Chapter 26 #2
He looked away. “Because I did not think you would come.” A harsh breath escaped him. “I did not think anyone would come.”
Even after I promised him I would always be there when he asked, Caelan still wondered whether I would leave him high and dry.
I couldn’t help myself. Tugging him closer, I brought him in for a hug. His arms slid around my waist and crushed me to his chest. Caelan buried his face in my neck and inhaled a shaky breath. I said nothing when I felt hot tears fall against my skin, but I held on to him.
I knew what it felt like to be abandoned, the hopelessness that came with knowing no one was going to come and save you.
I’d felt it on that cool night lying broken in the field of heather thousands of miles away from home and many times before then, and I felt it when Caelan abandoned me due to his own prejudices.
How could I do the same to him? I would never be the kind of person who would confront him with his own cruelty when he was breaking down in front of me. I rubbed my hand down his back and through his hair, murmuring soft, nonsensical words.
He shuddered and brought me to the ground, still holding onto me tightly.
There was nothing sexual in this, only a raw and heavy grief and a need to share it with someone.
I sent a small spiral of power into the ground and brought up a cage of vines and flowers to give us some privacy, ensuring I gave the cage a little extra padding to muffle the noise.
Dad’s magical training helped, but some things did not come as naturally to me as they did with him. He suspected part of that had to do with my Chimera heritage. I was a lot stronger with illusion and earth power than with his form of wild magic.
But what I made would do for now.
I kept the top open to the sky above, the golden lightning a show unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The scent of blooms rose through the air.
“I am sorry,” he gritted out, his face still buried in my shoulder.
“You’ve already apologized and made amends.”
“I’m sorry for being a stubborn ass.”
“Ah. Yes. You haven’t apologized for that, but I suspect I don’t need to tell you the cost.” It was written in his skin, in the blood and cuts and broken bones I couldn’t see.
He sighed against my skin. “I’ve been such a fool.”
“You’re still alive, Caelan. You have a second chance to get things right.”
He pulled away then but didn’t let go of me. Our faces were so close, our noses almost touched. There was an intimacy between us, but no longer a spark. Those belonged to Rowan.
“Thank you for coming.”
I touched his face. “I’m sad you didn’t believe me.”
He looked away, shame flickering over his features. “I’m not sure I would have done the same for you.”
“I know,” I whispered.
He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. “You were right to leave me.”
I smiled. “I know that, too.”
The golden light in his eyes faded just a touch. His chuckle was genuine this time. “Your mate and Ethan know my secret. We live in unprecedented times.”
“You can trust Rowan. Ethan is a sonofabitch, but he seems to operate by his own fucked up code of honor. Plus, I think he has a crush on Moira, so your secret might be safe with him since we’re all linked together.”
His eyebrows flicked up. “Moira. Huh. No shit?”
“We’ll see where it goes.” I pulled back a little more. “I’m not sure if I can, but I’d like to heal you. If you allow me to.”
He snorted. “After all this, I’ll allow you to do whatever the hell you want, Evie.”
“Danu still lurks below. If you want me to put a barrier up, I will. Doing so will shove her out of your lands.”
“Why hasn’t she attacked?”
“She knows I’m here. Titania is—” I paused.
“Titania was a lot more impulsive than Danu. Though you did a hell of a good job making sure she won’t rise again.
” We shared a savage grin. “If I claim the outskirts of your lands, Danu won’t be able to claim any of the Lord’s territories.
We can talk details later.” When I was sure that old bitch wasn’t listening.
He nodded. “Then yes and thank you. I won’t be able to use this power again for a while. My lands and people are the most vulnerable they’ve ever been.”
I touched his cheek. “With this, I can fully purge the poison from Danu. You and your lands will be completely healed. I’ll also try to heal your people if I can, but I’ve never tried such a thing before. Some of them have lost a lot of blood.”
When I first arrived, I could feel it seeping into the earth.
Caelan’s eyes met mine, both of understanding what I meant. I wasn’t sure I could save everyone. With his life force linked directly to his people’s, I had to try. He put his hand over mine. “I can never thank you for what you’ve done.”
“We didn’t do much of anything tonight. You had it well under control. But I hope I can do something now. Ready?”
“I am.”
I squirmed out of his grip and sat beside him, keeping a hand on his arm. “Try not to move.”
My other hand went straight into the cool dirt, the familiar magic of Caelan’s land rising to welcome me. I sent everything I had down into the earth, following the golden veins of magic from Caelan to his shifters and went to work.