Page 26 of Jay's Silence
“I’ll always come for you.” I pulled back to meet his gaze. “Your dad’s a piece of shit.”
Lux took a deep breath. “I look like my mom. She died giving birth to me, so in his eyes, I killed her.” He lifted his metal fist. “And replaced her with something broken.”
I placed my warm palm over his knuckles. “You’re not broken, and you didn’t kill your mom. They chose to have you. Bringing you into this world was the best thing she ever did.”
Lux nodded as if I repeated a fact he knew but still didn’t believe. It probably was. I didn’t know his parents, just what his fucked up father did to him. The fact that Lux was doing so well after yesterday meant waking up in a pool of his own blood was a normalized experience. The oubliette flashed through my memory, and I shuddered.
“Did any of the Air Priestesses know your past?” I asked.
Lux nodded. “Mother Ada did. We spent hours talking. She felt like the mom I never had. I know you must think it an odd choice.“
I put a finger over his lips. “I don’t. That temple was everything you didn’t have. If I ever see Mother Ada again, I’ll grant her greatest wish, whatever it is.” I wrinkled my nose. “That’s if I get my magic back. Plus,” I rushed on, focusing the conversation back on Lux. “Those kids are full of life, joy, and everything your father stripped from you. I think you found the perfect place to heal.”
Lux pulled me to his chest again, and I squeezed him. “Plus, you look amazing in layers of white. Your make-up was on point.”
Lux chuckled. “Will you think less of me if I admit I liked that part?”
I nipped at his lower lip. “Never. Will you think less of me when my muscles are as bulky as Rehan’s?”
Lux chuckled. “None of us will be able to catch up to thatfecker.”
“Don’t steal my words, Can Opener,” Tyson barked.
Lux blinked in confusion. I leaned down and pecked his lips again. “That means Tyson likes you. Take it as a compliment.” My smile faltered. “You went back to your abuser to save me.” I made sure he met my gaze. “Don’t ever do that again.”
Lux nodded. “Deal.”
“And if you ever need to talk,” Ogden said, clearly not as dead to the world as I thought. “We’re here, all of us.”
Lux pressed his face into my shoulder and shook. Tyson nodded from his cot, and Rehan snored his silent agreement. Although I held Lux, my mind went over Og’s words a second time.
All of us, maybe he’s…
“But not like that, Jay,” Og added, reading my mind. “You’re still on probation, one or two at a time, three max.”
Lux shook harder, but this time, a crazy giggle accompanied it. “I went from living by myself with only old ladies and little kids to being in a wolf pack.” He released me. “I don’t know where I fit in.”
I grinned. “I can help you with that.”
Lux stared at me hopefully, and my butt joke died on my lips. He wanted an honest answer.
I dropped my grin. “Ah, actually, I can’t. We’re all kinda winging it.” I gave Lux another kiss on the cheek, wishing it could be more, but Og had a good point last night. Lux was holding back a rut. Injured or not, we could have used his help fighting demons. I couldn’t risk him losing his mind to sex or violence or maybe both.
I stood, and cold stone met my bare feet. I immediately missed my arm chariot.
Really Jay? You don’t even want to walk anymore?
“Og, how tired are you from healing?” I asked, ignoring my inner voice.
Og yawned. “I’ll need a nap, but I’m okay for now.” He eyed Rehan. “I’m excited to see him shift. I don’t understand why the damage from the demon poison didn’t heal during a shift or why it shrank to fit Rehan’s smaller form. I mean, our entire bodies break and grow. It’s like a reset.”
I pursed my lips. “The poison is charged emotion, constructed from pure magic.” I studied Rehan’s shoulder. “It’s not just hurting his physical body, but his magical foundation. Demons are bad shit.”
Og sat up and furrowed his eyebrows. “You know this because?”
“First, because I’m ancient. I know all kinds of crap. And second.” I grimaced. “Because I’ve made my own.”
“What?” Tyson exclaimed.