Page 21

Her small sigh of relief confused me, but I didn’t dwell on it.

I could feel my magic growing in me—it was humming in my chest. I knew what I needed to do. Gathering my strength, I let Sybil’s healing magic flow freely from my hands.

I focused on her as red and orange swirled from my body to hers. It ran through her veins and made her whole body glow as I tried desperately to heal her. Not being too experienced with this magic, I didn’t know how strong it was. Could it bring someone back from being so close to death? I smiled as I felt her cold hand warm up almost instantly in mine as my magic poured into her.

I continued to hold her hand and smile at her, bending all of my will to this task. Leer’s eyes stared at me and his wife. The glow of the magic made the room look like it was brightened by candles. It was peaceful.

The healing magic stopped abruptly, and her eyes softly closed. I held my breath as I waited to see if it had worked.

She seemed to be sleeping, but I did not see her chest rise and fall with a breath.

Leer and I watched her without saying a word. Both of us were too scared to jinx it. My eyes refused to look away from her frail, seemingly lifeless body. Leer’s soft cries were agonizing to hear as he buried his face into her still chest. He was pleading with her to not leave him. He spoke of the life they had always talked about, their children, and how he had never loved another woman besides her.

It was too much to witness, so I finally looked away from her. My hand squeezed hers as I tried to understand why Leer and his children deserved this heartbreak. A moment later, I gasped as the woman’s hand squeezed mine gently. I blinked slowly when I thought my eyes were deceiving me, but they were not. Her sunken cheeks began filling in, and her loose-fitting nightgown was fitting more like it should. Even her dark hair didn’t seem to be as brittle as it had been mere moments before. Then she opened her amber-colored eyes, eyes that matched her children’s perfectly. She looked around, confused, but only for a moment.

Something close to relief flickered in her eyes before she reached up and ran her hand through Leer’s hair. His head snapped up to see her awake. Leer’s eyes widened in disbelief before he pulled her to him and sobbed into her neck. He pulled away and kissed his wife. She returned the kiss feverishly, then sat back to look up at me.

“Thank you,” she choked out. “Death was coming for me, and you pulled me back out.” She leaned over, and we hugged tightly. Then she pulled back and looked at Leer, who looked at her like he was seeing a ghost.

“Leer,” she whispered.

“Larissa,” he choked out through a heart-shattering sob as he grabbed her again and held her tightly. Cries escaped them both, and it was enough that the kids came in to see what was wrong.

“Mommy!” They both shrieked and tackled her with hugs. I felt like I was intruding on a special moment, so I stood up and walked out of the room. I stopped at the doorway and looked back at them. What did it feel like to have others care so much about you? To have a family like this? Jealousy bloomed in my chest at the sight of them. I wanted this. I wanted a husband who held me like that. I wanted kids crawling around my bed, laughing. I sighed because I knew that life would never bepossible for someone like me. The thought was enough to make tears well in my eyes as I turned away.

I slowly headed toward the front door but was forced to stop when Leer grabbed my arm and hugged me tightly as sobs of relief racked his body. I hugged him back because it was nice to feel like less of a monster, even if only for a moment. Glancing over his shoulder, I saw his wife at the doorway with her two kids, smiling at me like I had hung the stars above.

“I am forever in debt to you, Thea Alzara. You have my undying loyalty for whatever you may need. You gave me my life back, and I can’t explain how much this means. Even after how I treated you."

He released me and kneeled before me like I was the queen. His tears flowed freely from him as he gripped my hand in his and kept kneeling.

My mind was reeling with everything, but my ever-present hope flashed through it all. Did he really mean that? He certainly didn’t look like a man who was lying to me.

“Tell no one about what I did. If they ask, she got better with whatever medicine you’ve been giving her.” I paused for a moment, then gripped his hand harder. “I forgive you, Leer. If I were in your spot, I would have done anything to save my family too.”

I started to turn, but he stopped me again by not releasing me.

“I know about Exile,” he said quickly, making me stop immediately. When I turned to him, he still kneeled in front of me.

“What?”

“I know of Exile. I also know that your father told you it didn’t exist and that he sent guards to verify it.” Leer paused for a moment. “But I also know that he lied to you. He never sent any guards.”

The revelation was enough to make my darkness explode into the room, startling his children. They ducked behind their mother and watched me in awe as flames and shadows seemed to fill the air around me.

“How do you know this?” Furthermore, could I trust him?

“Your father had tracked down Exile, but he did it before you came to the trials. I do not know why, but my friend was one of the guards that went on the mission. Afterwords, your father met with all the guards before you started training us and said he would execute anyone who verified Exile’s existence or spoke of elite magic holders. Specifically, Kai and Kaz.”

My heart was pounding so fast that it made hearing him difficult. Leer frowned at me as I held my chest. My breathing became rapid.

“K-K-Kaz, K-Kai?” I stuttered out.

“We were under the impression that the elitists were with you in Exile, but now your father is trying to cover it up, and I do not know what the reason would be. He’s also told the town’s fae that you were in Crimson.”

“Why are you telling me any of this?” I asked suspiciously.

“Because you saved my family tonight, even after the torment I caused you. I would not have survived this realm if Larissa had died. You gave me everything when you saved her. I am indebted to you, and I will stand by you in any decision you wish to make. As far as I’m concerned, you are my queen.”