Page 100 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
From above, Nalari roared in anger. Or maybe it was an echo of the pain Elias now felt.
“Tell your Guardian?—”
“Tell me yourself,”a feminine voice said in my head.
I stumbled and would have fallen if Elias wasn’t there to catch me. I pushed him away.
“What is this?” I yelled.
My mind seemed to shuffle as if someone was sifting through it, searching through my thoughts and memories.
“Do not try to hide from me,”the voice said again.
I whirled around to see where the voice had come from, but only Elias was there. He wore a worried expression as he watched me without approaching.
“I’m not,” I yelled into the forest.
Panicked, I gripped the sides of my head, turning slowly in another circle.
“Teddy.” Elias reached a hand toward me.
This time, I had no control over the tears that fell like a stream down my face.
Elias gripped my shoulders, and I was too tired, too scared to shake him off.
“What did you do to me?” I accused.
“It’s Nalari,” he said. “She chose to be your Guardian.”
“I don’t want her in my head. I don’t want her. Tell her, Elias. Tell her.”
Quietly, he stared up at the night sky for a few beats. Suddenly, my mind felt weightless. Like nothing was holding it down, and it could float away. When I stumbled again, Elias caught me.
Stepping away, I pointed a shaky finger at him. “You,” I hissed out. “I don’t want you in my life. Go away.”
If it was possible, his expression fell even further. “I can’t. You’re in danger.”
Of course I was in danger. This man. . . this fae had brought that danger straight to me.
Because he’d thought I was in trouble. Ihadbeen introuble. The man, Javier’s father, hadn’t been able to lift the refrigerator. His every helpless attempt had sent searing pain through me. Elias had saved me. Logically, I knew that. But he’d also killed an innocent man. He’d damned my world.
Nothing could justify that. Except. . .
No. Nothing justified murdering not just Javier’s dad but the thousands of people around the world who died because of this winter.
“If this Leanora is real, I need to be around to protect you.” He hesitated, seeming to regret the words he was about to say. “Are you using soul magic, Teddy?”
“What?” I screeched. “Am I. . .?”What?“What the hell are you talking about?”
Anger roared in my veins. He had the nerve to ask me—me—if I was using magic.
“If I had magic, do you think I’d rely on you or any other fae?” I seethed. “I’d take care ofmy peopleby myself. We wouldn’t need you or your kind.”
My voice sounded so ugly and bitter and hateful.
It was my heart that clamored and shattered at his betrayal.
“It’s not that kind of magic,” he explained, holding his hands up. “If you say you’re not using it, then you’re not using it. I believe you, but with the journal and all, Nalari wanted me to ask.” He spoke slowly, weighing each word while he studied my face. “Nalari believes you’re in danger, Teddy. You can hate me as much as you want. . .”
