Morwitch - Breaking the Rules (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ellie paced back and forth in the bush behind the cottage, her heart hammering in her chest.

Damnit, they all just needed to stop molly-coddling her. She picked up a stone and hurled it at the nearest tree. What was the point of being 'safe' if you had to spend your whole life scared and in hiding to achieve it? Enough was enough. She wasn't prepared to sit around and do nothing, while her friends and family could be dying.

She hurled another rock at the hapless tree. And what was with Jayce anyway? She'd been stunned when he'd slammed his mind closed on her. So she was stubborn and pigheaded and might have used the image of the Grandfather's house to go there, he still didn't have to...

Ellie sunk to the ground and covered her face with her hands. She hated to admit it, but Jayce had been right to block her out. She'd been so angry at everyone telling her what she could and couldn't do, she probably would've teleported there just to spite them. She was a complete idiot. Jayce had been trying to keep her safe, as always, and she'd done nothing but cause him pain.

The sound of crunching leaves under heavy boots alerted her to Jayce's arrival. She lifted her face and looked into his warm golden eyes.

"I'm so sorry—," they both said at once. Jayce dropped down beside her and pulled her into his arms. Which of course just made her feel worse. She'd done nothing but argue with him and act like an unreasonable spoilt brat... and as usual he was apologising for something that was mainly her fault.

"Please let me talk first," Ellie said, comforted by the familiar feel of his heartbeat beneath her cheek. "I'm a stubborn, self-centred idiot. I've spent all day arguing with you, when you were only trying to keep me safe. I over-reacted to the blocked thoughts thing because I was angry, and worried, and scared—"

Jayce's kiss was tender and filled with love, healing the anger and worry and fear - as he always did. Ellie pushed all other thoughts aside and allowed her bruised emotions to recover, in a place where nothing existed outside their love for each other.

When Jayce lifted his head, his eyes were full of adoration. "Okay, so my turn now. Jasper taught me the private dragon speak thing while you were asleep, and I do plan to teach you how to use it too. But I was so angry and hurt that you were dismissing my concerns, I guess I just lashed out. Ya' know, sometimes loving you, and trying to keep you safe at the same time, can be a damned frustrating job."

Ellie snuggled against him and gave him a sheepish look. "Yeah I know. I'm a total pain in the butt. But I'm your pain in the butt, and you'll just have to put up with me. Just know that I'm trying really hard to change, okay?"

Jayce kissed the tip of her nose and smiled. "I love you, warts and all witchy girl. But we really do need to discuss this whole going to the Dragon Realm thing."

Ellie sighed and nodded. She already knew she wasn't going to win this particular battle.

***

AN UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE hung in the air when Jayce and Ellie returned to the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry I went off like that. I feel like such an idiot..." Ellie burst out, fresh tears welling in her eyes. Jayce guided her over to the seat she'd recently vacated and sat down next to her.

"Okay, so Ellie and I have discussed it, and we agree Yvette should teleport me to the Grandfather's house so I can find out what he knows. How does that sound?"

Three sets of eyes looked up, surprise on all their faces. Jayce just grinned.

"And you're okay with that Ellie?" Yvette asked hesitantly.