Page 79 of A Fate of Ice and Lies (Fated #1)

“The mage is dead,” he said, sounding distant as if his very soul was holed up in some hidden spot I couldn’t find. “Her magic no longer holds them.”

I touched his face again, needing to know he was still there, and sighed in relief when he pushed his face against my palm.

“Stay with me,” I whispered. “Okay?”

His black eyes searched my face, and he nodded. “Always,” he replied, just as low.

His fingers twined with mine, and I let the barrier fall only to lift another around Everly and George as two lirio bound toward them.

The lirio bounced off the barrier and shook their head at the impact.

Sluggishly, Everly lowered her sword and turned to find me watching her.

She nodded at me before dropping to her knees beside George, who leaned back and rested on the ground.

I joined my magic with Elias and felt a push I recognized as Alastor’s connect within me. I used it to thrust our magic toward the creatures. Watching as we created spears from the fallen snow that Elias flung at the nyxx and lirio.

Gunshots echoed around us, the shouts of the fae and humans just as loud. From above, the dragons roared, breathing fire that consumed any creature it touched.

I pitched forward, letting go of Elias’s hand when something pushed me from behind. That same something, a lirio that towered over me, picked me up with two of its gaunt fingers around my midsection.

I shoved my magic toward it, panic making me stumble with my power.

My magic swam around it uselessly while I hit the large fingers that held me.

Then Elias used his magic to throw spears of ice at it, so I used my own to create the same.

I sent those spears through its wrist, and it bellowed out in pain but didn’t let me go.

Brenton’s smoke magic trailed around it, toward its face where his magic swept through the lirio’s nose and mouth.

The creature tore at his throat with its unused hand, but Brenton’s magic was relentless.

More and more flooded its mouth, and it hurled me toward the ground while it hacked out a cough.

Elias’s magic caught me on a cloud of snow that he brought down gently. Close enough to the ground, I jumped off it, and pain shot through my foot when I landed wrong and turned my ankle.

Elias grabbed my waist and bent space to take us away when the creature fell to the ground.

I winced in pain when I put weight on my foot and then shook my head when Elias looked at me questioningly.

I felt it when Alastor withdrew his magic. Felt it when he crossed the veil to my realm.

The nyxx and lirio stopped while the fae and humans continued their attack. Still, the creatures didn’t move, and I saw Alastor’s approach from the distance.

A flash of various colors came from him in threads that seemed to lead him toward the fighting grounds.

It was vibrant and shuddered with every step he took toward us.

When he neared us, the lights flared, with the yellows, oranges, and blues dimming and fading.

The greens and blacks did the same so that all that remained was a blinding white that shimmered with a deep indigo.

He held his hands out, and the noise of the fight calmed to nothing.

“I do not wish to kill you,” he told the creatures who hung on to his words. “My sister lied to you. She was never going to set you free to any realm.”

Elias growled.

“Stay within the bounds of your territories,” he said. “Live in peace, or we’ll meet again, and I won’t be as generous this time.”

With that, Alastor’s magic blazed before he summoned it back, and it disappeared.

Elias paced toward Alastor, his broad shoulders pulled back. He snarled at him, baring his teeth in that animalistic way.

“This was the only way to ensure no more lives are lost,” Alastor said.

“They are not welcome in my home,” Elias growled.

“It is their home too,” Alastor said. “As much as it was my people’s and my home.”

Elias ran his tongue across his teeth, and when he jerked Alastor’s head to the side, Alastor didn’t fight him. Instead, he remained still.

I limped my way to Elias, careful not to put much weight on my injured foot, and rested my hand on his shoulder. His eyes met mine, both seeing and not seeing.

I mouthed the words, “I love you, mo elma.” He blinked, and for one quick second, his eyes lightened. He kept his grip on Alastor, who waited patiently.

“If you want to keep fighting, I’ll fight alongside you.

” I peered behind me, around me, where both the humans and the fae watched our interaction.

“We all will. But if you want to stop”—I took his hand and placed it against my chest, where my heart thudded fast—“if you want to stop, give these creatures a chance and see if they’re capable of peace.

We’ll follow your lead. Say the word. Tell me what you want. ”

His fangs pulled in slowly, and he licked his lips. “What do you want?”

“A life with you.”

Elias stumbled back a step before he ran a hand through my hair, his fingers catching in the tangles. He turned those depthless black eyes at the creatures who stood still, waiting.

“Go,” Elias snarled at them.

His eyes, flashing between violet and black, didn’t watch them go.

“I tried to destroy the orb when I felt your power waning,” Alastor said, but Elias kept his eyes trained on me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to do so, but I hid the orb in your realm, Elias.” His throat bobbed when he swallowed. “When you go back to Niev, I will give it to you.”

Elias grunted in reply. I sent a small spark of my magic to shock Elias, and when his black eyes found mine, I jutted my chin toward Alastor.

“Alastor deserves a little more than a grunt from you, my mate.” Waiting, I lifted my brows.

He dragged his attention to Alastor, who watched our interaction with curiosity.

“Thank you.” Elias’s attention returned to me, his eyes boring into me with the intensity I had become accustomed to. “For stopping the lirio and nyxx, and for hiding the orb.” It was his turn to lift his brows at me in question.

I patted his chest, and taking the weight of my bad foot, I leaned against Elias.

Alastor bowed his head at Elias and then at me. “You have my gratitude, Theodora, for gifting me a second chance at life,” he said .

I smiled at the mage. “Use it well.”

With that, he left, and when I peered up at Elias, his lips crashed against mine.

He kissed me beneath the snow that fell around us, with our enemies, friends, and strangers watching.

I gave him everything left inside me, twined that magic that linked our souls together, and let him devour me completely.

I memorized this kiss that was raw with love and sewed it into the fabric of my heart.