Marlon’s shoulder hit the side of the building that sheltered the small sitting area away from the busy streets during the day.
“Did you hear me?” I pointed at that fucking tree and bent forward, opening my mouth and screaming furiously, “Bring her back. Bring her back!” My chest hurt so damned bad that I threw the shifter wine bottle at the tree, watching it shatter down the bark like blood. I charged at the tree and beat my fists against it, adding real blood to the rough bark, and shouted, “Fuck you, Fae!”
Strong arms wrapped around me, holding my swinging arms hostage, and we stumbled backward together. Our feet tangled, and we fell on our asses, not moving as I sobbed against his chest.
“It’ll be okay,” he whispered and rocked me back and forth, petting my hair softly. “But I think I have an idea that will help.”
“What?” I choked on my tears, looking up at him. “Kill me too? End this pain?”
“No,” he admonished gently. “I believe we should pack our bags tonight and head home. You need your soul mate.”
I countered harshly, “I need to bury the dead.”
“Let her aunt take care of that.”
“She died working for me. It’s my responsibility.”
Marlon sighed heavily and started rocking me again, “All right then. If you’re bound to be miserable, then be miserable.” He burped loudly and stared at the stars once more. “But I’m getting King Traevon here. Whatever else you argue and try to justify, there is a time and a place for him. And this is it.”
“Don’t,” I whispered, and tears flooded my cheeks. “I made a promise to help him here. I won’t break it. I’ll never break my own heart. He is why the fool organ beats in my chest. He is the very air given when I can’t find a breath. I will continue protecting him whenever he can’t. Even if that means dealing with this.”
Marlon helped me to my feet, both of us wobbling in place, unsteady on our legs. “Then you shall, Minnie. I won’t stand in your way.”
Riddle of a father:
We all have monsters hiding behind our smiles.
Wakening abruptly, I coughed hard and long, wheezing as chunks of mud flew out of my mouth. My shoulders and my chest heaved with every gasping breath I took. Shoving my hands onto the ground, I tried to orient myself as I struggled to push up to my hands and knees, my limbs dragging as I moved. My eyesight was blurry and unfocused as I stared at the yellow and brown dead grass.
“Slow and deep breaths, my son,” Mother stated softly. “Breathe in, and breathe out. Allow your head to clear before you stand.”
Gasping in oxygen, I concentrated on relaxing my air intake, reducing the speed of my pulse, and shaking my head every so often to force the fuzziness from my vision.
“What…” I rasped, my throat dry as Fae fuck. I gradually lifted my head and looked around. “What in the realm was that?”
My mother sat next to me cross-legged on the ground, her silver eyes coldly watching the dragon king, where he stood, leaning a shoulder against an ancient tree and rubbing his hands over an exhausted-looking, dirty face. Then, she explained gently, “The dark forest has judged you and your confidants. With your blood taken, it sees into your darkest parts.”
My exhausted attention dragged from the dragon king, the man barely able to stand straight, to the gorgon king and my soul mate, where they lay unconscious between us. I shuddered hard and wiped the drying tears off my face, gasping, “It was…all of us.”
“Yes,” Mother agreed simply.
I clenched my jaw and spoke through gritted teeth, “We all relived the same thing?”
The wraith whispered heavily, “Yes.”
“Fuck,” I gasped and pushed up to sit on my knees, my horrified gaze flicking between each person—stalling and settling on my soul mate. My eyes turned frantic. “She shouldn’t have seen that.”
“You should have spoken the truth to her.” Mother turned her face to look at me, her silver eyes staring into my emerald gaze. “There’s only so much protecting you can do before you become the villain.”
I snarled through my teeth, “She didn’t remember. She didn’tknow.” I shook my head brutally. “I healed her before she woke.”
“And it’s her life, not yours.” Mother stood to her feet, and her gaze examined my frantic, furious expression. She smiled sadly down upon me, and her transparent right hand gently brushed over my cheek, sending a chilly breeze against my skin. “You love her so much you fail to see what’s right in front of you.”
My red eyebrows furrowed deeply, and my lips pinched into a thin line. “Meaning?”
“Did you learn nothing from her memory?” Her sad smile only grew. “Mayhap…she’s been protecting you, too.”
Blinking very slowly, a horrible realization entered my mind. My nostrils flared as my attention flew back to my soul mate. I stared at her slack face and barely breathed, “She knew. She lied to me.”
