Page 68 of Drawn in Blood
“Mind if I ask who they’re for?” Cormac asked, as he popped open a box and dropped the coins in.
Killian grinned as he stuffed a hand in his pocket. “They’re for a friend’s birthday,” he replied. “It’s a bit late, but I thought they would be nice.”
“Would it happen to be that girl I see you running around town with? You and Fenrir?”
Killian nodded with a small smile. “Ember.” He breathed her name like it was an enchantment. Saying it out loud gave him goosebumps.
“Ah, yes,” Cormac nodded, “Ember Lothbrok, the Kitts’ girl?”
Killian’s grin faded slightly. “She’s back with her mum now actually,” he replied, “but yes, that’s her.”
Cormac looked toward the ceiling, like he was thinking very hard about something.
“Well, wish her a happy birthday for me,” he said finally, “and tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t fix the spell on her ring unfortunately, but I hope it’s holding up well.”
Killian furrowed his brow and nodded. “Sure,” he replied and walked out the door. He thought about turning around to askwhatspell was on her ring, but the weight in his pocket reminded him that he had things to do.
He patted his pocket one last time, making sure the box was still safe inside, and hopped on his AirWave to head home. He could’ve taken the Echopoint and saved a ton of time, but there was something freeing about feeling the air high above the island kiss his cheeks as he sped through the low hanging clouds.
He landed on the balcony outside of his room, not bothering to go through the front door. He swung the door open, leaning his AirWave against the wall, and pulled the little box from hispocket, placing it gently on the desk beside him. He pulled out the chair, sitting down to get to work, pouring over the book still open on the top of his desk. He opened the box, mumbling spells against the cold metal when his bedroom door swung open. Killian didn’t bother to look up as Rafe walked in, leaning against the side of his desk and snatching the small box out of his reach.
“Who’s this for, little brother?” He grinned as he tossed it in the air. “Have yourself amotI don’t know about?”
Killian made to snatch it from his hand but missed as he yanked it above his head. “She’s not my girlfriend,” Killian hissed, as he narrowed his eyes, “and even if she was, why would I tell you?” He huffed as he tried to grab the box again, but his brother yanked it further away. “What do you want, Rafe?”
“Da’ says Uncle Malcom is coming by tonight.” He grinned as he tossed the box into his brother’s hands. “He wants you to come to the meeting.”
Killian rolled his eyes. “My answer is the same as it has been,” he almost growled. “I don’t want anything to do with them or their dark dealings.”
“You can only run from them for so long you know,” Rafe replied, as his face grew serious. “Eventually, they’re going to find something that you love so desperately that you would do anything to protect it. They’ll latch onto that, dig their claws in, and make you taste the blood. You can’t hide from who you are forever.” He spoke like he had felt it—like the loss of something he loved rattled around inside of him.
Killian felt the wolf under his skin scratch, clawing against his bones for an escape. He wanted to run, wanted to shed his human skin and sprint deep into the woods, anything to escape this house for just a moment.
When he was little, the change was something he couldn’t control. Every time he got upset about dinner or something hisfather had said or hearing the way his knuckles cracked against his mother’s jaw, the wolf would claw its way out, ripping open his skin and shredding him from the inside out. He thought he had died the first time—truly thought he was dead and in Hel—until his mother’s soft voice brought him back. The way she rubbed his head and sang him her lullaby rippled in his veins until he was just a little boy again, curled in his mother’s lap while she sang blessings against his hair.
He had learned to control the wolf now, learn how to cage it in and only release it when he wanted to, but there were still moments when the control was hard. There were moments when he felt it brush up against his ribs, inside his chest, searching for a weak point to break free.
He took a steady breath as he narrowed his eyes at his brother. “You can tell our uncle and father,” he spat, “that I won’t be attending.” He turned his head and continued his work, not paying his brother any mind as he walked out the bedroom door, closing it quietly behind him. Killian sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. They would not get to him the way they had Rafe, the way they surely would to Lief. Not if he had anything to say about it.
Chapter 20
Protection Braids
“Aspell of safety here I cast, a word of might to hold me fast, a shield before me and behind, to right and left, protection bind. To me may no harm or ill whit come. By power of three, my magic is from. With the sacred light around me, as above, so below, blessed be.”
Ember twirled her finger quickly through her hair, spinning small braids throughout with a precision that had become second nature at this point. She wove in small beads carved with runes as she went, and then quickly pulled everything back into a ponytail. She felt the magic woven into her hair, the protection the words provided. Every now and then, she would see small wisps of light float around her fingers, but she did her best to ignore them. After what happened in Elemental Magic, she wasn’t eager to toy with them again.
Ember laced up her shoes, gathered her AirWave and gloves, and made her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs, stumbling into the foyer and almost running directly into Aoife.
“Mum.” She smiled, slightly out of breath, blowing a stray hair from in front of her eyes.
“Hello, my love.” She kissed the top of Ember’s head. “Going somewhere?”
Ember’s stomach dropped, willing her face not to fall with it as she bit her bottom lip. “My first Rukr game is tonight,” she replied, almost a whisper. She looked down at the briefcase in her hands, taking note of the way her hair was pinned back and she had on a nice dress shirt. “You’re not coming?” She tried not to look as disappointed as she felt, but she could feel tears pricking the corner of her eye.
“Oh, my love,” Aoife replied, “I’m so sorry. I completely forgot. I have a meeting this evening, and I just can’t miss it.”
“Right, of course.” Ember nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
