Page 154 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
“Adela said she and I should be the ones to speak to the commander,” Everly said. “That way she can tell him all the truths she and the other Elders kept hidden from us.”
Anger rose, but I swallowed hard to keep it down.
So many lies, half-truths, and manipulations to the point I didn’t know who we as fae were. Who our real gods were. Who watched over us or if they even bothered with us since we’d forgotten them. All while we did the dragons’ bidding and lowered ourselves to mere pets.
“Careful, Elias,”Nalari warned.
“I don’t mean you,”I told her.“Whether you want to have friends or not, you’re my friend, and I trust you.”
She was quiet, hesitant, before she said,“I will go with you back to Niev. While you speak with your parents, I’d like a few words with my Elders.”It came out calmly, but I felt the fury beneath her skin.“And you and I will work on channeling your instincts.”
“I’d like to bring Teddy with us,”I added. That was if she wanted to come.
“Brenton will want to come as well,”she said.“I don’t know what it is, but there’s a bond there that didn’t exist before.”
My temper rose quicker than I could push it down.“You’ve seen it too, right? Since she came back, he hasn’t stopped looking ather or following her around. The way he reacted with Adela to get her back—it’s not normal.”
“From what I can see, I don’t think he understands it either,”Nalari said.“He seems as confused by it as you do.”
“He can stay back and monitor my region while I’m gone.”
“If that is what you wish, but I don’t believe whatever this bond is is a bad thing,”Nalari said.“Your mate just saved your friend’s life. Are you so quick to discard him?”
No but . . . I knew this jealousy wouldn’t help any of us. It certainly wouldn’t charm Teddy in any way. I had to speak to Brenton to see where his head and heart were.
I cleared my throat, and all conversation halted.
“Tomorrow, Teddy, Nalari, Brent, and I will go back to Niev to speak to my parents,” I said but directed my next question to Teddy. “If you want?”
Teddy’s excitement quivered off her, making her fingers sparkle with the magic that now lived in her very soul. After I pressed a chaste kiss to her cheek, she cupped her hands around my face. Her magic sent small waves of electricity across my skin.
“I’m going with you?” she asked, her eyes wide. “I get to see your world and meet your parents?”
I kissed her nose, and she flung her arms around my neck. “I’d like you to,” I said low. “But only if you want to.”
She pushed me away only to sit on my lap. “Of course I want to, dummy.”
“Maybe don’t speak to him like that in front of his parents,”Nalari offered.
Teddy paled. “I. . . how do I act in front of your parents?”
“You should definitely curtsy when you meet them,” Brenton teased.
It reminded me of all the times my friends had bowed andcurtsied and tried to act as un-foolish as possible in front of my parents.
I shoved Brenton on the shoulder. I meant it as a joke, but when he winced and held his stomach, I immediately felt bad. Even worse when Teddy scolded me. Everly even hissed at me.
I expected Brenton to make a joke, maybe say something about milking his injury for years or centuries. He stayed quiet, though, and that unnerved me more than anything else.
There was no doubt that something had changed, and it wasn’t just whatever bond he now felt with Teddy.
“You act exactly as you are,” I told Teddy. “Call me an idiot, a fool, a dummy. Whatever you want but be you. My parents will love you. I promise.”
She looked back at me as if she didn’t believe me, but she nodded.
Brenton leaned toward us and patted Teddy’s knee. “If they love me even after all the chaos I’ve caused in their home, they’ll adore you.”
“I’m pretty sure they love you because of all the chaos,” she told him.
