Page 45 of Halfblood Deceived

Luce blinked at him. “The gargoyles are coming for us, aren’t they?”

Zeydan nodded. “Yes, but I, along with your uncles and dad, will keep you safe from them.” Goddess, please don’t let this promise be a lie, Zeydan prayed.

Luce frowned. “That’s not reassuring.”

Zeydan huffed, half smiling.

Evan shook his head and gave Luce a kiss on the cheek before gently placing her on a chair.

They all gazed at each other, not knowing what to say. ‘Goodbye’ felt like giving up to Zeydan. ‘See you later,’ like a lie.

His throat in knots, Zeydan left the room, trailed by Evan, feeling as if he’d left his heart behind.

CHAPTER 12

Aella awoke from a dreamless, deep sleep. She knew where she was this time.

The unfamiliar white ceiling and the scent of pine, citrus, and jasmine were calming.

She felt strangely steady.

The gaping chasm bisecting her very soul, full of shame and grief, was still there, but it didn’t hurt as much.

Nothing hurt as much as it ought to.

She moved her dry tongue and touched the teeth that she’d been certain would fall out. They were miraculously still there. Her side hurt, but like a day-old bruise, not like the massive, infected wound she should have.

Both of her eyes were working as well.

“Hi, Aella,” said a delicate voice.

Aella turned toward the sound, finding a girl with brown hair and large brown eyes standing by her bedside, a stuffed frog under her right arm. For a second, the image of another girl of similar age flashed in Aella’s mind’s eye, and she could hear heart-breaking screams echoing inside her head.

The girl tilted her head curiously and then jumped to sit beside Aella with supernatural agility. “Are you alright? Uncle Zeydan said you were hurt.”

“I—” Aella rasped but then stopped. What could she say? She wasn’t alright. “What’s your name?”

The girl smiled. “Luce. Uncle Lex says it’s short for Lucifer, but Dad says it is not and smacks the back of Uncle Lex’s head whenever he calls me that.”

Against all odds, Aella felt a corner of her mouth tilt up. “That’s a beautiful name, Luce.”

The door opened and in came two familiar females.

Luce pointed at Warrior-eyes. “This is Auntie Gabby.” Gabby smiled warmly at Aella. Luce pointed at the tiny fae. “And that is Auntie Mari.” She leaned closer to Aella, expression conspiratorial. “She acts mean, but she’s actually ‘the biggest softie in the world,’ according to Uncle Zeydan.”

Mari narrowed her eyes at Luce. “Stop spreading lies about me. I am mean.”

Luce giggled.

Aella tried to sit up, but her head spun.

“Easy,” Gabby advised, approaching Aella’s side and moving a button to make the bed’s top part rise.

Aella sighed. “Thank you.”

Gabby smiled at her, but her blue eyes showed concern, almost commiseration.

Aella avoided her gaze. She didn’t deserve pity. She had been a monster by association most of her life. How many times had she felt relieved to know the gargoyles had killed entire clans of supposedly evil vampires? How many times had she celebrated the gargoyles ‘triumphant’ return?

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