Page 45 of Fire Touched

‘Can I please just wear jeans?’ Ella whines.

Moira looks like Ella’s slapped her. ‘No!’ She looks to her mate for support.

‘My dad did specify gowns and suits.’ Elijah brushes the top of my head fondly, finished with my hair. ‘If I may?’ He takes a dress from Moira and hands it to Ella. ‘I think you would look lovely in this. Carter can wear a grey tie to match.’

Ella’s pale cheeks flush darkly. ‘What? Why would he match me?’

We all hide our smiles.

‘Well, you know, you’re… both Water wolves.’ Moira turns, examining the remaining dresses.

‘Exactly, yes,’ Elijah says, his face betraying him. ‘Great, go change! Shoo!’

Ella shuffles out of my and Killian’s room. We all burst into laughter. ‘Smooth, you two.’ I get up and head to change in the bathroom. I waggle my finger at Elijah and Moira. ‘You two are not allowed to have sex on my bed while I’m getting ready. Is that clear?’

‘Of course we won’t,’ Elijah says. Moira pouts. ‘Just out of curiosity though, how long would you say you’ll need? At least… twenty minutes, right?’

I make a disgusted sound and laugh. ‘I’m going to get changed, which will take one minute, then I need Moira’s help for my hair and makeup.’

Moira deflates a little, but nods. ‘That’s very true.’

I flip her off and close the door.

** scene break**

We all convene in the loungeroom-kitchen before leaving. Elijah and Moira walk down with me. ‘You look lovely.’ Elijah briefly squeezes my hand and I smile at him. I’m wearing a long black, sleeveless, nearly backless dress, with my red hair in an elegant do-up on my head. Thankfully, the heels are modest, not too tall, or I’d be falling over already.

Moira looks striking. Instead of burgundy, she went with green silk. Elijah can’t take his eyes off her. Her red hair is sleeked back, her eyes painted with dark make up.

Ella smiles in her grey dress, simple and beautiful. Carter is wearing a darker grey suit, matching tie and shoes. While his hair isn’t combed back, it looks like someone’s given it a trim, and it really suits him.

I glance around. ‘Where’s Killian?’

‘I helped him with his tie,’ Elijah says. ‘Maybe he went back to finish helping set up.’ He casts me an apologetic look. ‘I’m sure we’ll meet him there.’

‘What an ass,’ Moira says.

I’m inclined to agree. For many reasons. ‘That’s fine.’ I toss my head back. ‘I can walk myself.’ Before the others can give me too many pitying looks, I march forward, toward what I expect to be a very long night.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Killian

Dressed, I sneak out of the guesthouse before anyone notices. I don’t want to ruin their night together. I cringe at the thought of not being there to help Katherine. But she doesn’t want or need me. That, I’m sure of.

My mind keeps going back to my conversation with Prescott. How calm and reasonable he’d been. I’d never thought I had a bad father, I’d just never realised what a good one could be like.

Which is what led me here.

The underground dungeon is cold. I shiver in my jacket as I push the cell door open, stepping inside. Julian’s cell is trashed. There are streaks of blood on the walls, the mattress on the cot is tipped over. There’s even half a dozen dents in the stone, as though his fist had needed some place to go, and found one.

‘Contemplative tonight, are we?’ Elga’s voice echoes.

I turn to find her in a long, shimmering purple gown, cut modestly at her chest, with glittering long sleeves. ‘You look lovely.’ Even I can hear the melancholy in my voice.

‘Hmm. Thank you.’ She closes the distance between us. ‘You know, I’ve seen a lot in my time, young wolf, but never a bond the likes of which you have severed. That connection between Carter and Katherine, to me, it looked like a bright silver cord between them. Something to hold onto in hard times.’ Elga stares into the cell, her eyes glassy. ‘Julian is a cruel man. I’ve… seen the Water boy suffer at his hands.’ Anger edges her voice.

‘You have?’ What must that be like? To see something, and be unable to help?

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