Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Lyv didn't know how much time passed as she watched Jai turn his back to her and walk away. Gods, did she regret the words that came out of her mouth, the anger that packed a solid punch behind them. She might as well have physically hit him in the stomach with the shadow of hurt that fell across his face when she did.

Swallowing hard, she looked over at Allel, Mik, and Kalla, who were all holding onto each other for support, and then Thia and Gideon. The look of disappointment and disgust on Gideon's face as he stared at her was yet another blow.

"I can't believe you would say that to him, especially after everything we've been through over the years. And don't throw that back at me and say it's the same as when he didn't come back for you after Guinevere's siege, because I know you will try that. That's in the past and he's more than paid and made up for that mistake," her best friend told her then as he shook his head. And even though he had been holding onto Thia, he stepped away from her. His eyes cut to Mik and narrowed. Obviously, he didn't trust the male at all either. "I'm going after Jai. You all...well, make sure that one's all right."

Lyv stepped forward and reached for his hand. "Gideon..."

But he pulled back. "Lyv, just give it some time. Give us both some time to cool down. Because it wasn't just Jai you hurt or who's worried about you and how you've been acting lately."

It was Gideon's anger and watching him turn his back on her that finally had her tears falling. Even Camilla and Soren's pitying looks as they followed behind her mate and best friend got to her. Furiously, she swiped the back of her hands under her eyes, trying to get rid of the evidence, but it was no use.

Thia stepped forward, reaching for her hand to squeeze it reassuringly. "Lyv..."

"I'm sorry," Lyv mumbled to her. "With you coming with us...Gideon's mad at you because of me."

"He's a hot-headed bastard both you and I love, but don't worry. The intensity of what just happened is still lingering, but they'll see," she told her. "I'll talk some sense into Gideon. Besides, you know he can't stay mad at you for very long. He can't stay mad at either us for long, for that matter." She pulled her in for a quick hug then before letting go. "I'll go after them, but you need to make sure Mik's all right."

As Thia left, Lyv turned and brushed away her tears even more before meeting Mik's gaze. Allel and Kalla still had their arms wrapped around him, but it didn't look like he needed much support. They just wanted to cling to one another after everything all three of them had been through over the last century and now finally getting to say they were free from Corliss.

But Mik...well, even though relief was clear in his eyes, his lips were pursed in annoyance.

"Not you, too," Lyv mumbled as she slowly started toward him. "I save you...we save you and you..."

"You will have me by your side for as long as I live, because I now owe you a life debt which I will gladly pay," Mik told her after cutting her off. "And just as Jai and Gideon are going on about, what in the hell were you thinking in coming after me?"

Lyv and Allel shared a look and a grimace.

"I wasn't going to lose you after everything," Allel told him in a whisper. "And Lyv wasn't either..."

"You and Lyv were complete idiots for even coming during the transfer ritual. Do you know what could have happened? That was the majority of her forces, Guinevere was undergoing the transformation, and catching Corliss off-guard was the worst of it all since she would be more prone to throwing whatever magic she could without even thinking about it."