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Frankie hugged her fiercely and repeated, “I love ye, Jazmine Decker.”
“Aye, as do I,” said Trevor who stepped inside and hugged his mate and gave Frankie a grin with an accompanying soft whistle. “Our girl is quite the beauty, eh Jazmine Decker? She will break hearts, won’t she?”
“Oh, I hope not,” Frankie said, her smile vanishing ludicrously.
Trevor and Jazz laughed in unison, “It is just a saying, meaning, all eyes will be on you.” Jazz said and pushed her toward the door. “Now, go on…your da is waiting.”
“Is he? Well then, there is just one thing I need to do…just to let off some steam, Jazz m’darlin’,” Frankie said with a mischievous laugh.
A moment later, outside and invisible to all but other Fae, dressed to the nines, Frankie spread her wings and took flight.
* * *
Graely wished he couldn’t feel his brothers pulling at him. He shouldn’t care about them—they were evil and would never be anything else. They didn’t have the right ingredients to make them anything else.
That part of their brain that should have grown compassion, the ability to feel remorse, the ability to be selfless had never developed and was too shriveled to develop now.
Yet, they were always there trying to yank him back into their circle. He felt it now, strongly and the urge to go to them was strong. Pestale called his name. Crystal had taken measures to keep him away from Conglam, but he had found a spell that let him through the wards.
Even with universes between them, he could feel the horror that made them what they were as it flitted through the old bond they once had.
He had never been quite like them, but he had done many things, awful things that made him unworthy of her smile.
His job, the job he had given himself as her protector was all that mattered to him. It gave him purpose, it promised redemption, and he wanted redemption, he wanted to be worthy of her.
She was so much more than any of them knew.
She was vital to their survival, but they didn’t know that, nor did they care. Her care givers simply loved her.
He had never known such affection, such open love. He knew it now, because he felt it for her. Every inch of his being moved and breathed for Frankie.
He would never declare himself. How c
ould he?
He was content to watch over her, make certain she was safe, happy and ready to take on the wonders of her majority and enjoy her life. That was what she deserved—everything, she deserved everything good.
Pestale worried him. He had sensed on his last visit that something was dangerously brewing in Pestale’s quarter. It was no longer just in Pestale’s mind, but becoming a reality, a separate entity that had taken on life. Pestale had been careful not to disclose anything to him, but had questioned his loyalty instead.
During that last visit, he felt as though they would suck all the better things out of his life. He had been relieved when the wards pulled him back as they always did.
When he was with Frankie…was the only time he felt alive, truly alive.
Frankie gave him the oxygen he breathed. What she loved, he must love and protect. What she needed, he would move through pain and sacrifice to achieve for her. Why? Why no longer mattered.
It was unconditional—what he felt was totally pure. He wanted nothing in return, but the freedom to watch over her.
Something more horrible than the last war was coming.
Something unthinkable was about to go down, and he would protect her with his last breath. She came before him. She was all that mattered, and that feeling left him wildly deliriously content.
From the moment he had first seen her as a ragged child, standing alone with so much power, more power than he had ever thought a child could wield. He had known what his job would be, to shield and protect the child called Frankie.
Now, more than ever, he knew what he had known then, that eventually he would be called upon to do just that.
Evil was upon them.
He was forever battling against the dark in himself. He wasn’t certain he could keep it under control for an eternity. But when he looked at Frankie he knew, absolutely, that he would control it and find a way to keep her safe, for a weapon was on the rise. He felt it and knew it was coming.
