Page 129 of Drawn in Blood
Ember grinned as they made their way to the fire Fen had going, a pot of tea and some stew boiling over it. They sat around the fire, sipping tea and relishing in the quiet crackling as their eyes grew heavy. The Merrow had brought supplies, and several had taken the Fae children home. Blankets lay across the grass,several of the little ones already asleep, huddled up together around the fire.
“We thought it would be best to spend the night here,” Fen whispered, as he tossed them each a blanket. “We can rest and make our way home tomorrow.”
Home.
Ember smiled, laying her blanket on the ground as her eyes grew heavier. Theo curled up beside her, and soon, he was snoring. Ember couldn’t help the smile that took over. They were safe and whole, all in one piece, and they would never have to return to that cold chateau or stuffy castle ever again. A weight settled in her chest as visions of her mother flitted through her mind—blood pouring on the floor, the woman who gave her life taking her last breath at her feet. She held Theo’s hand as his eyes grew heavy, and he gave her a very gentle squeeze.
I’m here.
Killian laid down beside her, lacing his fingers through hers as he laid on his back, one hand behind his head.
“I’m here,” he whispered. “You can talk to me or not talk to me, but I’m here.”
Ember stared at the ceiling of the cavern, her eyes beginning to droop, until sleep finally consumed her.
She had no dreams that night.
Chapter 40
To be Loved is to be Known
“Out of all of the stupid, rash, irresponsible things you have done, this one has to take the cake.”
Ember opened her eyes, sunlight pouring in from the mouth of the cavern, and a tall man stood in front of their fire. Ember bolted upright, reaching for the knife still strapped to her thigh.
“Siris!” Maeve squealed, bounding across the cave, and leaping into her brother’s arms.
Osiris held her tight, squeezing her as he closed his eyes. “Hi, Maevie,” he whispered.
“Do you think if we had any other options,” Fen asked, as he kicked out what was left of the fire that they had left burning from the night before, “we wouldn’t have used them? This was time sensitive.”
“You could’ve talked to me,” Osiris said, as he set Maeve back on the ground, fixing them all with a pointed stare. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“I saved my sisters,” Fen said, as he pointed at Ember and Maeve, “along with a dozen other children. You’ve barely said two words to meet since you got home. Why would I ask you for help?”
Osiris rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re such a feckin’ child,” he hissed.
“Well, at least I don’t run away from my family just because things get hard.”
Osiris looked like Fen might as well have slapped him. He quickly shook away the shock, clenching his jaw as his nostrils flared. “Now is not the time, Fenrir.”
“It’s never the time, is it?” Fen replied. “How did you find us anyway?”
Osiris fished his phone out of his back pocket and tossed it onto the grass in front of them. Fen picked it up, and a map was on the screen with a blinking dot. Fen’s jaw went slack, and he narrowed his eyes at his older brother.
“I’ve been working on this app for two years,” he mumbled. “How did you finish it?”
“You’re not the only one in this family with an affinity for technology.” Osiris almost grinned. “I finished the code weeks ago, just to give myself something to do, something else to think about. When I woke up last night and saw that you were gone, and that my tracking spell wasn’t working, I decided to give it a go.” He shrugged as he stuck his hands in his pockets. “It gave me your last known location, and then this morning when I checked again, it had updated. Likely when you were finally through the wards.”
“What are you,” Fen mumbled, “some sort of secret genius?”
Osiris shot him a grin. “Oh, it’s not a secret.”
Ember narrowed her eyes at the oldest Kitt. “How did you know there were wards?” she asked, hand grazing the handle of her knife.
Osiris shifted his eyes, the muscles in his jaw tensing.
“You know about the city, don’t you?” Ember asked.
