Page 133 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
“All of you.” I pointed at the three males. “It’ll be fun.”
At least more fun than the day had been for Elias. I hoped.
I flagged Javier down, and they ran up to us after he got the girls. Only Jasmine grumbled when I told them it was time to go home. As usual, she’d be the first to fall asleep.
“It’s a competition to see who sings better,” I explained to my fae friends.
“Hee-haw always wins,” Donnie told them.
I rolled my eyes. “Elias seems to be good at everything he does, so my money’s on him.” I tapped my finger against my lips. “Except cooking. He said he’s awful at that.” I sidled up next to him. Taking his hand in mine, I enjoyed the warmth that emanated from his large hand. “I still think you’re full of shit and just trying to get out of it.”
Brenton barked out a laugh, with George and Everly joining him.
“Not a lie,” Everly said.
“He gave everyone in our tavern food poisoning once,” George told us.
I laughed. “They’re joking?” I asked, peering up at him.
He pushed my beanie down to cover my eyes. And that single, playful moment made my heart soar.
“I told you I was bad at cooking.” His grin was crooked with a hint of mischief.
“But food poisoning bad?” I gave Brenton a pointed look. “Does Brenton know what happens with food poisoning?” I teased. “How did his poor, delicate ears handle it?”
Brenton dropped a heavy arm over my shoulders andpulled me to him. “It wasn’t my poor ears that suffered, but my nose.” He fake gagged.
When Javier scooped down to pick up Juanita, Victoria asked me to do the same. My back protested, but I didn’t like denying her any form of comfort or affection, knowing she’d gone without when her mom was still around. It’d been almost four months since Collette had taken off. I just hoped that she was safe wherever she was and nothing bad had happened to her.
“I’ve got her.” Elias knelt to pick her up, and she snuggled in close to him with her arms around his neck.
George knelt in front of Jasmine, helping her up as she climbed onto his back. Once she was settled, he hopped around a few times, making her giggle.
My throat tightened with emotion. One horrible decision to protect and defend me had ruined a huge part of Jasmine, Juanita, and Javier’s life.
As if he heard my thoughts, George peered back at me before he cast his eyes down.
It wasn’t just Elias who lived with that guilt.
I weighed whether they should tell Javier—ifI should tell Javier. Weighed whether the cost of telling him was worth lessening some of that guilt we carried.
There wasn’t a word for what happened although I’d once called it murder. It wasn’t an accident and was far worse than a mistake.
But these were all terms I’d use for humans. Not warrior fae, who sought to eliminate who they saw as a threat to Elias’s mate. Who they’d thought had tried to kill me.
It didn’t make what they did right. It didn’t make them monsters either.
At home, Hee-haw greeted us at the door, where he dartedoutside to do his business. We met in my living room once the girls were in bed.
“Karaoke’s gonna wake up the girls,” I said, wrinkling my nose.
I wanted to do something fun for Elias, though. Wanted him to enjoy some part of today.
“Tell the three foolish males to get out their instruments and play outside,”Nalari offered.
“He’ll enjoy that?”
She huffed.“It’s one of his favorite things to do.”
