Twenty‑One
Gareth
Watching my mate sleep, I wished I could ease him with my magic.
All I could do was hold him while he was tortured with memories.
Mira had a lot to answer for. Just what had she done to Riley?
For what? Power? I thought back to something he had said about metamorphs always being used, and my heart broke all over again for him.
Riley whimpered in his sleep, so I held him closer until he calmed again. Now that I knew why he was having nightmares, I wished I didn’t. I wanted Riley to be able to rest, not be haunted by things he couldn’t control from his past.
Keeley felt horrible about how everything had gone down. I’d spoken with my cousin once Riley had fallen asleep, and asked if she’d be willing to try again with a witch or druid to boost her in my place.
“I don’t think our magic would be compatible, but we can try.” It felt so hopeless. I just wanted to try everything so we could go after Boyce without him being able to manipulate Riley.
Sure enough, the next day we tried with Oscar. He had grown close to Riley and desperately wanted to help his friend, but his magic wasn’t strong enough to be what Keeley needed to amplify her magic. She’d taken teas and potions to boost herself first. Nothing worked.
“There is someone else,” Keeley suggested carefully over lunch.
Riley had cooked for us all, moving around the kitchen as if he had always lived here.
He was better with Keeley when she wasn’t using magic and kept a careful distance from him.
While I wanted them to be friends, because I loved my cousin, I understood that it was a lot for Riley to overcome in such a short time.
Proving they were growing close, Fen had gotten off the night shift and checked in with Riley before heading home for some sleep.
With the return of a lot of families for Yule and Christmas, the town was busier than usual, and with the constant snowstorms and high winds, the police had been called out more often.
We were lucky we had so many dragons on the police force, since an ice storm didn’t stop them from flying.
It was all hands on deck, meaning Fen’s flying ban from his accident was suspended once more.
The last time he’d been able to fly was during the last attack.
If his dragon pride and the lingering effects of his upbringing didn’t stop him from accepting my help, I would have created something to brace his damaged leg and improve his flying.
He didn’t appear to be in pain with his disability, but would he actually have told me if he was?
I wondered if Riley could get through to him.
Having friends and potentially his brother here was a giant step toward settling somewhere.
I wasn’t going to be one of those mates who wanted their partner’s attention all day, every day.
Riley’s happiness was important to me. That meant having a support system outside of our relationship.
Especially with the past trauma he’d endured.
It wasn’t healthy for him to rely solely on me.
It took me a minute to register who Keeley was talking about. I made a pointed glance toward Riley. “No, I’m sure he’s too busy,” I said.
“Who is?” Oscar asked, curious. He had caught the look I’d given my cousin and wasn’t letting it go. Little shit. This was not the time to be bringing up my past.
“Did you know the mayor has a son?” Keeley asked, as she leaned toward Oscar to gossip conspiratorially.
“Hestia? Really?” Oscar moved closer to her. Riley stopped wiping down the countertops to listen in.
“Yeah, Eason is a demi-god. Half druid. If anyone could break the curse aside from Gareth, it would be him. Demi-god magic has to out power a warlock, right? And unlike Hestia, he’s able to meddle since he’s half druid.”
“Why didn’t you mention him before?” Riley asked mock casually. My avoidance of Eason had hurt him.
Possibly realizing her error, Keeley backtracked a little. “Well, to be fair to Gareth, he was out of town until I got back. We flew back together.” Keeley shrugged and took a sip of her water.
“That’s right, you’re both part of the Westhaven outreach,” I said, watching as Riley relaxed and resumed wiping up.
“So, Eason might help?” Oscar asked.
Keeley raised an eyebrow at me as if daring me to deny it. “He will.”
I glared at her before picking up my phone. “I’ll give him a call.”
Before I dialed, I made my way to our bedroom.
I closed the door and settled a silencing spell before I dialed Eason, taking no risks of being overheard for what was sure to be a sensitive conversation.
My gut churned. It rang a few times first, making me think it was going to go to voicemail.
Then he answered. “Gareth! It’s lovely to hear from you.
How’ve you been?” His voice was warm and friendly. Friendlier than I deserved.
“All good here. How was Westhaven?”
He chuckled. “Come on, I know you didn’t call to ask about the sanctuary outreach. Lonely, or do you need something?” His tone turned frosty. Ah, there it was. The bitterness I expected and had fully earned.
Nervously, I pulled at a loose thread on the comforter. “I, uh, well—”
“Spit it out, Gareth,” Eason demanded.
“I wouldn’t have called to ask, but Keeley suggested you could help.”
“Help with what?” He sounded wary.
“Uh, well, I found my fated mate.”
I had to pull the phone away from my ear because Eason was cursing up a storm on the other end of the line. Okay, I could understand what was going through his head. “What the fuck, Gareth? So, is this for him? You want me to use my magic to help him?”
“Shit, E, you make me sound like a monster.” I felt like one, but this hadn’t been my idea.
He didn’t have to rake me over the coals for it.
I’d do anything for my mate, even swallow my pride.
“Riley came here to Greyhaven needing help with a curse. He’s terrified of warlocks, and against all odds, I’m his fated.
It took a lot for him to trust me, but the nature of the bond—”
“Means you can’t use your magic on him. Not even for that. Fucking hell, Gareth. You don’t half get into some shit,” he muttered, sounding resigned.
“Keeley isn’t powerful enough on her own. His friend is a witch, and he’s not strong enough to amplify her either. Dragon magic can’t undo warlock magic. You’re the only one Keeley could think of. I wouldn’t have dared to ask. It’s just… I love him,” I finished, my voice low.
Riley should have heard those words of love first. Not my ex.
We sat in silence while Eason chewed over what to do. I knew him. We may not have worked as a couple, but I knew that deep inside, he had a healer’s heart and couldn’t stand to see anyone suffer. “I’ll come over in a bit, okay?
I returned to the kitchen and found them sitting at the table, waiting for me. “He’ll be here soon.”
“So, is Eason an ex-boyfriend or just a hookup? You’ve slept together, right?” Riley asked as he pushed his food around his plate. He avoided my eyes.
“Ex. We were together for a couple of years just after my parents left. He wanted to travel, and I wanted to be here teaching. We both wanted different things in life. We’d never have worked long term.”
“He still wants you, though, right? You hookup now and again, don’t you?” There wasn’t quite a hostile accusation in his expression when he finally met my eyes. More like resignation.
My mate deserved total honesty. No holding anything back, even if it could hurt us. “No backsliding for the last couple of years. It wasn’t healthy for either of us.”
“You’re completely done? No feelings left over?” Riley confirmed.
“None on my part. Even before you showed up, so don’t even question it,” I said firmly.
“He’s right. Gareth avoids all situations where Eason might get the impression that something could happen. I’m sorry to have suggested it,” Keeley apologized. “I just know this is time sensitive. We have seven days left before the curse enacts.”
“I get it. Just wanted to be prepared and not blindsided,” Riley whispered. “We all have pasts.” I knew he was thinking about Mira.
“I’d never judge you for anything in yours. You know that, right?” He nodded, sitting straighter in his chair. “I’m sorry if this is going to be awkward with Eason, but I really don’t feel anything for him. All I want is to get this curse off you, so we can plan our future.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. The bond…”
We all smiled. “So glad I’ve not met my mate yet!” Keeley cried, reaching to scoop more salad onto her plate. “These bonds really do a number on you, don’t they?”
Riley and I agreed with widening grins.
Eason didn’t knock, just swanned into my house in one of his beautifully tailored suits, a Christmas theme going on with the elaborate outfit. I caught Riley looking down at his plain navy T?shirt and black jeans. “Gorgeous,” I whispered only for him as I squeezed his thigh under the table.
Riley clasped my hand tightly in his as Eason approached and introduced himself to him and Oscar.
The young witch looked enamored with my demi-god ex. Oscar was really not his type, so was only in for disappointment there.
I caught my mate and ex measuring each other up before defeatedly, Eason said, “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Eason tried to undo the spell first, thinking that his demi-god talents might stretch to curse breaking.
Riley held up well under Eason’s attempt, yet didn’t hide his disappointment when the demi-god failed like the rest of us.
Clearly, what Tatsuya said weeks ago was true.
It had to be a warlock. Then Eason took Keeley’s hand and let her channel him.
My cousin gasped and pulled away from Eason. “Fuck! That burns!”
Sure enough, her hand that had been in Eason’s was blistered and red. She cradled it in her unharmed one and directed a tear-filled glance at Riley. “I’m sorry. That was my last hope.”
Riley surprised us all when he stood and wrapped my cousin in a hug. “Thank you for trying. I’m sorry you’re hurt.” His embrace was loose and brief, but it meant so much to Keeley that she cried harder. He returned to my side and wrapped an arm around my waist, leaning into me for comfort.
“Here,” I gently took her injured hand and sent healing magic into it. Unfortunately, my healing worked best on plants and not people or animals.
“Oh! Let me!” Oscar shouldered me out of the way and took over with the healing. Under his care, the blistering reversed course, and the red faded into the peach tone of Keeley’s usual skin.
“Wow, Oscar, that’s amazing!” Keeley praised.
Eason looked over. “Are you a healer?”
“No, I’m a librarian,” Oscar answered, a flush rising in his pale cheeks.
He received an appraising look from Eason, making him blush harder, all the way to his blond hair. “You know, with that healing skill, you should be at the hospital or clinic. You’d do wonders there.”
Keeley raised an eyebrow at me. “Well, why don’t we clear out and let these guys enjoy the rest of their day. Eason, you could show Oscar the clinic. He likely didn’t know that was an option for him. I doubt your mom would have overlooked his healing skill if she’d known about it.”
“I didn’t tell her I could heal. To be honest, I didn’t think much of it. Do you really think I could be useful there?” Oscar asked, still slightly awestruck by Eason.
“Sorry, both of you. I really wanted this to work,” Keeley said as she gathered her things. I caught her looking at her hand in wonder. Oscar had done an amazing job on it.
“Thank you for trying.” I squeezed her to me and shook Eason’s hand. Riley did the same, adding a hug for Oscar.
They cleared out of the house, leaving me to fold Riley into my arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. We’ll figure it out.”
“I know.”
We stood holding each other for a long time until Riley’s phone rang. “It’s Pax!” he exclaimed when he took it from his pocket. “Pax?”
“Where’s this path again? I’m nearly here.”
Riley started with directions until I cut in with a better road for Paxton to take. I sent a text to Tatsuya to let him know we wouldn’t be needing the welcome wagon. We were going to go get Paxton ourselves and introduce him to Greyhaven.