“Yea. Now it’s simply up to Helsgard to keep her there.”
“Well, they’ve done a good job with Pandora’s box, so?”
“Liz?” Tony calls from across the room.
“Liz?” I whisper, nudging her arm. “Only those close to you get to call you Liz.”
“Stop.” She blushes.
“Oh, we’re so not done with this.”
She winks at me and flits across the floor to meet Tony. They have their heads together, and I assume it has something to do with taking the bracelet back to Helsgard.
I pull in a deep breath and blow it out slowly, savoring the moment. It’s done and over. Samara’s gone, the Mist of Morreux is gone, everything can go back to the way it was. I look around the room at my guys helping Emmett and Brady stand. Well, not everything.
I don’t know where this leaves the guys and me at. Will they still want me around now all of this is over?
As if sensing my question, Knox runs over and wraps his arm around my neck. “Let’s go back to the house. We have some celebrating to do!”
KNOX - BREAKING GLASS
It’sjustafternoonwhen we get back to the house. Tony and Lizzy take off to Helsgard to lock Samara and the Mist away for good, before she can accidentally escape, and Betty just disappeared. Not exactly sure where she came from or where she went, she sort of just floats in and out like the wind. An interesting character.
“I’ll cook us up something to eat,” Emmett calls, pulling food out of the fridge.
“I’m tired. Do you mind if I find a place to crash?” Brady asks.
“We have the transition cage downstairs,” Jax teases.
“Yes! That would be great.”
“No. I was only kidding!” Jax says, lightly shrugging his shoulder into his friend.
“I’m not,” Brady’s face falls. “I still feel like parts of him are inside of me. Like he’s somehow etched his way into my bones.” He shakes his entire body. “I swear I can still hear his whispers. I’d hate for something to happen to any of you. I’d never be able to forgive myself.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Fine. How about this? The bars of the cage can hold up an old and weak man as I rebuild my strength.”
Jax lets out a little laugh and smiles, but when he sees me looking, he stops and rolls his eyes. He must’ve hurt his face, since it's not used to anything but a scowl.
While Jax and Callum move downstairs to set up Brady, Emmett gets to work on our lunch and soup for Brady. Emmett wants to ease him back into solids since it's been a long time. While Everlee and I cuddle on the couch, I watch him scribble notes on a piece of paper while I absentmindedly rub Ev’s hair. I’m fairly certain he’s making up an entire meal plan for Brady to help him get his strength back.
Everlee hasn’t said much since we’ve been home, but she’s also had a lot to deal with over the last several weeks. I imagine with the weight of Samara off her shoulders, she may not know what to do. Since she is a true fae, we need to reintroduce her properly into society. Both light and dark fae, who lived hundreds of years ago, may have residual feelings towards her, but we will support her every step of the way.
“You know…” she says, voice low and relaxed.
“What?” My hand pauses for a moment, then continues rubbing her scalp.
“I didn’t realize it before, but do you think the bracelets she always wore were more like chains imprisoning her to her talisman? I mean, sure, she tried to hide it and make them seem like a choice, by adding more, but she had to wear her prison every day.”
I push away and stare at her. “Do you feel bad?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I mean, she’s a vile and horrible person, but I’m just saying… it probably sucked to be her. To be reminded every day that you’re a tool being used. It’s sad really.”
Leaning back on the couch, I pull her in and tuck her head under my chin after giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. “I love how powerful, yet thoughtful, you are.”
She looks up at me, her wide eyes droopy, and smiles. She plants a kiss on my neck, then tucks her head back into place. A few minutes pass, and I can feel her weight change as she sinks into me a little more and her breathing becomes deep and slow.
