Page 58 of Fire Touched

‘O… kay.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Elijah offers. ‘It’s just… we can’t risk other people finding out. What we’re protecting is… important. Sorry.’

Verron’s words ring in my ears. Secret weapon.

‘I’m glad you have something that protects you.’ Even if you don’t trust me enough to share it with me. Maybe one day.

‘I don’t know about you lot,’ Moira chimes in, clearly trying to change the subject, ‘but I miss Ella and Katie, and no offence baby, but your cooking sucks.’ She pecks Elijah on the cheek.

‘What do you think they’re doing in the town centre?’ Elijah wraps an arm around Moira’s waist. The intimate, natural gesture makes me ache for my mate.

Carter smiles. ‘Another thing Ella’s great at. Making friends.’

Moira opens her mouth, but Elijah squeezes her, hiding a smile. ‘Right, let’s go find them.’

Chapter Thirty

Killian

To Moira’s annoyance, I push the conversation back to politics, or should I say history, as Elijah leads us down a long and stretching path toward the town centre. Hopefully we’ll have Ella back in time for her to make us dinner. I’m still starving. ‘So, eighteen years ago, after the… the battle—’

‘Massacre,’ Elijah corrects, a little tersely.

‘Sorry. Massacre,’ I continue, ‘what happened after that? Did Verron declare war on the packs? Did he retaliate?’

In contrast to the bright sun sliding toward the horizon, our conversation is bleak. I know I’m bringing everyone down, but Verron keeps shutting me out. I need to know what’s happened in the past (for my own peace of mind) and to understand the reticence I face now, trying to forge an alliance.

Elijah shakes his head. ‘No. He couldn’t do that. Even after the massacre, he didn’t want revenge or more death.’ His green eyes meet mine, bright with sadness. ‘He just wanted friends. Peace. Trade. For us all to make each other stronger.’

‘And it blew up in his face,’ I finish. ‘Yeah. I can see why he might be reluctant to try again.’ The memory of the man who stood up last night, the hurt and anger in his eyes still haunts me. What did my father do to incur such lasting wrath and pain?

‘Why are you so set on this?’ Moira asks. ‘Just leave him alone if he doesn’t want your alliance.’ She slides a hand into Elijah’s, as though trying to protect him from this conversation.

‘He can’t,’ Carter says, to my surprise. ‘I know my uncle, and now… now that he has Courtney, he’ll launch an attack at Terran for keeping him prisoner. Even with whatever secret weapon you guys have, you’re too gun-shy to use it.’

‘What makes you say that?’ Elijah bristles.

‘Because we haven’t seen or heard of it, despite two attacks from my pack so far,’ Carter says. ‘Whatever it is, you’re not keen on using it, and that’s fine, but Verron’s going to need friends sooner than later. That shiny barrier is all well and good, but it can’t stay up forever. With, say, Killian’s Fire Pack, my uncle wouldn’t dare come at you.’

Moira rolls her eyes. ‘You make it sound like the packs haven’t gone years, decades, without us all holding hands. We can handle ourselves fine.’

Elijah chuckles. ‘My independent girl.’

He and Moira walk ahead a little, leaving me alone to get lost in my thoughts.

‘You’re very determined with all this, aren’t you?’ Carter says from my elbow.

‘Ah. I forgot you were here.’

‘Thank you,’ Carter says dryly. ‘I mean it. Where’s all this coming from? I thought it was me and Katherine supposed to do all this fixing.’

I stare out at the great, open expanse as a smattering of buildings comes into view. Far ahead, I can see the stallholders starting to pack up as darkness descends. ‘Yeah, maybe. But it wasn’t your father who might’ve led a coup. I… don’t even know what happened to my mother. And my dad… he’s always been so stubborn. Too good at just… staying home in his corner.’ I lower my gaze. ‘He didn’t even want me to go after Katherine. I hate it, but I’m starting to think that maybe he’s a coward. I don’t want to be like that. I don’t want our Pack to be seen that way. And if he, or my pack, have made this huge mistake, I feel like it’s on me to make it right. At the very least, I’m going to find out why I grew up without a mother.’

It takes me several moments too long to realise. ‘Shit.’ I cut a glance at Carter, who’s paled, and trained his gaze far off into the distance. ‘What… what happened to your parents?’

Carter clears his throat. ‘Does it matter? They’re gone.’ He picks up his pace, but I grab his arm.

‘Look, I’m an idiot. Sorry.’

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