Page 22 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg
“Let’s give her some time to settle down,” I say, forcing myself to stay calm. My hands curl into fists at my sides as I watch Dad finally unfurl his wings and press a kiss to Mina’s forehead.
“Let’s get you fed and tucked in for the night,” Dad says gently, and Mina nods, following him without hesitation.
Mom approaches then, her face pale but her eyes blazing with fury. Her next words shock me to my core. “I want to kill Abaddon myself and hang him by his intestines,” she growls, her usually sweet, gentle demeanor shattered.
“Mom!” I step forward, gripping her shoulders gently but firmly. “What did she tell you? Please, I need to know.” My voice is barely above a whisper, a plea I’ve never uttered in my entire existence.
Mom draws in a shaky breath. “He killed her because he found out she had sex with someone before being mated to you. If it wasn’t for Iris, she wouldn’t be here with us now.” Tears spill down her cheeks, and my heart feels like it’s been ripped from my chest.
Mina told us she had died before but never why. “She said it was a malfunction,” I murmur, glancing at Vaughn and Callan, who look just as shaken.
“Itwasa malfunction,” Mom says bitterly. “But one he caused. Mina figured it out after she was healed.”
“He tried to teach her a lesson,” Callan mutters, his face ashen as he staggers back. “And it went too far.”
“Exactly,” Mom confirms.
The weight of her words presses down on me, suffocating, but I force myself to move. We follow her into the dining room, where Dad sits with Mina, coaxing her to eat and drink. She looks so small, so fragile, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to scoop her up and vow vengeance right then and there.
But vengeance can wait. Right now, all that matters is her.
The moment the guys and I step into the room, Mina’s gaze snaps to us. Her eyes linger on my father, and then she’s moving—quickly, purposefully. Without a word, she draws Vaughn, Callan, and me into her orbit until we surround her on three sides. For the first time since her world shattered, I see her take a full, deep breath. She closes her eyes and leans back, her head resting against my chest as though I’m her anchor. Her hands press lightly to Vaughn’s and Callan’s chests, grounding herself in us.
“I’ll be okay,” she whispers, her voice low but firm. “Vox says I should talk to someone.”
She lifts her head, glancing between the three of us, searching for something. “I can take you to see the school counselor,” Callan offers, his tone gentle as he reaches out to touch her cheek.
“Can you go with me, Callan? Or … can I bring Ziggy so I can leave quickly if I need to?” She shifts her gaze between us, her vulnerability bleeding through.
“I’ll go with you,” Callan says with a small laugh, his fingers brushing her cheek again. “Why me?” he teases, leaning in to kiss her softly.
Mina smiles, a faint but genuine curve of her lips, and boops him on the nose, playful despite everything. “Because I’m not afraid of you losing your temper.” Her words are light, but the meaning behind them settles like a stone in my chest. She trusts him to hold his temper in check.
She tugs on my arm next, pulling me toward a table near where my parents sit. I let her drag me, her small hand warm against my skin. Once we’re there, she pushes me into a chair, climbing onto my lap without hesitation. Her fingers find my wings, gently coaxing them until they fold around her. A cocoon of shadow and warmth. “Oh, I want my eggs,” she says suddenly, sticking her hands out toward Callan with an expectant look.
Callan sighs but gives in, handing her the carrier with obvious reluctance. Her delighted squeal is sharp and bright, cutting through the tension like a blade.
“Eggs?” My mother and father speak at the same time, their voices tinged with disbelief.
Mina doesn’t miss a beat, holding up the black and red eggs with a reverence that’s both fierce and tender. “Meet Klauth,” she says, lifting the red egg before pulling it back to her lap. “And meet Thauglor,” she adds, displaying the black one with the same proud energy. Once both eggs are nestled back in her lap, she strokes their surfaces gently, her contentment palpable as she leans fully into me again.
“How did you end up with two cursed eggs?” my mother asks, handing Mina a steak kebab without hesitation, as though this situation is entirely normal.
“Lucky, I guess,” Mina says with a mischievous smile, biting into the kebab as she nestles deeper into my chest. Her fingers tug my wings tighter around us, her small laugh soft but real. The warmth of her trust—fragile, but growing—is something I’d guard with everything I am.
CHAPTER 13
Mina
One week later…
They’ve pulled me from classes for a week, giving me space to attend therapy sessions without the added stress of rushing to lectures. My guys and our nest mates have kept me up to date with the War Path studies, letting me move at my pace. I’ll admit it—some days are easier than others.
Today isn’t one of those days. Today, the weight of everything keeps me tethered to my bed, the covers a flimsy barrier against the world. I don’t want to get up. I just want to stay here, hidden and safe.
“Mina? I have your tea…” Leander’s soft, careful voice pulls me out from under the blanket. His tone is a gentle knock at the door of my mind, coaxing me out of my cocoon.
I peek out and see him standing there, warm mug in hand. “Thank you,” I mumble, forcing myself to sit up. My movements are sluggish, but I take the cup from him, anyway. The tea’s warmth seeps into myhands, grounding me for just a moment—until my eyes land on the leather gloves covering his hands. A sigh escapes me before I can stop it, and I turn my gaze away.
