Page 138 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
I wanted to stand, to hug the male who was like a brother to me.
“You got the children out.” I pressed another kiss to Teddy’s head when she shifted to peer up at George.
He swallowed. “My magic came back,” he said quietly, rubbing a hand across Victoria’s back. “I saw what was going to happen. I. . .” He shook his head.
“They’re alive because of you,” I told him. “Nothing else matters.”
“I put you and Brent in danger,” he repeated, his eyes dimming to a lighter brown.
“No,” I started, but Teddy stopped me with a kiss to the corner of my mouth.
Without saying anything, she crawled off my lap, and when she stood in front of George, she wrapped her arms around his midsection and over Victoria’s back. She drew back to kiss Victoria, who held out her arms to Teddy.
Cradled in her arms, Teddy wiped Victoria’s tears although her cheeks were wet with her own.
“There are no words sufficient to thank you, George. You saved us all. Thank you,” Teddy said.
George nodded, and she hugged Victoria closer to her. Somehow, Javier carried both his sisters when he went to George to talk to him. With Victoria in her arms, Teddy stepped into my outstretched arms while we watched the flames consume her home. Hee-haw brayed from where he watched us beside Everly.
Teddy flinched with each crack and pop her roaring house made, but I only heard her resigned sigh. I only saw the shadows that fell behind her eyes. Only felt her despair.
She took a step forward and then another. When her bottom lip wobbled, she dug her face against Victoria’s neck. Her shoulders lifted when she took another deep breath and swayed when Donnie drew her to his side.
“I’m sorry, Ted.” He kissed the top of her head.
She shook her head, her grip on Victoria tightening. I fisted my hands beside me, not sure what to do for her.
“Everyone’s okay.” Her hollow words shook while more tears fell down her face.
“We can rebuild your cottage,” George offered, his tone gentle. “Make it however you want.”
Her throat bobbed as she stared at her crumbling house. Just stared.
George and I went up to her house and called our magic to turn the fallen snow into rain. Slowly, the fire gave out, yet nothing but rubble remained, whereas mere moments ago, the house was alive with chatter and joy.
The flames of my anger threatened to erupt just as savagely as her house had. My limbs shook from the anger—for what they’d done to Teddy. To those she loved. All to get to me.
If these people, these humans, wanted to play, it wouldn’t only be Nalari who hunted them down. The ones I’d killed haddied too swiftly. They didn’t experience the terror I had when I heard the explosion. The anguish Teddy now felt.
Brenton put a heavy hand on my shoulder and squeezed. His face was ashen, but he ticked his mouth into one of his mischievous smiles.
“Highness, think you can spare a moment to heal your humble servant?” It came out light, but I felt his pain. Smelled the blood that poured from a wound I didn’t know he had.
He held his other hand over his abdomen, where blood spilled fast.
“Vith, Brent,” George growled.
Brenton let out a hiss when George helped him sit on the snowy ground.
“I saw you get shot and didn’t want you getting all the attention.” Brenton winked.
I knelt in front of him while Everly asked George about where he’d been shot. But with George’s magic back, he’d been able to heal himself.
“Lie down, asshole,” I grunted.
I helped him the rest of the way down. Teddy sat and rested his head onto her lap. Brenton smiled this wicked smile as he waggled his brows at me.
“I think Teddy likes me,” the idiot said.
