Page 25 of Drawn in Blood
Ember rolled her eyes as she shut the door and watched both boys inspect the rich mahogany on the banister. “It’s quite big,” she breathed a small laugh. “Haven’t had much of a chance to explore yet, though. I’ve been a bit… preoccupied this morning.” Her breath caught as she remembered Theo, his bright green eyes staring at her from across the breakfast table. “I have something to tell you, but not here. Let’s go outside.”
Both boys exchanged a worried look and nodded wordlessly, following Ember out the door and into the garden. She sat on the edge of the fountain, feeling the sun beat down on her face as both boys looked at each other in worried silence.
“Find a body in the basement or something?” Fen laughed as he sat beside her.
Ember shook her head with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
Killian furrowed his brow, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he cocked his head. “What’s going on, Starshine?” he whispered.
Ember took a shaky breath. “I have a little brother,” she whispered, as she bit her lip. “I met him just a little while ago.”
Fen’s jaw hung slack as his eyebrows shot up his forehead.
“How is that even possible?” Killian asked, as he furrowed his brow.
“Well, Vargr,” Fen quipped, “when a mummy witch and a daddy witch love each other very much?—”
“Now is not the time, Fenrir James,” Ember scolded, as she rolled her eyes and turned toward Killian. “She was pregnant before the storm. He’s ten, and he’s mute.”
“He can’t talk at all?” Fen asked, as he leaned back on the fountain, dipping his hands in the water to play with the fish.
Ember shrugged. “Mum says he never has.”
“Can’t talk? Orwon’ttalk?” Killian asked, as he arched a brow.
Ember shot him a glare.
“Does he know sign language? Or any other way to communicate?” Killian continued, as he crossed his arms.
Ember shrugged again.
“Maybe telepathy?” Fen tapped his chin. Ember cut her eyes at him, and he threw his hands up in front of him. “Just a thought.”
Killian scoffed as he looked back up to the house. “Your mum has plenty of money to figure something out.”
Ember furrowed her brow angrily. “Are you saying she did this intentionally? That she has willingly neglected her son? Honestly, Killian, don’t be stupid.”
Killian’s eyes narrowed. “I’m saying there are alternatives to letting a child suffer in silence and not be able to communicate with his own mother, that’s all.”
Ember crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “She’s doing the best she can,” she argued. “She lost her husband and daughter and had to raise him on her own. Not everyone has it as easy as you do, Vargr.”
His face fell, and Ember immediately regretted her words. Killian had anything but an easy life, at least when it came to his family. His past was bloody and bruised, littered with hidden scars and terrible secrets. Ember closed her eyes as she bit her lip.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean that.”
Killian shrugged with a half smile. “I won’t lie and say I didn’t have it better than most in some ways.”
Ember caught Fen turning around out of the corner of her eye, and she whipped around to see him ogling at Maize pruning the trees around the yard.
“You have a dryad?” he whispered, as his jaw hung slack. “Youmustbe loaded.”
Ember rolled her eyes. “I don’thavea dryad,” she quipped. “He’s not a potted plant. He works here.”
“That’s not how that works with these types of families.” Killian laughed. “He might not be a Merrow, but he most certainly doesn’t do this because he wants to.”
Ember huffed. “Can we talk about anything other than my mother’s money please?” she groaned.
“Alright.” Killian smirked. “Are you ready for tryouts?”
