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

sat in the chair he’d become far toofamiliar with over the past few days. “I’m not playing any gamewith her.”

Brokk winced as he pushed himself furtherinto a seated position. “I heard your conversation with Sahira.We’re not exactly known to do things out of the kindness of ourhearts, but I’ve never known you to play with an innocent’shead.”

“I’m not playing with her head.”

“She’s young, and we both know she’sinexperienced. She’s led a sheltered life here.”

“How can you say that when you barely knowher?”

“I know she’s an innocent, and so do you. Iremember how Del talked about her and how he kept her protectedfrom the worst of the realms. He was our friend, and she doesn’tknow how to handle creatures like Malakai or us. You’ve never beenone to take advantage of that, so what game are you playing,Cole?”

Cole gripped the ends of the chair. “I toldyou, I’m not playing any game. I owe it to Del and her to keep hersafe, and I plan to do exactly that. They took us in here, and theykept you alive; I will repay that debt.”

Brokk’s head fell back and hit the headboardwith a small thud. “It’s a debt I’ll repay too, and she isbeautiful. They both are.”

“Stay away from Lexi,” Cole warned.

Brokk lifted his head and met his gaze, buthis brother was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

CHAPTER 41

Lexi poked her head into Brokk’s room and waspleased to discover him sitting up with his back against theheadboard and a book on his lap. When he looked up at her, hesmiled as she stepped into the room.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

He laid the book down as she approached thebed. Though he remained paler than normal, his eyes were bright,and the color had returned to his handsome face. His blond hair wasdisheveled, and he could probably use a shower, but he was on theroad to recovery, which meant he and Cole would leave soon.

Lexi pushed aside the pang of disappointmentaccompanying the realization as she stopped next to his bed. Shewould miss Cole, which meant she was an idiot who allowed herselfto get too attached to a dark fae.

“I’m much better,” Brokk said. “Thank you fortaking me in.”

She waved away his gratitude. “Anyone wouldhave done the same.”

“No, they wouldn’t, and we both knowthat.”

His aqua eyes perused her from head to toe,but she didn’t sense any sexual interest from him. However, theintensity of his gaze made her shift uncomfortably.

“Can I get you anything?” she asked.

“No, I’m good,” he said.

“We have a TV downstairs, and the electricityis working right now; I can bring it up so you can watch it. Therearen’t many channels left, but sometimes they air somethingdecent.”

“I’m good. Cole gave me this book to read.”He held up the first Harry Potter book for her to see. “Have youread this?”

Lexi bit back a laugh as she stared at thecover. “A few times.”

“It’s really good.”

This time, she couldn’t stop herself fromchuckling. “I told your brother the same thing.”

And he’d liked it enough to recommend it tohis brother, which meant she’d turned him into a Potter groupie.Now she had someone to discuss the books with as Sahira refused toread books about wizards. She claimed she had enough witches andwarlocks to deal with without reading about them.

“I can’t tell you the number of times Colehas been wrong over the years, but he wasn’t wrong about this,”Brokk said.

“He may have been wrong a lot over the years,but I’m always right,” she said.

Brokk laughed. “Over the years, I’ve learnedmost women are always right.”

Lexi glanced around the room, but there wasnowhere for Cole to hide in here. She couldn’t stop herself fromasking. “Where is Cole?”

“He decided against spending another nightsleeping on the chair, so he’s settling into the guestroom you gavehim.”

Lexi clasped her hands before her. “Are yousure you don’t need anything?”

“Some company,” he said and waved at thechair. “My brother’s not exactly a barrel full of laughs.”

She strode around the bed and settled intothe chair Cole often occupied. “I’m not sure I’ll be muchbetter.”

“You have to be better than a pissy lycanwith the arrogance of a dark fae.”

A burst of laughter escaped her. “You’reright; I’m a lot better than that.”

“I thought so,” Brokk said. “So,Elexiandra—”

“Call me Lexi.”

“So, Lexi, has my brother been driving youcrazy?”

She leaned back in the chair. One of hisbrothers had infuriated her, but she couldn’t tell him that. Theother one had been…. Well, she wasn’t entirely sure what Cole hadbeen doing to her, but yes, he was making her a little crazy.

“It’s been nice to have some company,” sheadmitted. With his dazzling smile and twinkling eyes, Brokk wasincredibly easy to talk to. “Though I wish you’d come here underbetter circumstances.”

“So do I.”

His eyes ran over her, and he studied herwith that strange intensity again, but she still sensed onlycuriosity from him. Unlike Cole and Orin, he was easy-going, whichwas odd considering he’d nearly died.

“It looks like you’ll be good to go soon,”she said.

“I should, but I don’t think Cole’s in anyrush.”

Her forehead furrowed, but before she couldrespond, Cole stepped into the room. His massive frame took up mostof the doorframe as he gazed at them with an expression shecouldn’t quite figure out. He looked annoyed but also amused and alittle shocked.

Then his gaze settled on her and a sexy smilecurved his lips. Butterflies erupted in her stomach as that smilewarmed her to her soul. Yes, she was an idiot who had allowedherself to get too close to a dark fae, and she was going to misshim when he left.

“Cole!” Brokk greeted loudly. “We were justtalking about you.”

Lexi tried to suppress the blush creeping upher neck and into her cheeks, but she failed. She’d been hopingCole hadn’t heard their conversation, but Brokk was happy to informhim that he was their topic.

A steel edge settled into Cole’s eyes whenthey flicked to his brother. “I heard.”

Lexi rose from the chair. “I should go. Areyou sure you don’t need anything?” she asked Brokk.

“No, thank you.”

She strode around the bed and toward thedoorway, but Cole didn’t move out of her way. Her step slowed