Page 93 of Riot of Autumn

“Don’t look at her like that. Fix it.”

Lena’s gaze flashes up at me, but she’s not offended. She steals herself, her shoulders straightening, and then she nods. She places a hand on Ruby’s forehead and grabs one of Ruby’s hand with the other. Lena’s body jerks and she gasps, gritting her teeth together as her fingers squeeze tighter. A low whine escapes Lena’s mouth and then Archer is there, placing his hand on the back of Lena’s neck. Their power lights up in the bond that we all share, and I feel the strain. Lena’s already tapped out from calling on the dead to protect us tonight. Trying to heal Ruby right now is like getting water from an empty tap. There’s nothing left to give.

“What do we do?” I beg, not sure who I’m asking.

Davis steps into our small circle. “We throw those Fae back to Fairy, close the veil, then we figure out what Ruby needs to get better.”

“I’m not just leaving her here while we clean up the garbage,” I snarl up at Davis.

He drops a hand to my shoulder. “I’d never suggest it. You stay right here with Ruby. We’ll send all these bastards back where they belong. Then we’ll close up the veil. You don’t even have to move.”

I don’t. I keep Ruby’s body cradled to mine, oblivious to the world around us. Not giving a shit that we won, if it means I’ve lost the most important person in my life. Maybe that makes me a terrible person, but I don’t give a fuck.

35

EZRA

It’s been thirty-six hours. A day and a half of Ruby being asleep. A day and half without having a stupid argument with the woman I love or seeing her dressed in a Nelson Brothers t-shirt.

Closing the veil held no satisfaction. There was no victory or feeling of good triumphing over evil. I watched as the others tossed the Fae, now devoid of any magical powers, through the veil, including Scott. He wanted to be part of the Fae world so badly. Let’s see how they treat a magic-less human who thinks he’s better than everyone.

The rest of the Fae won’t fare much better. Ruby took every ounce of magic they possessed, meaning there’s no way for them to siphon powers off other Fae. They are, for all intents, humans. It seemed like a fitting solution when we were planning. But now it’s unimportant. Emric followed them after a round of thanks and goodbyes, and then we’d sealed the veil back up. Like none of this happened, and it was all just a bad dream. Except I can’t wake up from this nightmare.

We brought Ruby back to my place and Lena tried to heal her again. Then again, after she had some time to rest and build her strength up. She’d wasted some of her magic healing me, despite my angry protests.

“You can’t help her if you die from some unknown Fae snake poison.” Lena’s words had been broken, filled with frustration and anger. Lena, who values knowledge more than just about anything, hated that she couldn’t find the answer to this in her books.

Our friends have been camped out in my living room while I haven’t left the bedroom. After I found some shorts to throw on, I’ve been lying in bed beside Ruby, trying to get her to wake up. Axil is curled up by her feet, only moving when he has to go outside or to eat. Then he loyally trots back into the room and settles into his spot once again.

“Axil wants to go play in the water, and you know I’m not good for that. So, I’m going to need you to wake up.”

I brush the hair back off her face, grazing her cheek with the backs of my fingers.

“Archer keeps threatening to come in here and sing for you. He says it’ll be soothing, but we both know how horrible his singing voice is. Would you really subject us all to that?” I lace our fingers together, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles.

“Zara said she’s going to steal your clothes back if you don’t wake up soon. I saw her wearing your favorite pair of Docs earlier. What are you going to do about it?” I sigh, rolling to my back and throwing an arm up over my eyes.

I’m exhausted and really fucking emotional at the moment. I want to cry and scream. I don’t think I’ve been this scared since that day on the water when my father left me for dead.

“Last year, I was the one who sent you the dick confetti and glitter gram. You went on a date with that idiot, Jeremy, and I was pissed.”

Fuck it. If Ruby won’t react to my sweet talking, I’m going to do what I always do to get her riled up.

“Remember when you kept getting calls from people asking about the monster dildo for sale? It’s because I put an ad in Craigslist and listed your number in there. And you know how your phone always autocorrects the word ‘yes’ to ‘potato’? That’s because I reprogramed your phone to swap them.”

“I still get phone calls for that dildo, you dick.” Ruby’s voice is scratchy and rough, but it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.

I whip my arm from my face and jerk upright, only to stare down at my favorite color green in the whole world. My heart’s beating so hard it nearly bursts from my chest when Ruby lifts her arm and slowly flips up her middle finger.

“Ruby?” Her name flies from my lips on a cry, but I move slowly. Grabbing some water from the nightstand, I help her sit up and take a drink.

“Never imagined you playing nursemaid, Ezzie.”

“I am a doctor, Cube.”

“You’re a vet. Are you calling me an animal?”

“Only in the sack.”

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