice the world for those I love.”
I took his hand, trailing my fingers across his arm. His grip on me tightened, but I felt him relax some of his power.
“Their deaths were swift and merciful,” Elias said. “I allowed them to see their families before they met their end, which is more than they would’ve done for me.”
“Merciful?” Donnie scoffed, folding his arms across hischest. “I’m sure that’s exactly how their families see it. The merciful king allowed them to say goodbye to their loved ones before he slaughtered them. You’re making enemies of the people living in your backyard. You’re killing soldiers in the compounds.” He shook his head. “You have no idea if some of them even want to be doing what they’re doing or if they’re being forced. And now you just killed—how many exactly did you kill? Or did their lives mean so little, you couldn’t bother?”
Elias shook with rage. “Do not push me.”
“Donnie,” I warned when he moved to stand in front of Elias, puffing out his chest. Although I kept my hand in Elias’s, I moved to shove Donnie back so I could stand between them. “That’s enough.”
“You’re right.” Donnie glared past me to Elias. “This is enough. When the shifters go back to the human realm, I’m going back with them.”
I put a trembling hand to my chest as I looked at one of my oldest friends. Was I about to lose him? Was I going to lose the very person who’d stood by me through everything life had thrown me?
“Donnie . . .” But I wasn’t sure what to say.
Donnie’s eyes shone with expectation while his lips pulled down in disappointment. Did he think I’d agree with him? I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’d seen those men and knew they would’ve killed Kieren if given the opportunity. He shook his head and looked at me as if he didn’t know who I was.
“I won’t live under a ruler who uses death as his first and only option.” He said each word slowly, but they felt like punches to my gut.
My heart cracked when he turned and started to bleed with every step he took away from us.
Ryenne came up to me and hugged me. “I’ll talk to him.”
I gripped her hand. “Do you agree with him?”
She chewed on the side of her thumb. “In theory, I’m all for those assholes dying. But in actuality? I don’t know, Ted.”
I nodded, trying to blink the threatening tears away, but I couldn’t ignore the way my chest tightened and twisted in this unfamiliar grief.
Nate wrapped his arm over Ryenne’s shoulder as they followed Donnie out of the forest the same way they’d come in.
Oh God.Donnie and Ryenne had always been my people. We were supposed to grow old together, our friendship strengthening as we aged so that even if old age stole our memories, we’d still remember each other. That was the promise we’d made each other when we were still in high school. Instead, I’d chosen to bind my life to Elias, aging as he did so that we’d have hundreds of years together. And now, for the first time ever, they’d walked away from me. Maybe I deserved the way my heart bled out in agony.
When Elias drew me to him, I went and let him cradle the back of my head to his hard chest. When a whimper slipped from the back of my throat, I nestled closer into Elias’s comforting arms.
“I’m sorry,”he said in my mind.“I once told you I’d honor what you deem right and wrong. I didn’t do that today. I should’ve spoken to you before I acted. I could’ve cast them out like you’d suggested.”
“No, you protected your family,”I said.
His arms held me securely, his chest warming the side of my face as I pressed against him.
