Worked up, I turn toward the stairs that lead down to the basement. But I stop when I see the scarred ice elemental leaving the kitchen. When Everett spots me, he opens his mouth, a curious frown on his face like he's about to ask a question.
Fuck it, I'll talk to him now.
Before he can ask me what we're doing here or why Ian answered my phone or anything else, I step in front of him and speak in a rush, needing to get this off my chest and get back to her.
"I quit."
Everett blinks, stopping dead in his tracks. "What?"
"I'm done being Heidi's bodyguard. Keep your damn money."
As much as I'm expecting this to be a big argument, I still respect the hell out of this guy for how worried he immediately looks on behalf of his sister. "Why the hell would you quit? You told me yourself about those assholes who showed up at her place. You know Heidi needs?—"
"I knoweverythingshe needs. Let me clarify: I'm not going to get paid to protect your sister, because she’s all I can think about now, anyway. From now on, she's going to be safer than any fucking person in this world—and you know what?" I'm on a roll now, and I can't stop. "Ian would do anything to protect her, too, so I don't even want to hear you ask about why he's here or get mad just because he couldn't stay away from her. How the hell was he supposed to? We're all fucking in love with her, so if you're here to bust my balls about?—"
"I'm not here to bust your balls," he cuts in, still looking bewildered.
"You're not?"
"No, I came out here to look for Crypt, because he's not in the kitchen and he's not responding telepathically. I thought…" He shakes his head like he's just catching up, pale blue gaze narrowing accusingly at me. "Hang on, what do you mean,we?And what the fuck do you mean, you'rein lovewith my sister?"
Might as well just say it. "I mean, we're together."
"You fucking—" Everett takes a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose like he's trying to calm down before he speaksevenly. "Douglas. Heidi has never even been to a Seeking. In fact, when I found out your dumb ass decided to bring her here with you instead of letting her stay safe at home, I decided I'd give it one last shot at persuading her to go to the Seeking being held tomorrow."
Shit. I've been so wrapped up in everything with Heidi, I forgot it's tomorrow.
He goes on, glaring at me. "So fucking help me gods, if my sister has fated matches somewhere out there for her who would complete her soul and make her beyond happy, and you try to stop her from finding them?—"
"I won't," I cut in. "I'm not standing in anyone's way. If Heidi goes to a Seeking and it turns out that she has matches out there, she'll be with them. But I'll be with her, too."
I would never get in the way of someone being with the ones the gods intended for them. Not when I've wondered too many times how my mom's life would have ended differently, if she had just left my deadbeat father and gone to look for the legacies she might've been matched with, as an atypical caster.
Everett clenches his jaw tightly. "Will you? Think logically here. You might change your tune if one day, you finally get your turn at a Seeking, too. My sister is one of the few truly good people I've ever known. She looks out foreveryoneand feels everything deeply. So if you get her to fall for you, and then you each get matched to other people and have to separate, you might be fine moving on with whoever fate decides—but you'll break her fucking heart."
I shake my head. "Nope. Not happening."
I could never hurt her like that.
"Don't give me that shit. How do you know?—"
"I justknow," I tell him, unyielding. "Nothing's going to fucking change how I feel about her. I'm sure about this, Frost. If the gods put your sister in a quintet that makes her happy, I'll behappy for her. We all will. But I'm not going anywhere. Whether you like it or not, Heidi is it for me."
39
HEIDI
"I'm not going anywhere.Whether you like it or not, Heidi is it for me."
My heart pounds as I press against the wall of the basement stairs. They can't see me, but I'm worried I might give myself away by accidentally squealing from the giddiness racing through me now.
Jessica is lucky because she can squeal anyway, without being overheard.
"Yes! I officially forgive him for salting Athanis and me out of the guest room. We were super pissed about it?—"
"I was not," Athanis corrects, looking at me. "For I highly respect your privacy and the privacy of your lovers."
"Fine,Iwas pissed about it, but all is forgiven because he just made it official!" Jess cheers, bouncing on her ghostly feet. "He's not your bodyguard now, he's yourman. They're all your men, and Face Card is just going to have to deal with it. Gods, this is so cute."
