Shadows of Fire (The Shadow Realms, Book 1) by Brenda Davies (free e books to read .TXT) 📕

shrugged. “It’s our home, and we’renot giving it up.”

Cole nodded but didn’t speak again. When thesilence stretched onward, Lexi couldn’t stop herself from asking,“How has it been for you since the war ended?”

• • •

Cole stared at his hands as he contemplated thisquestion. It had been hell for him since the war ended. Pure,unadulterated hell. The memory of those vicious battles lingered inhis mind; the blood staining his hands would never come off, andthe nightmares….

Well, he was certain the nightmares wouldhaunt him for the rest of his days.

Before the war, he killed others, but henever slaughtered them with the ruthlessness he did during somebattles. To him, many of those he slaughtered were innocents. Yes,they’d stood against the Lord, but so did he.

He hadn’t fought against the Lord on thebattlefield. It had all been behind the scenes, and he’dfailed.

However, no one could have foreseen the crazybastard letting loose his dragons and slaughtering countless humansand immortals with such gleeful, ruthless intent.

Now, all he could do was make sure hisbrothers and so many others hadn’t died in vain by continuing totry to bring the Lord down from within. The ruler of the ShadowRealms, and the dragons, was insane, but he didn’t suspect theirtreason. That was the only hope they had of taking him down.

“It’s been… different,” he said. “It’scertainly been quieter at home with half of my brothers dead andtwo of the remaining ones banished and hunted as traitors.”

CHAPTER 35

Lexi’s eyes involuntarily darted to the fireplacebefore returning to him. When her lungs began to burn, she realizedshe was holding her breath and released it slowly to not drawattention to herself.

She stared at him as her heart raced, and shewondered if he could tell his words had sent her into a mini panicattack. She didn’t want to discuss his brothers, but she couldn’tsafely steer the conversation away without drawing attention toherself.

She remained outwardly calm as she replied,“That had to be difficult.”

“It was,” he said. “It is. Before thewar, we were all close.”

This revelation surprised her. He cared forBrokk a great deal, but the dark fae were selfish, aloof creatures.Or maybe that was only the image they portrayed to the outer world.Or maybe it was because his family was a mix of half-breeds andtherefore not as cold as the dark fae were said to be.

Orin was pure dark fae and a completeasshole, but maybe the others had bigger hearts. The lycan wereknown for loyalty to their families; perhaps that was the side ofCole she now saw.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she murmured.

When his head tipped to the side, the sunshining over him emphasized the elegance of his square jaw,chiseled cheekbones, and Persian blue eyes.

“I’m sorry for your loss, too,” he said.

Lexi ducked her head as she blinked away hertears. It had been six months, but sometimes it still felt like ithad only been an hour, and she would never get over her grief.This was one of those times.

“Thank you,” she whispered when she trustedherself to speak. And then, because she had to know what her fatherexperienced before he died, she asked. “Was the war horrible?”

When he didn’t reply, she lifted her head tolook at him again. His hands gripped the ends of his chair untilhis knuckles turned white and a muscle twitched in his cheek.

Looking at him, she wished she could takeback the question. No matter what he said, she would always knowthe war had sliced many lacerations and scars onto his soul. Andnow she knew the last of her father’s life had been awful.

Of course, it was horrible. It was war.Countless immortals and mortals lost their lives.

He’d fought on the winning side, but thatdidn’t make it any less atrocious. It just meant he didn’t have aprice on his head and countless enemies hunting him now that it wasover.

Even the dark fae with their purportedheartlessness would be affected by all the death they waded throughto survive. It was only beings like Malakai who came through thewar relatively unscathed.

“Yes,” he said.

When he didn’t elaborate any further, theysat in silence as the seconds turned into minutes.

Then he spoke again. “What happened to yourmother?”

“My father didn’t tell you?”

Cole’s hands relaxed on the chair, and whenhe looked at her again, some of his tension ebbed. “No, he neverspoke of her.”

“He didn’t tell me much about her either,”she admitted. “I know she was human and she died while giving birthto me. He told me he loved her, but I don’t think humans are meantto birth immortal creatures.”

“No, they’re not.”

“Her name was Sharon, and he said she wasbeautiful.”

Instinctively, her fingers went to her face,and she touched her cheek. Her father once told her she lookedexactly like her mother. There were times when she looked in themirror and tried to picture the woman who helped create her, buttrying to imagine her face on a dead woman was unnerving.

“Like mother, like daughter,” Colemurmured.

Lexi’s eyes widened as he stared at her. Hefound her beautiful?

She wasn’t an idiot, and she owned a mirror,so she knew she wasn’t ugly, but to hear him say this sent a warmthrill of excitement through her.

“What about your mother?” she asked.

“She was killed when I was seven.”

Lexi’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, I’msorry.”

He shrugged, but something in his eyes toldher it wasn’t such a casual thing. “It was centuries ago.”

“It still must have been hard. I miss mymother, and I never knew her. I can’t imagine knowing her andlosing her at such a young age.”

“At least I have memories of her. She was agood woman, kind and gentle. She loved my father and me verymuch.”

“What about your father?” she asked.

“What about him?”

“Did he love her?”

“With all his heart. He still does.”

The look on her face must have expressed hershock as he chuckled and draped his arm over the chair back.

“Despite what many think, the dark fae arevery capable of love. In fact, since they so rarely give their loveto anyone beyond their family, they often love deeper than mostimmortal creatures. My father never recovered from her death. Hefathered other children, but she is the only one he loved and theonly one