Page 35 of Retribution

“Baby always gets her way,” Rolland muttered.

“Do you not want cake? Because I will eat your piece too without even a second thought,” I threatened, knowing Rolland just liked to give me bullshit.

“Of course I want cake. I didn’t hang those damn streamers to not get a payment.” He gestured for us to go ahead of him, and we did, snagging Oak and Lacy and then Sterling on our way back to the food table.

We were almost to the table when Ellis put his hand up to stop me. “What was that?”

“What?” I questioned.

“You’re – are you still having the pains?” Shit, I forgot I couldn’t hide feelings or emotions from him.

“I’ve had a few tonight.” A few might be an understatement.

“You need to get it checked out,” he ordered.

“After cake?” I made sure to give him the saddest, most pitiful eyes that I could muster because truthfully? I picked that cake based on what I wanted, not what he would like, and I’d been thinking about it since I ordered it.

“Chocolate cake with raspberry filling, isn’t it?” He sighed.

“How did you know?” I placed my hands on my hips as I stared him down.

“You were mumbling about it in your sleep last night.” He smirked, and damn it. I didn’t doubt it was true. “After cake, we are calling the healer.”

“Deal.”

I took a step toward the cake, and he stopped me again. “That wasn’t what I wanted to talk about, though.” He looked around at the group of friends gathering around the table. “I – I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate what you have done for me tonight. It’s honestly the happiest I’ve been in longer than I can remember. Thank you.”

I kissed his nose, then chin, before meeting his lips with my own. “You deserve it. Cake?”

He laughed. “Cake.”

His fingers laced with mine, and he pulled me forward, taking me with him through the crowd of people until we were both standing in front of the cake table. He picked up the knife, gripping the handle in his hand. “I see you opted not to put two hundred and twenty-three candles on my cake. I’m sure the ozone layer appreciates it.”

The crowd laughed, and Rolland yelled, “We didn’t want to burn the place down! It’s historic.”

Another round of laughter filled the air before Ellis cleared his throat and let his voice boom. “Well then, who wants cake?”

He lifted the knife above the cake, bringing it down to a perfectly smooth layer of fudge frosting. The moment the knife marred the frosting, the ground under our feet began to tremble until a massive boom clapped overhead, and a ball of fire pierced through the wards and landed yards away from us.

Chapter 17

OAK

The fire crackled,and smoke filled the air. Panic clawed at me, threatened to steal all reason from my mind. Safety. I needed to get Liberty to safety. A roar left my lips, and the protection ingrained in me by the fates took over. Without missing a beat, I grabbed Lacy’s small body and flung it over my shoulder before plowing through the people to get to my love.

Arrows began to fly through the air, followed by burning stone, landing sporadically around us, and I knew we needed to get away, needed to get Liberty some sort of protection, needed to shelter her and the baby. Still, my mind was a jumble of confusion and rage.

How had this happened?

How had our wards been breached?

In front of me, Liberty had her hand on the table as she curled around her stomach. What was she doing? She shouldn’t be out here still. As if Ellis read my mind, his hands went under her knees, and he picked her up. Had I shouted? Had I given an order? It was impossible to tell through the chaos that broke out around us. Impossible to see through the growing smoke. Impossible to breathe through polluted air.

I reached Ellis in a few more strides. “Get her inside.”

“I’m trying. But we have a situation.” The look in his eyes was genuinely terrified.

“We have a whole lot of fucking situations; get her inside!” I roared before moving forward, trying to guard Ellis’ back as he carried her to safety. It was no use, though, not really. Not when the attack by the unseen assailant was coming from all directions. Still, if I could protect what I could, if I could take an arrow in my back, so he didn’t have to, I’d do it. I’d do it a thousand times over.