Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 20

Her voice was gravelly when she finally spoke.  "But Mik...he..."

Jai reached over for the pitcher of water to pour her a glass.  He did it one-handed, keeping a tight hold on Allel's with his other.  "Lyv got him away from you before he could..."

"Kill me."

It wasn't a question, but rather well-known fact. 

"I think so, yes.  But he didn't.  Lyv was able to get him away and Gideon, Thia, and I were able to get you back here to Solandis's.  It took both me and Gideon to heal you, but we did.  Thia talked you through it all.  Do you remember any of it?"

Allel nodded, still swiping away her tears and held tight to his hand.  "I do.  I just...I thought they hated me.  I still don't understand why you don't hate me still."

"They don't exactly hate you, but rather all that's happened and you were an unwilling participant in.  You're growing on them, though.  And as for me...well, it didn't take as long for me to look to you as a friend," Jai told her, then his smile stretched into a grin.  "Besides, I love surrounding myself with beautiful, powerful females.  Gideon's the same.  Why do you think we keep Lyv and Thia around, huh?  Then you have to admit Laurel's scary, even when she's just looking at you.  And Kalla, a female you'd never want to mess with.  We know how fierce you all are and love you for it."

Finally, he got a laugh out of her as she shook her head at his ridiculous statement. 

He helped her sit up, handing her the glass once she was propped up against the pillows.  She took one sip at first, but then gulped down half of it in one go before taking a breath.  Jai watched her carefully, still sitting close in case she needed him for support.  And when she handed him the glass, he immediately refilled it, but she leaned over to put it back on the table.

"How was it...seeing Lyv?" Allel asked in a whisper.  "Was it as awful for you as it was for me seeing Mik again?"

Jai shook his head, looking down for a moment.  "Seeing her eyes as they were brought back the same feelings as when she first was taken over by the darkness.  In all honesty, I don't see how you did it watching Mik be the conduit for a century."

"I had to, but I never saw him as my Mik.  To me, he was dead," she shrugged.  "Mik and the conduit are two different males.  The Mik I love is the one you met briefly in Asturia.  He's the true Mik, the one who would do anything for those he loves.  But we'll get them back.  We'll get them both back."

"Would you hate me if I said it would take me some time to trust him?"

"With everything the conduit's done?  No, actually.  I can't blame you at all.  He's almost killed you and Lyv.  He had a hand in the attack on Asturia and was in association with Guinevere, who killed Destan.  I don't blame you at all and wouldn't hate you for it.  You said the same thing about me and now look where we are."

"I wish I would have gotten to know you all before Corliss went dark."

Allel shrugged, her past haunting in her gaze.  "We were all different people back then...but I think you would have liked us all, too."

"You sure about that?"

"I am, especially when you were the one to hit on me when I met you before and you were super drunk."

"Not the most graceful time in my life."

"From the rumors I heard before you went to Escarral as the mapmaker Amory, you didn't change until then."

Of course, that's when he changed.  That was when he met a certain princess who changed his world completely.

"Don't remind me of a past that doesn't even seem like mine.  I'd rather focus on now and look forward to the future."