Page 45 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)

Chapter

Nineteen

ELIAS

As we traveled to the dragons’ cave, a storm hit us unexpectedly, making the biting wind howl as it seemed to scrape across my face. The freshly fallen snow covered my black boots as quickly as it hid our trailing footprints.

Frustration marred the faces of those around me, and it was hard to listen to the panting breaths of those who struggled to make it up our tallest mountain.

Once at the clearing, Brenton and Alastor built a few fires, and each invited a human to huddle around. Teddy stayed by my side, though, with her gloved hands tucked into the front pockets of her pants.

When she shuddered against the cold, I placed my hand on her lower back to lead her to the fire that Donnie, Ryenne, and Nate stood around.

I hadn’t expected to see Donnie this morning, but I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Even in Colina, he’d taken on a leadership role and made sure to put himself in situations so he knew exactly what was going on and how he could help his people. This was no different.

Teddy didn’t have to speak nor did I have to look at her expression to know she was worried.

All night, it’d eaten at me that I’d caused this fracture in their bond.

I hoped them coming meant it was possible to restore their long-standing friendship.

Donnie shifted his weight from one foot to another, a look of uncertainty crossing his features before he gave Teddy a tight-lipped smile and looked away.

“You didn’t tell us it got this cold in Niev,” Ryenne said. Eyes wide, her attention bounced from Donnie to Teddy, who stared at the fire as if she expected it to consume her.

Guardians help me, I needed to make this right.

Brenton drew Teddy to his side, using his smoke magic to warm her.

“We rarely face these types of storms,” Brenton said. “I’d say whoever our gods are, they are upset with us.”

Or they were upset with me. Maybe they weren’t as ruthless as the Elders we once abided, and all the killing and vengeance had become too much for them.

“Maybe you take on blame that isn’t yours to accept,” Nalari said. “Donnie will either forgive you or he won’t. It matters not if he sees it as long as you know you did what you had to do to protect your family.”

I mulled over her words, letting them sink into my skin although a large part of me remained unsure.

“If your mate doesn’t hold this against you, why do you?”

“Because.” It wasn’t that I regretted my decision.

I didn’t. Every one of those people who planned and plotted against my family and my people deserved a far worse death than what I granted them.

It was more that I regretted how I handled Donnie.

Had I been more patient, more willing to listen to what he’d said, maybe things would be different now.

Or maybe they wouldn’t because he hadn’t listened to me either .

I was surprised to find Hayden had joined us.

His eyes were cloaked in the same dark shadows I’d witnessed whenever I visited him.

That sense of bleakness matched the heavy way he carried himself, as if he’d given up on everything, including himself.

While Leah hadn’t been able to save his right arm, his lungs were fully healed.

Still, it was good to see Hayden outside of the bed he’d been using during his recovery, and I hoped it meant he was healing both physically and mentally.

Noticing where my attention lay, Teddy took my hand to take us to the warrior.

“Hayden.” Her voice carried a gentle, friendly tone. “It’s good to see you.”

“You as well, My Queen,” he said, bowing his head.

Teddy flinched but did her best to cover it with a nervous laugh. “Queen, that’s going to take some getting used to.”

He pressed his lips together to form a thin smile. “I’m glad to see you are well after the attack on your home.”

This time, when Teddy flinched, she wrapped her arms across her chest. The peach threads of her magic flared before she calmed them down and tucked them back inside her.

Hayden placed his hand on his chest, wincing at the motion that must’ve shot pain through his still healing wounds. “My apologies if I upset you.”

“No, no.” Her words tumbled from her. “It’s just . . . it’s been a lot to process, but what about you? How are you feeling? Is there anything we can do for you?”

Hayden’s eyes found and held mine. “I would like to ask our king a question, if I may?”

A surge of magic rose from him. It called to mine, making my power roar with the sudden need to subdue him.

The hairs on my arms stood, my skin stretching uncomfortably as I tried to fight back against the primal instincts that tugged sharply on the threads of my power.

But if he was challenging me, I’d have to answer.

He called his magic back, grimacing when it returned to him.

As if nothing had transpired, he ran a hand over his face.

Although still ashen, it held a bit more color than the last time I’d seen him.

I eyed him cautiously, trying to see more than he showed. Wondering if I could still trust this male. Surely, the magic the humans had didn’t come from him. He’d almost died because of the surge in Brenton’s magic as well as the magical fire that had raptured the compound.

“I thought it an honor when you asked me to go to the human realm with you while you forced those closest to you to remain behind,” Hayden said, his eyes darkening further before he took a slow, calming inhale.

His foot tapped on the thickening snow, and that motion seemed to calm him enough that his eyes lightened.

“Why did you request Ximena and I go with you when your compeer made it clear they wanted to go?”

Mo compeer. Hayden was correct in describing Everly, George, and Brenton as mo compeer. There wasn’t really a word in the traditional tongue that covered what it meant, but it was a mix between brothers and warrior friends. More than allies or friends but family chosen, not of blood.

“Brenton and Everly were there at our second raid,” I said rather than giving him a clear answer.

“True.” He angled his head to the side. “Before that, you never allowed them to go on missions with you. It was either me or Ximena while you always asked Alastor to go.”

I sensed the magic he suppressed, as well as the anger that was rotting him from the inside.

“You owe him nothing,” Nalari said.

From the mouth of her cave, she extended her mighty wings and soared to the air, where she circled above us.

“I owe him everything ,” I growled. “He almost died, Nalari. He lost his arm, all because of my selfishness.”

Nalari snarled in reply. “You give yourself far too much credit. He is a warrior who wanted to go on those missions with you. What he’s experiencing is unfortunate, but this is the life and path he chose.”

“Unfortunate?”

My jaw clenched. “Do you wish to know why I asked you to go on the first raid? Or why I had you come with me to return the fae from their regions before we knew of the humans’ treachery?” At my sides, my fists trembled while my magic and power stirred inside my blood but I pushed it down.

He stopped tapping his foot and narrowed his eyes at me. “Maybe your mate would also like to know why you endangered Alastor’s life while you made sure to protect . . . others.”

Beside me, Teddy stiffened, and using her mind-speak magic, I pleaded with her to allow me to handle Hayden on my own. It was the least I could do for him.

I let out a resigned sigh. “You already know the truth, Hayden, or you wouldn’t be asking me.”

He ground his teeth together. “I want you to say it.”

“It was because, as you said, I wanted to keep my longtime friends, mo compeer far from danger.” I waved a single hand in front of me. “I’d just lost my father, my uncle, and I was selfish in wanting to protect those who’d served closely alongside me for close to one hundred years.”

Having already known my answer, he nodded and kept his attention focused on me rather than the drawing crowd.

I forced myself to look at those who’d started to assemble around us, into the eyes of the shifter fae, some in their fae form while others chose their beasts.

While the fae I knew from Niev had a light complexion, the shifter fae were several shades darker than Javier’s brown complexion.

I spotted Ilgirth among the lirio who stood beside Alastor.

While Alastor and I had resumed a friendship, we hadn’t spoken again about the orb or if his living book had given him more answers.

Aside from the origins of the orb that Teddy had told me, I remained ignorant of that magical vessel.

George glared at me while Brenton charmed a group of shifter fae.

I cleared my throat. “Nalari told me the shifters would like an alliance with us and are willing to help us bring back the remainder of our missing people. Before we discuss this further, I’d like everyone to know who I am so you can choose if you genuinely want such an alliance.”

Nalari roared as she descended to the clearing we stood upon.

Deep inside, where our bond linked us, I felt Teddy’s annoyance at my words and was certain she would’ve roared at me too.

Instead, she shook her head and stepped back so that I was at the center of the circle the others had formed around me.