Page 55 of Devastation
Wide-eyed, I clap my hands over my mouth and look back and forth between Hale and Ash, wondering if I'm the only one who's in utter shock.
Hale grabs my arm and pulls me into his side, smiling at Elizabeth and Ash. Grunting as I fall into his embrace, I look up at him and whisper, "How are you not surprised?"
He puts a finger to my lips, silencing me as Ash sputters, "What the...fuck."
I open my mouth and playfully bite down on Hale's finger resting against my lips, mumbling around it, "See. I'm not the only one with a potty mouth."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Luke
I'm utterly spent from the output of magic I've used to help put out all of the fires. Thankfully, Leo used his own powers to help tame the flames before I doused them completely, but I lost track of how many homes we did this to, and all I want to do is collapse and take a nap with Lana in my arms.
Serenity and her mates invite us and Zedd back to their home for some refreshments, and I all but drag my feet after them. Groaning, I wail dramatically, "I'm dying."
"You look fit as a fiddle to me. Physically, that is. Definitely not mentally," Zedd quips back, causing a cheeky grin to appear on my face.
He's really opened up and let more of his amazing personality out recently, and I couldn't be happier. Leo chimes in from my side with a mock pout in Zedd's direction, "What about me?"
Before he has a chance to respond, Serenity shouts, "You're equally deranged! How about that?"
"I think Lana would argue that we're delicious, not deranged! Wrong 'd' word," Leo shouts back.
Serenity acts like she's heaving as she turns her head to the side and fake motions like she just threw up in response.
The exhaustion I feel prevents me from continuing that conversation, and honestly I'm mentally drained from keeping my easy going and fun mask in place since getting Lana back.
While she was gone in the fae realm and we were trapped in the witch realm, Leo and I had been forced to face the darker, more complex emotions simmering under the surface of our fun-loving exteriors. Lana hadn't been around to pull our typical playful banter and antics out of us, and we were left with facing the harsh truths in our minds.
Leo let his fire consume his mind more than once, and I've done my best to balance him and bring him back, but there's only so much I can take on, especially when I'm also battling my own demons.
I try my best to be the light for our entire family, but sometimes the light burns out.
My twin bumps into my shoulder, jolting me from my thoughts. "Hmmm?" I muse, relieved when I see we're almost to Serenity's place.
"Are you okay?"
Swallowing my true answer, I nod my head and smile, assuring him, "All good, brother. Just exhausted."
"You don't need to act like you're okay all the time," he answers in a low voice, attempting to keep this conversation between us.
Shock must be evident on my face as he tacks on, "You really thought I wouldn't notice, Luke? Come on."
Huffing out a breath, I raise my brows and answer truthfully. "No, I didn't think you or anyone would. I thought I had a tight handle on what I was letting slip onto my face."
"Neither of you need to feel like you have to play a certain role in our family to be loved."
Zedd's words cut deep, and Leo and I both snap our heads in his direction.
How did he know?
Leo and I had spoken alone while Lana had been recovering when we first traveled to the realm of the gods. We had agreed to keep up the personas that she knew from before her time alone in the fae realm because we wanted her to feel a semblance of normalcy when she woke up.
At least that's why we told ourselves we were doing it. Zedd's words hit closer to home than I'd like to admit.
What do we have to offer if we don't keep up morale with our jokes and energy? Every other position in the group is filled.
The leader.
