Chapter 39
Elodie collapsed onto the sofa. Exhaustion pulled at her.
She wanted to sleep for a week. She tucked her cold, bare feet up as she tugged the throw around her.
She stared into the fire as she went over her conversation with Scott.
Elodie wasn’t sure what to do. Her heart and body urged her to give Scott a second chance, but her head cautioned her.
It didn’t matter how deeply she cared about Scott; she didn’t know if she could trust him.
And without trust, there wasn’t a relationship.
Movement near the doorway grabbed her attention.
She smiled when she saw her brother. Elias had changed into dry clothes.
For the first time since he returned, she got a really good look at him.
He was taller than she remembered. His shoulders were broader, and his body had filled out.
He moved like a man who had seen—and experienced—a lot.
Strong jaw. A nose that had been broken at least once.
Blue eyes that saw everything. Dark blond hair that would appear shaggy on others but worked for him.
“Hey,” he said with a crooked grin.
“Hey.”
He strode into the room and sat beside her. “How are you doing?”
“On the one hand, I got my magic back. So, there’s that. I feel more like myself. But on the other, I remembered that I killed our father.”
“Who was about to take Mum’s life.”
Elodie met his gaze. “I know.”
“You saved her. You saved all of us.”
She worried her lip. “He never hit me until that day.”
“He would have eventually. Trust me.” Elias looked away, but not before she saw the pain he had buried deep. “He deserved what he got. I wished I would’ve been the one to do it.”
“No, you don’t.”
Elias sat still—too still. “Aye, I do.”
“Why didn’t you do something?”
“He told me that he would kill one of you if I said anything to Mum, you, or Edie.”
Elodie’s stomach clenched painfully as she thought about what her brother had endured. “You kept quiet. I would’ve, too.” She swallowed, telling herself that she shouldn’t ask the next question. But she had to know. “How many times…?”
“Does it matter?” he asked tightly. “He controlled me as he did Mum.”
She leaned toward him, resting her head on his shoulder. “Why did you leave? I needed you.”
“I know.” His shoulders moved as he took a breath, then he rested his head atop hers. “I had to. I couldna be the brother you or Edie needed by staying here. I had too much anger. Mum worried that I would slip and say something around you, breaking her spell.”
“I would’ve been all right.”
He turned, his chin brushing the top of her head. He stayed there for a moment. “You forget, I was in the room. I saw how distraught you were. We were trying to get you to lower your voice so Edie wouldna hear, but we couldna. No’ until Mum agreed to bind your magic.”
“She knew that wouldn’t be enough,” Elodie whispered.
Elias shook his head. “What he made you do…it broke you, sis. Mum knew if she couldna be there to help you, there was only one alternative.”
“She never should’ve been prosecuted for Da’s death.”
“She made that decision before I could talk to her. The thing is, that day broke all three of us. I think Mum had been broken for some time. She told me years later that the only reason she was able to keep going was because of us. She did what she did to protect us—but you, especially.”
Elodie lifted her head to meet his gaze. “And because he had begun abusing you.”
“She still hasna forgiven herself for no’ realizing sooner. I never faulted her for that. I’ve only ever blamed him.”
Elodie rubbed her hand up and down his arm, sensing the deep anguish that had yet to heal within her brother. “I’ve lost fifteen years with my family.”
“Because of him.”
She nodded slowly. “I’m sorry he did that to you.”
Elias looked at her solemnly. “I’m sorry you had to be the one to kill him. But you saved us, Elodie. You may no’ believe it, but I do. With every fiber of my being. So, thank you.”
Her eyes teared, making his face go blurry. She looked away in an effort to regain some control. She had cried enough tonight. “Did you ever tell Edie? That I was the reason Da’s gone?”
“She knows nothing about what transpired in that room with us.”
“Should we tell her?”
He shrugged. “Would you want to know?”
“She seems content with how things are. It might not be wise to upend her world like that.”
“I agree. It’s why I never told her anything.” Elias cleared his throat. “I’ll talk about it all you want tonight, but after this, let’s not discuss it again.”
She returned her head to his shoulder. “It feels wrong to leave her out, though.”
They sat in silence for several moments before he said, “Want to tell me about Scott?”
“I’m not sure there’s anything to tell.”
“That wasna what I saw.”
The teasing note to his voice brought a soft smile to her lips. “He was the first person who made me feel anything in years. I thought something was developing between us.”
“Looks to me there is something.”
“He came to Skye for me.”
“What?” All the humor vanished from Elias’s voice.
Elodie sighed, her heart heavy. “He’s part of a Druid Other group. Their leader is a seer, and she told him that I was the answer to stopping the Druid killings.”
“I think I’m changing my opinion of him,” Elias stated tightly.
She hadn’t realized how much she had missed her brother until then. Elodie watched the flames dance. “He told me everything after he knew that I didn’t have magic. He said they would find another way.”
“And now that your magic has returned?”
Elodie shrugged. “Everything happened today. I told him I didn’t want to see him again.”
“He was here when I arrived. He was trying to break the door down to get to you.”
Her throat tightened at Elias’s words.
“He cares about you,” Elias stated. “Deeply.”
“He asked for a second chance.”
Elias let out a long breath. “Are you going to help him and his organization?”
“No. I told him that a few moments ago. I might have my magic again, but I won’t use it the way I did with Da. I refuse to allow myself to be put in that position. I can’t imagine any other reason they would want my help.”
“You always did have the strongest magic in the family. Maybe there’s more you can do.”
She squeezed her eyes closed. “I don’t want to know. I don’t know how I did what I did with Da. It was pure reaction.”
“Exactly. That’s the kind of inherent power you have, sis.”
“It scares me.”
Elias’s hair brushed her forehead as he turned his head to the door. “You’ve some powerful friends that could help you.”
“I only know Rhona and Balladyn. The others I met with you.”
“Still. A Dragon King, a Warrior, and their Druid mates?” Elias let out a low whistle. “As for Balladyn, word has spread quickly through the Druids about his and Rhona’s connection.”
Elodie sat up, her stomach dropping to her feet. “What do you mean word has spread?”
“It’s no’ like we have a newsletter or anything, but there are some groups and chat rooms. That’s how we share information. Skye is on everyone’s radar.”
She changed the position of her legs because they had begun to cramp. “Is there talk about the Druids being killed?”
“Absolutely.”
“Does anyone have any theories?”
“There are thousands of them.”
“Are the killings here like those in Edinburgh and elsewhere?”
“Nay.”
“So this is someone different?”
Elias shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”
Elodie thought about Scott and then about the group in her parents’ room still talking. “You should tell Rhona about the Druid chat rooms.”
“I will. I wanted to spend some time with you first.”
“Four Skye Druids are dead.” Elodie shoved the blanket away and got to her feet. “Maybe Rhona knows about the chat rooms and such. But, regardless, you need to tell her.”
Elias lifted his hands, palms up. “Okay. Okay.”
“You were attacked,” she said with a shake of her head. “Something has been after me. I don’t want it to return for either of us.”
His nostrils flared as he pushed to his feet. “I dare it to take another go at me.”
“No. I just got you back.”
“I’m no’ in the habit of hiding, sis.”
“To hell with that,” she stated. “This is about keeping our family together.”
He flattened his lips before they softened. “True.”
“I’ll get Scott and meet you with the others.”
Elodie leaned out the back door, her gaze sweeping around the deck. “Scott!” When she didn’t see him, she went back inside and tried the front door. “Scott?”
No answer. She thought maybe he might have come inside without her knowing. Elodie made her way to her parents’ room, detouring briefly to get a cardigan and some slippers. But when she reached the others, there was still no sign of Scott.
“Where’s Scott?” she asked, talking over Ulrik.
Every head turned to her. Filip’s brows snapped together. “He went after you.”
“I spoke to him outside, but I came back in,” she told them. “Now, I can’t find him.”
Elias spun on his heel and retraced his steps. “We’ll find him.”
Elodie followed everyone out, but she had a feeling they wouldn’t find Scott. Ten minutes later, they confirmed her fears. Their small group stood looking at each other as if someone had the answer and would give it at any moment.
“He wouldna leave like that,” Filip said into the silence.
Sonya looked at Broc. “Honey.”
The Warrior nodded, his gaze going distant.
Balladyn said nothing as he stalked from the house to the back deck. Everyone followed. Elodie twisted her hands as she fought for some semblance of calm instead of screaming as she longed to do. Because what good would that do?
The Reaper said nothing as he turned slowly, his gaze moving over everything. He paused and knelt to touch something. Ulrik went to see what it was. The two spoke quietly. It was on the tip of Elodie’s tongue to demand that they share what they’d discovered.
“I found him,” Broc suddenly said as he walked onto the deck.
Elodie jerked her head to him. “Where? Tell me where he is.”
But Broc’s gaze was on Ulrik and Balladyn. An unspoken message passed between them. The scream of frustration and panic that Elodie fought was ever closer to being released.
“Let’s go back inside,” Rhona said calmly into the silence.
Elodie whirled on her. “If you tell me I have to stay out of it, I won’t be responsible for what I do to you.”
“I’m going, too,” Filip stated.
Elias crossed his arms. “We’re all fucking going. This is our fight. He’s a Druid. On Skye.”
Elodie stared down Rhona, silently demanding the Druid leader give in.
The Druid’s green eyes were firm, but she finally gave a single nod. “Fine.”
“Doona make it sound like you had a choice,” Filip stated. “We all know Scott was taken because of Elodie.”
Was that true? Elodie felt the world begin to spin. She put out a hand and grabbed hold of the closest thing to her. Elias. He kept her steady.
“Which is why she shouldn’t go,” Balladyn said.
Elodie looked at the Reaper. “I have to.”
“I doona think you’re ready,” Ulrik told her.
Eilish made a sound as she eyed Elodie up and down with a smile. “She’s a Druid. She’s ready.”
Elodie was glad that someone had faith in her because she didn’t. It had been so long since she’d used her magic. She feared she’d forgotten how.
“I’ll be with you,” Elias said near her ear.
Sonya stepped forward. “We all will.”