Page 175 of A Courage of the Chosen

“Yeah.” I kiss her knuckles, ignoring the chill of her skin. “I will be, when they return to us.”

Brodie’s lips twitch. “Look at you being optimistic. I’m so proud.”

“Fuck off.”

“There he is,” Brodie winks, disappearing to take up his vigil at Rachel’s bedside.

Once brothers-in-arms, now brothers in grief, and a painstaking wait lies ahead of us to see if our reasons for breathing return.

Sometime in the afternoon, Mother pays me a visit. She wasn’t thrilled when we told her that Rachel was being moved into my rooms, and we’ve dodged all of her questions about what happened to her new daughter-in-law. She only knows Elsie tried something to help Rachel, and that it backfired. I couldn’t stand to give her even the tiniest bit of hope that her daughter might be okay, only to see it shatter like it did with Brodie.

“Any changes?”

“No,” I reply. “Lorna has been by again and still can’t feel her.”

The healer left not long ago, perplexed and pissed off, since she couldn’t work out what was happening to them.

“Erin is asking after her.” We’ve kept both Mother and Erin distracted with each other, not that it was much of an ask for either of them since they enjoy each other’s company so much.

Reyne is busy with the council, discussing war plans in Elsie’s absence, but she asks for updates regularly that I send down to her with my magic, and Eòghann is posted outside the doors to these rooms, overseeing the guards on watch.

I was requested to join when the council had learned their newly appointed queen was indisposed, and I responded to that with a growl, and a few choice words that aren’t worth repeating. Elsie would tell me to go if she could, that someone should keep them in line, but Reyne is more than capable. It’s why Elsie chose her in the first place, and I have little desire to be anywhere but right where I am.

“Where is Erin?” I ask.

“In her rooms.”

Erin ought to know something is going on, and I should be the one to tell her, since Elsie and I are the ones she feels most comfortable around. It’s the only thing that could take me away now that I’ve gotten myself together, and borrowed some of the hope from everyone around me.

“I’ll speak with her.” I make sure the pile of blankets is tucked tightly around Elsie, and my mother takes my place in the empty chair at her side.

“I’ll stay with the queen,” she offers.

Dipping my head in thanks, I briskly leave.

I find Erin spread on the floor, surrounded by pencils and crayons, a pastime she seems to enjoy and something we have in common.

“Hey, soldier.”

She snaps her head my way at the sound of my voice, scrambling up and throwing herself at me with surprising speed. She’s more animated as the days pass by and this little girl pieces herself back together.

She’s invoked something in me. Much like Elsie did, but in an entirely different way. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for either of them.

Erin’s arms band around my legs before I scoop her up and rest her on my hip. Livvy rises from the sofa and slips into the room she stays in most nights to offer me a moment alone with Erin.

“I missed you,” she says into my neck.

“Missed you too,” I reply gruffly.

“I drew a picture of you and Elsie getting married. Do you want to see?”

I place her down and run a hand over the back of her head. “I’d love to.”

Erin takes my hand, tugs me down onto the floor, and shows me a series of images she’s drawn of our wedding day.

Those fucking tears loom again, and I have to take a breath before I can speak to the small Seelie looking up at me with expectant eyes. “She’s going to love them, Erin. You did so good.”

A prideful smile emerges with my praise. “Can I take them to her before we have dessert-dinner for her birthday?”