Page 43 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

“We’ll see y’all at camp,” I said before Elias whisked us away so that we now stood between the thick trees of Reignom’s woods.

In his eagerness to see his son, Silas rushed forward, stumbling over a fallen trunk before he righted himself.

From a distance, Kieren’s head popped up, and I was certain Silas had called to his son through his mind when Kieren raced toward him.

Their embrace was frantic, and I turned when Silas let out a loud sob, which brought tears to my eyes.

He’s alive. Silas was alive. While I didn’t know what had happened to Kieren’s mom, I was thrilled to see him reunited with his dad. It was the best thing to happen all day, and I’d never forget the look of utter relief and joy that swept across Kieren’s sweet face.

Giving them privacy, Elias and I went to the site the kids had chosen.

They’d already set up three tents and had started a small campfire.

Elias joined Koa, and together, they continued setting up while the older kids worked on their tent.

I sat on one of the folding camp chairs beside Bon, who cradled her baby close to her chest while the younger children played at her feet.

When Bon offered little Mimesoa, I took her with care so as not to wake her. She settled in my arms, her little lashes fanned across her cheeks. Bon draped a blanket over the sleeping baby, and I let out a contented sigh.

“It’s been a busy day for you,” Bon said, her voice low.

“Yeah.” I arched my aching back. “I’m glad y’all came. Thank you for that.”

“We were honored you asked us to, although Koa had to step out a few times to prevent Chaka and little Soa from causing a scene.”

“How did the other fae treat you?” I bit my bottom lip, worried to hear her reply. Aside from the kids, Grandma Richter, and my friends, no other humans were invited.

“I actually don’t know.” She let out a disbelieving laugh. “Brenton swept us past everyone so that we were seated with him and your group. Your friend Ryenne kept us entertained whenever there was a lull. She’s a feisty burst of light.”

I chuckled at the perfect description of my best friend. “She really is.”

In my arms, Mimesoa stretched, slowly blinking her eyes. I stilled, holding my breath as she peered up at me. Her face scrunched up, and she belted out a wail that had me shoving her in Bon’s direction. My friend laughed, tucking her close as she excused herself to feed Mimesoa.

While I waited for Elias to finish, Kieren approached me.

His smile was big and lopsided, making my heart race in his joy.

Silas rested a large hand on Kieren’s thin shoulder, and Kieren stepped closer to his dad’s side.

Silas’s light eyes swam over his son, seeming to take him in a final time before he turned to me.

Having seen them, Elias walked up to us, brushing snow and dirt off his hands.

I stood, sidling next to Elias, when he wrapped his arm over my shoulders.

Elias’s relief and joy crossed through my mind with the elated thoughts he could barely contain. One family was whole, making the kingdom he loved a little bit more complete.

“Are you heading home?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Kieren answered. “Thank you for letting me stay with you.”

Javier, Delaney, and Aidas stood around their friend .

“You’re welcome anytime,” I said, and Elias nodded.

“We enjoyed having you over.” He turned his attention to Silas. “Not tonight, as I’m sure you’re ready to go home, but someday soon, I’d like to speak to you of Kieren’s bravery and what he did for my mate.” He grinned, pointing his thumb at Aidas. “This one, on the other hand, we barely tolerate.”

Aidas grinned. “Don’t pretend I’m not everyone’s favorite.”

Elias arched a single brow, and I shook my head at whatever ridiculousness he was about to say.

“Are you suggesting my mate favors you?”

“No, King—Your Majesty,” Aidas said quickly, averting his eyes to the snow-covered ground.

“You leave that poor angel alone, Elias,” Ryenne called as she hurried to Aidas’s side to defend him with Donnie and Nate behind her.

While Aidas kept his face downcast, I could still see his victorious smile.

Moments later, as Silas and Kieren were getting ready to leave, Elias caught Silas’s attention.

“Will you be going to the meeting tomorrow with the shifters?” Elias asked.

“With your permission, I’d like to attend,” Silas said. “I’ve lived among the shifters for a few months now. We’ve worked together, but more than that, I’ve come to consider a lot of them good friends.”

Elias nodded. “I think it’d be wise for you to attend.”

“If I may ask, what will become of the prisoners?” Silas asked.

Beside me, Elias stiffened, but he kept his expression impassive. I saw the way he stabbed his tongue at his inner cheek, though, and the way he blew out a frustrated breath. “They’ve already been taken care of.”

“Taken care of, how?” Donnie questioned.

“I sentenced them all to death.”

“You...tell me you haven’t already killed them.” Donnie’s voice shook at the implication.

“Why would I have prolonged their judgment?” Elias asked. “I can assure you, none of them suffered.”

“What about their families?” Donnie asked.

“What about my family who they tried to take from me?” I didn’t have to look at Elias to know his eyes were the color of night.

“I may have put you in charge of the human patrol force and given you jurisdiction over humans, but make no mistake, Donnie, this is my kingdom. I will rule it as I see fit.”

“They didn’t get a trial,” Donnie argued, fisting his hands at his side. “Where we come from, people are assumed innocent until proven guilty. You didn’t give them a chance to speak.”

“We did plenty of speaking.” Elias’s voice came out dark and silky. “And each one confessed to their crimes. They were guilty.”

“This isn’t right.” Donnie lifted a hand that he dropped in frustration. “Teddy, you know this isn’t right. This isn’t how we do things back home. Death shouldn’t be the first line of punishment.”

“This is how things are done here,” Elias said.

I felt the power Elias repressed, and knowing he was fighting off his instincts to force Donnie into submission, I stepped in.

“We’re not in the human realm anymore, Donnie,” I said, but despite the calm I tried to force, I heard the way blood flooded through my ears and the way my heart hammered in my chest. “Fae do things differently than us, but it doesn’t mean they’re wrong.

You didn’t see the man who came into my home.

They might have claimed they weren’t going to kill me, but the guy who slammed me against the wall didn’t exactly make me feel safe.

” I rubbed the back of my head, where Elias had healed the bump I’d gotten.

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me or Kieren. He hated us.”

“You’re justifying this.” He let out a dry, disbelieving laugh, not willing to give an inch to see things from my perspective.

I wasn’t surprised, though. He wasn’t just a police officer but someone who believed in justice, and to him, there was no justice in killing someone.

“They were scared. How do they know they could trust the fae after the soldiers who were protecting them were killed? They’re trying to stay alive and protect their families. ”

“By killing me, Donnie,” I said, resting a hand over my stomach. “By killing my boys.”

“I get it.” He lifted a hand to his temple.

“Those who went after you in your home, I’m glad they’re dead.

I would’ve done the same to protect you or Ry.

But these people, they weren’t the ones who went after you.

” He turned to Elias. “You had a chance to be better and show humans it didn’t have to end in bloodshed. ”

“I guess that’s the difference between us,” Elias snarled. “You’re willing to sacrifice those you love to make the world better, while I’ll sacrifice the world for those I love.”

I took his hand, trailing my fingers across his arm. His grip on me tightened, but I felt him relax some of his power.

“Their deaths were swift and merciful,” Elias said. “I allowed them to see their families before they met their end, which is more than they would’ve done for me.”

“Merciful?” Donnie scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m sure that’s exactly how their families see it.

The merciful king allowed them to say goodbye to their loved ones before he slaughtered them.

You’re making enemies of the people living in your backyard.

You’re killing soldiers in the compounds.

” He shook his head. “You have no idea if some of them even want to be doing what they’re doing or if they’re being forced.

And now you just killed—how many exactly did you kill?

Or did their lives mean so little, you couldn’t bother? ”

Elias shook with rage. “Do not push me.”

“Donnie,” I warned when he moved to stand in front of Elias, puffing out his chest. Although I kept my hand in Elias’s, I moved to shove Donnie back so I could stand between them. “That’s enough.”

“You’re right.” Donnie glared past me to Elias. “This is enough. When the shifters go back to the human realm, I’m going back with them.”

I put a trembling hand to my chest as I looked at one of my oldest friends. Was I about to lose him? Was I going to lose the very person who’d stood by me through everything life had thrown me?

“Donnie . . .” But I wasn’t sure what to say.

Donnie’s eyes shone with expectation while his lips pulled down in disappointment. Did he think I’d agree with him? I didn’t. I couldn’t. I’d seen those men and knew they would’ve killed Kieren if given the opportunity. He shook his head and looked at me as if he didn’t know who I was.

“I won’t live under a ruler who uses death as his first and only option.” He said each word slowly, but they felt like punches to my gut.

My heart cracked when he turned and started to bleed with every step he took away from us.

Ryenne came up to me and hugged me. “I’ll talk to him. ”

I gripped her hand. “Do you agree with him?”

She chewed on the side of her thumb. “In theory, I’m all for those assholes dying. But in actuality? I don’t know, Ted.”

I nodded, trying to blink the threatening tears away, but I couldn’t ignore the way my chest tightened and twisted in this unfamiliar grief.

Nate wrapped his arm over Ryenne’s shoulder as they followed Donnie out of the forest the same way they’d come in.

Oh God. Donnie and Ryenne had always been my people.

We were supposed to grow old together, our friendship strengthening as we aged so that even if old age stole our memories, we’d still remember each other.

That was the promise we’d made each other when we were still in high school.

Instead, I’d chosen to bind my life to Elias, aging as he did so that we’d have hundreds of years together.

And now, for the first time ever, they’d walked away from me.

Maybe I deserved the way my heart bled out in agony.

When Elias drew me to him, I went and let him cradle the back of my head to his hard chest. When a whimper slipped from the back of my throat, I nestled closer into Elias’s comforting arms.

“I’m sorry,” he said in my mind. “I once told you I’d honor what you deem right and wrong. I didn’t do that today. I should’ve spoken to you before I acted. I could’ve cast them out like you’d suggested.”

“No, you protected your family,” I said.

His arms held me securely, his chest warming the side of my face as I pressed against him.

“The shifters want open access to Niev. If you agree with them, any you cast out can come in freely and harm our family or your, our people. I’m not angry with you.

I’m just scared and sad. Donnie and I have never fought before.

He’s always had my back, and I know he feels betrayed that I didn’t have his, but I couldn’t.

I don’t agree with him.” I looked up at Elias, and I wondered if the bewildered pain I saw in his eyes was a direct reflection of what I looked like.

He slid his hand to the back of my head to cup me from behind.

“Cry if you need to cry, mo elma.” His whispered words brushed against my mind in such a tender caress, I couldn’t help the way my emotions spilled out.

I pressed my face against his chest while he held me safely caged in his arms. “I’m here. ”