Page 54 of A Fate of Blood and Magic (Fated #2)
Alastor quirked up a brow, his worried gaze on Teddy. “What’s wrong?” He paused and only continued when she remained silent. “Even if it takes time, a full recovery is a good thing.”
When she sat beside Alastor, I followed her. Her hand gripped my thigh.
“Elias and I gave up our magic.” She peered at our joined hands when I placed my hand over hers. She flipped her hand over to thread her fingers through mine. “Leah had to absorb what was left of our magic in order to heal him.”
Alastor ran a hand over his chin after casting me a cutting look that lingered too long. Not exactly rage but anger coiled beneath the surface. Disappointment also threaded through it, with a silent question: Why did you let her do it?
As if Teddy didn’t have a mind of her own, but I had pushed for this very thing, giving up so much to save her friend.
“You could still do spells,” he said. “Your mage blood is what activates the spells. Not the magic that you gave away. ”
Her smile was wide and joyful, but it quickly faded when she cast me a nervous look.
I caressed her cheek when I swept a couple of strands of hair back, doing my best to ignore the heaviness in my chest. “I expect you to continue practicing spells and learning the ways of your ancestors.”
She bit her lip. “What about you?”
A hollowness settled deep inside me.
“When Teddy stripped my sister of magic, she not only returned my magic but magic from others as well,” Alastor said. “I can give you some of that magic.”
My heart pinched at his offer, but I wasn’t sure I wanted foreign magic that didn’t belong to me. “Thank you,” I said roughly. “I don’t know if . . . I don’t know, but thank you.”
Teddy squeezed my hand, and I returned the touch. It felt like all I had done lately was confess my sins. And what I had to tell Alastor was crippling me. What would this mean for Niev and her people?
“The orb...I kept it in the inner pocket of my magic,” I said, unable to ignore the problem this potentially posed. “When we lost our magic, I lost access to that pocket. I don’t know what happened to the orb or the other things I stored in there.”
Alastor rubbed his nose. “Should Teddy decide to ask the living book for answers with me, I believe we may find answers to its whereabouts.” His eyes started to darken again as pain crossed his otherwise closed features. “It may also not be willing to answer, but we can try.”
“Will it tell us how to search for it?” I asked, my stomach turning in painful knots.
“Let me ask the living book.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose. “I’ll tell you when I learn something from it. ”
“Cousin,” Teddy said gently, her attention on the way he continued to massage his head. “Why don’t you go to your room and rest?”
“Something else is bothering you,” he said, looking at her expectantly. “Tell me.”
She sighed. “After this, you rest.”
He pursed his lips.
“We also gave up our soulmate bond.” She glanced down, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “But I’m pretty sure we still like each other.” Her laugh came out too soft to be confident.
“Did you think we wouldn’t?” I tipped her chin up. “Did you think losing it meant I’d ever stop loving you?”
Her eyes shimmered in the way they did when she held back tears. “I wouldn’t blame you if you stopped. You lost . . .”
“My mother made the choice to die.” The words sliced through my throat as I said them.
“We didn’t choose her over Donnie. Vith, Teddy, you were ready to undo everything so I wouldn’t lose her.
” I ran a hand over her head and down the soft tendrils of her hair.
“She chose to join my father in the stars. I don’t like her choice, and maybe her choosing death is as selfish as my decision was to save her after the battle, but it was her choice to make.
I don’t hold that against you or Donnie.
I don’t know if I even hold it against her. ”
Her bottom lip wobbled, and I couldn’t believe she actually thought I could ever stop loving her.
“I’m sorry about your mother,” Alastor said, breaking the silence between Teddy and me.
I cleared my throat. “As am I. I’m sorry about Grandma Richter,” I told Teddy. “She wasn’t my grandmother, but sometimes it felt like she was. She was a good female, a good woman. I’m sorry this war cost you, Ry, and Donnie her life. ”
Teddy’s expression fell, and I scented the tears she held back.
When she nodded, I forced my attention away from my mate and felt my throat bob with my swallow when I faced Alastor again.
“My mother wanted us to tell you she was sorry for what she and my father did to you and your family. I know it isn’t enough, but I’m sorry too.
Not just for that but how I acted at the first compound. ”
“You wouldn’t be here in our village if the lirio and I hadn’t already forgiven you and moved past your transgression.
” Alastor wiped his hand beneath his nose before he brought his fingers back to his temple.
“I don’t know how your parents would feel about it, but I’m grateful you’re allowing me to have the mage land back. If I can still have them?”
“Yes, yes,” I hurried out. “That hasn’t changed. The land is yours, and we’ll talk about how to extend your borders.”
“Go to bed, Alastor.” Teddy eyed him carefully, and he dipped his head in reply. “Do you want me to make you another tea?”
“If you don’t mind.” He rose to his feet with a smooth precision my aching muscles probably couldn’t replicate. “One of Bon’s neighbors is bringing the younglings along with supper. It’d be best if you and your family stayed here since Bon’s house is already full.”
I helped Teddy to her feet, and while so much in my world felt chaotic, having her next to me settled my soul. She patted my chest twice before she stepped away to hug Alastor. This time, he was quick to hug her back.
“Thanks for letting us stay with you,” she said.
“You both lost much today. You’re welcome here for as long as you require.”
The idea of hiding in Tera Insaldame was too enticing. While I wasn’t sure of my merits as a king, I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. Whether my people needed me or not, I was all the leadership they had.
This time, though, I wouldn’t try to do everything on my own. I had people surrounding me who not only could help but also wanted to. For too long, I’d tried to carry too much. I’d tried to be too much for too many people and had ignored the wound that had festered in my own kingdom.
No more.