Page 11 of Fire Touched

Killian climbs up, his big limbs bunched and careful as he sits beside me. ‘Perhaps the magic here is unlike at Cinder. Are you worried?’ He strokes a hand over my back, rubbing soothing circles there.

‘I am,’ I admit. About a lot of things.

‘It’s probably the Starlight Witches who control it. I’ve never actually met one,’ he adds thoughtfully. Killian’s warm, auburn gaze finds me. ‘They won’t kick us out. If nothing else, the alpha won’t risk offending me and my father now that we’re here.’

Again, my gaze finds Ella and Carter. She’s managed to give him a plate of food without being rebuffed. She’s perched a couple of feet away, watching over him. Making sure he’s not alone.

‘That might be true for us, but what about them? I won’t let them go. If they go, I go.’

On top of the wall, Killian hugs me close. ‘I know, little wolf. I know. And wherever you go, I go. Wherever we go, Moira will go, and Elijah.’ Amusement fills his voice.

I can’t bring myself to ask him why he’s not more concerned. By ‘taking’ Carter from Water Pack, we’ve started something I’m not sure how to finish. Carter is the sole heir to the pack, and I know his uncle will hunt him to the ends of the earth to get him back.

As if sensing my distress, Killian snakes his arms around me, my back to his chest. ‘A little practice?’ He opens his palm before me, fire licking over his skin. ‘You can do it.’ His voice is hard as iron, soft as silk, in my ear.

I don’t bother arguing. Wanting to tell him that, in fact, no, I can’t. Instead, it’s easier just to try, knowing I won’t achieve anything, then, maybe he’ll leave me alone about it. I sigh and hold out my hand, but my mind isn’t on my fire. It’s on my friends. A desperate need to protect them burning through my gut.

Killian’s intake of breath grabs my attention. He kisses my temple over and over. ‘Good girl.’

I look down to see a small ball of fire sputtering in my palm. As I stare at it, determination wells within me, it solidifies. I look up at him.

‘You found something, a reason, didn’t you?’ Killian’s gaze is on the others. People I love, a new family I’ve come to care for more than anything. ‘Protecting them. That’s what’s fuelling you.’

I tilt my head back, my loose hair falling down my shoulders, to stare up at him. ‘Until I met you, I’d never had anything to fight for.’

Killian’s smile melts me. ‘Now, you have everything to fight for.’

**scene break**

With absolutely no warning or announcement, a large man comes stomping down one of the twin stone staircases of the estate, Prescott at his heels, as he makes a beeline for us, the guards scrambling to keep up.

The man storms into the courtyard. ‘Elijah!’ He barks. ‘Good to have you home! You brought Fire and Water wolves!’ Though the first half sounded as though he were happy about it, the large man’s words all sound gruff and accusatory.

Elijah rockets to his feet—nearly making Moira fall, which I’ll smack him for later. ‘Alpha, yes, good evening, sir, I, uh—I’m sure my father told you, this is my mate—’

The alpha, whose name I forget, doesn’t so much as look at Elijah’s mate. Instead, he jerks his head. ‘Inside boy, now. Bringing enemy wolves into my territory—’ he mutters angrily.

Elijah casts a backward glance at each of us, looking more worried than I’ve ever seen. ‘Prescott, watch them,’ alpha snaps at the rest of us, as though we hadn’t asked to stay here, and we’re about to bound off in three quick leaps like the lithe deer.

Prescott touches Elijah’s shoulder in reassurance before he and his alpha step inside, where he doesn’t wait until the door clicks closed before shouting, ‘ARE YOU MAD? Bringing them here—!’

I cringe for Elijah. ‘I thought you said at least Moira was welcome.’ I round on Prescott.

He lets out a shuddering breath. ‘I had hoped she would be. All of you,’ he adds. ‘Alpha is not… fond of strangers. Especially you. The Water alpha’s sole heir.’ Prescott nods at Carter. ‘And you. The son of the Fire alpha. Diplomatically, the lot of you present a tricky situation.’

‘Let me make it easier for you.’ I jump down from my perch. ‘We all stay. Together.’

Prescott tries to smile. ‘I admire that, I really do. Unfortunately, I don’t get the final say here.’ The Second’s gaze lands on Killian, a shadow passing over his kind features. It’s not enough to darken his expression, but he looks… haunted by something.

I size him up. ‘If you’re anything like your son, you’ll let us stay.’ I reach out and tug Prescott—well, he lets me, there’s no way I actually pull the man—and take Carter’s sleeve, and pull the two away from the others. In a low voice, I explain the situation with me, Carter, and what his bastard of an uncle did to him. Inwardly, I wince each time Carter’s shoulders tighten.

Prescott’s face darkens this time. ‘He did that?’ For the first time, he takes a good look at Carter. ‘I would kill someone for hurting my son.’ After a moment, he inclines his head. ‘You have good reason to be here. All of you. If you truly seek sanctuary and an alliance, I just need to know one more thing.’ His pale green gaze falls to me. ‘What’s stopping you from seeking it at Cinder? There’s something different about you. I feel it.’

I blink. Wow, okay. Points for directness. ‘I’m… not welcome at Cinder.’ Pain flares in my chest just saying it aloud, though I don’t miss the place, or the people. ‘I’m not pure Fire Wolf. I’m actually part Tide Witch. My mother is one.’

‘Huh.’ Prescott mulls this over for a moment. ‘I have to say, that makes me think even less of your alpha.’

‘Good.’ I fold my arms over my chest. ‘So?’ I prompt. Now that I strain my ears, I can tell the alpha is no longer shouting at Elijah. ‘Is he usually like that?’

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