Page 175 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
“Isn’t this cozy?” Although her words were said in a whisper, I heard her taunt.
My muscles twitched in response. I searched George’s face for something. I wasn’t sure what. He held my gaze and only broke away when Everly gripped his hand.
Nalari landed near me, the thunderbirds all following. Sama rose to his feet, and after flapping his wings twice, he growled. His growl only grew louder when my uncle turned to Leanora and went to his knees on a bow.
At that moment, Brenton reached us, taking his position by Teddy’s side. Relief filled me at his words. Her friends, our friends were alive. Frozen like the other humans, but alive. All of them, including Javier and the girls.
My father hissed at Uncle Hudson, but it was the devastating look on my mother’s face that held me. It was to her I walked, breaking formation and leaving my fae and mate behind. I stopped when I reached the barrier.
“Was all this worth it?” I directed my question to my mother.
“Bringing you into this world was worth everything,” she answered.
I held my hands into tight fists, rage making my heart thunder.
“No,” I ground out. “Niev is in ruins. This human world is in ruins. There are fae dying in your dungeon. Humans have died because of you. Was your immortality worth all that’s been lost?” My chest rose and fell with each rapid breath I took.
She had the decency to look away while my father’s features fell. It was my uncle, though, who looked at me with loathing. I wondered if he’d always felt that way and had simply hidden it before coming to this realm. I wondered if the affection he’d shown me when I was younger, the timehe’d set aside to train and teach me, had all been a well-worn mask he could now take off.
Leanora’s smile was predatory. “I’ll make a deal with you, Elias,” she said, her voice too sweet, too innocent.
With a wave of her hand, she made a tear in the shield big enough for me to go through. After a quick glance at Teddy, I went in. A ripple of heat seared my skin.
I held my sword out, taking in the lirio and nyxx who had begun closing in around us. Attentive of my uncle, who continued to kneel before the mage who paid little attention to him.
Unarmed, Everly and George held themselves back to back, watching and ready to fight.
“Kill your parents,” Leanora said, licking her lips. “Spill their blood, and my people’s vengeance is met. I won’t destroy your world or this one.”
My mother’s eyes, so much like mine, held me. A soft smile curved the tips of her lips up, and she nodded in permission, understanding.
In my hand, my sword shook. I clenched it tighter and ground my teeth together. I took a step to my mother and heaved in a gasping breath.
My father called out, and I jerked my attention to him. He shook his head, a silentnoforming on his lips.
These were my parents. Imperfect in so many ways, I’d come to learn, but still my parents, who had never shown me anything but love.
My mother stretched her hand to hold my father’s, and when she went to her knees, he followed her.
“An unbreakable bargain,” I gritted out to Leanora as I kept my focus on my parents. “Tell me, on your word as a mage, that this bargain is unbreakable.”
“Yes, whatever.” She waved her hand, unbothered by what she required of me.
Emotions swelled in my throat, and I swallowed hard in the hopes of pushing it down. But this . . . was I really going to kill my parents? Was I willing to bind myself to a bargain that would kill me if I didn’t keep my word?
I thought of Teddy. Of my friends and the fae in the dungeons. Of Nalari who’d stood and fought by my side. Of the humans, although not blameless in many ways, who shouldn’t have to die because of my parents.
I could do it for them. I had to do it for them.
“Once my parents are dead”—my voice broke, but I refused to look away from them—“you are done. No more killing. You leave my realm and the human realm in peace. That is the deal.”
And damn another realm with her torment.
“A deal, a bargain,” Leanora said with a roll of her eyes. “Unbreakable, yes.”
At her agreement, the magic binding our bargain zapped between us. Leanora stared at her hands before her surprised gaze slammed into me.
“What did you do to me?” Her temper rose with the rapid beat of her heart.
