Ice didn’t have time for pomp and circumstance.
“Wait! Where are you going?” Blackbourne called to his retreating back.
Putting one foot in front of the other, Ice trudged toward the house. “I don’t give a bloody fuck about anything right now except finding Sabelle.”
Halfway across the yard, he could scarcely breathe.
“Ice?”
God, the voice of an angel, just like Sabelle’s. Ice’s vision had blurred more. It must have because, despite his head weighing a thousand pounds, he managed to look across the yard and see her dart through the back door, Tynan and Bram in tow, clutching a terrified Rhea.
Ice lurched over to Sabelle, and she met him more than halfway; he used the last of his strength to lift his hands and grab her shoulders.
She was here. Really here. Unharmed. “You’re safe.”
And though Mathias had escaped by unfair means, at this moment, Ice merely felt relief. The self-anger would come soon enough.
“You won!” Sabelle’s voice trembled as she threw her arms around him.
Ice staggered back under the weight of her embrace. “Your safety … all that matters.”
Sabelle looked at him, blue eyes shining love at him. “I overcame Rhea with my siren abilities after Mathias left us. It took a few minutes, but I coaxed her into letting me go. Bram and Tynan found us a few moments ago.”
Clever as always. Ice clung to the fact she was unharmed for a breath, two, as he drank in the glory of her golden face. No sight would ever be so beloved. And she deserved more than he could ever give her.
Staggering to one knee, he bowed his head. “I failed. I’m sorry.”
His vision blurred further, this time with tears. He’d been a fool to imagine he was good enough for her, and today had proven he was unworthy to be her mate.
“Failed?” She touched a hand to his shoulder and lifted his gaze to hers. “Ice, you won! You defeated Mathias. You’re a Council member. You fought valiantly—”
“He escaped alive. I vowed … kill him. Did not succeed.” Ice swayed, bracing himself on the ground with one hand to stay upright. He could not, would not, pass out. Even if he did not deserve Sabelle, he would walk out of here on two legs, like a man.
“No one expected you to kill him, just win. And you did.” She knelt before him, and soon he was drowning in blue heaven and concern.
Ice closed his eyes. He didn’t deserve her.
“Not enough.” Ice sucked in a breath and focused so hard that his head began to pound. But he must say this in a complete sentence, refused to embarrass himself more. “I am not worthy of you. I will love you always. Be happy. That will be enough for me.”
Dizziness and nausea assailed him as he rose to his feet and stumbled past her.
“Isdernus Rykard!” Sabelle shouted at his back. “What sort of nonsense is that?”
The truth. She would see that someday.
She darted after him and grabbed his arm. Clearly, that someday wasn’t today.
“Ice.”
He couldn’t look at her. Wouldn’t. If he did, he’d bury his face in her neck, throw his arms around her, and stay there forever. He had to do what was right.
“Stop, Sabelle.”
“Stop what?” she demanded.
He’d lost all hope of a future with this failure and didn’t deserve to even set eyes upon her. But he heard the tears in her voice. Pain shredded his heart, and he closed his eyes. Strength, just a few minutes more. Then he could find privacy, rail at his failure, mourn her loss, and try to figure out how he’d live without her.
“Thinking of me. Find one who deserves you.” Again, he strode past her, walking away from the challenge ring, the Council elders, and the woman he loved more than his own life.
“I have found a man who deserves me, Isdernus. One with the heart of a warrior and a selfless love I’ve never known. Please. As I become a part of you, you become a part of me.”
“No,” he moaned. Though each of her words were a balm to his soul, he forced himself to keep walking away.
And still, she kept saying the words he had so longed to hear. “I will be honest, good, and true. I heed your Call. ’Tis you I seek. From this moment on, there is no other for me but—”
“Sabelle, no.”
“I say!” Blackbourne called to him. “Stop!”
Ice didn’t answer. He merely put another foot in front of the last, the grounds swimming in his vision that had gone from double to triple. He came to the corner of the house, and managed a last glance over his shoulder. Blackbourne frowned under heavy brows. Bram and Tynan stood silently, as if uncertain or unwilling to interfere. And Sabelle looked at him as if he was breaking her heart. The fact he saw three of her only magnified his ache. That expression, so fraught with pain and confusion, cut him deep. She would move on, as she should. Must. But her sweet, tear-streaked face would haunt him forever.
“We’re not finished here,” Blackbourne shouted.
He drew in a deep breath. A few more steps, then he could sit, rest, until he could find the strength to teleport home. But as he planted his foot in the dormant grass, his knee gave out under him.
“Rykard! Where are you going?”
Apparently, Ice thought as gravity and unconsciousness took him, I’m going down.
The next morning, Sabelle paced Ice’s caves, transcast mirror in hand. She had yet to see the stubborn warrior. After he collapsed at Blackbourne’s, Bram and Tynan carted him inside the Council elder’s house. Tynan stayed with Ice while her brother escorted her here. No matter how much she’d protested and railed, Bram insisted that she go.
After all, she wasn’t Ice’s mate, and Tynan was better equipped to watch over Ice in case the Anarki struck on Mathias’s behalf. Though Sabelle felt certain the crafty wizard was too injured and ill do anyone harm—at least for the moment.
“Did you find the mirror, Sabelle?” Caden called down the dark stone hallway.
Sighing, she followed the sound of the voice. In one of the larger rooms, she found Caden with an arm around his mate as she put the finishing touches on her lipstick. They looked so happy, so secure in their love for each other. In her head, she knew their road to happiness had not been an easy one. But her heart beat with pain and envy. She wanted that with Ice, had no question in her mind that she loved him—and that he loved her. This nonsense about deserving her? Perhaps that was true in Bram’s mind, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t living her life to please her brother. She wanted to live to please the man she loved.
Too bad he was avoiding her. Honorable wizard, damn him.
“It’s here.” She held up the mirror for Caden to see, then turned to his mate. “Ready?”
“Indeed. Have you heard from the others?”
As much as it pained her, yes. “Bram called a few minutes ago. It’s done. Officially.”
Ice was now a Council member. Bram had no reason to stand between her and Ice, not that Sabelle would allow it. Yet the man still wouldn’t speak to her.
“Then let’s go.”
Sabelle nodded. Whatever her ills, magickind must be made aware of all the changes and dangers going on around them. As disappointed and miserable as she felt, she was glad to have this opportunity to serve her people.
“Be sure to include this news, as well.” Sabelle handed Sydney a scrap of paper on which she’d jotted notes from Bram.
Sydney read them, eyes widening with each word. “Truly?”
“Indeed.” Sabelle smiled faintly. Already Ice’s involvement was making a difference, and she couldn’t be more proud.
A few moments later, Sabelle put the mirror in place for Sydney, then cast the spell that allowed her to transcast to all of magickind. They waited a few moments, allowing the mirror in each magickind household to draw its owners to the magical surface.
“Good evening, magickind. I’m Sydney Blair-MacTavish with breaking news. Today, Isdernus Rykard, the first Deprived to join the Council in over five hundred years, was sworn into his position, replacing the late Thomas MacKinnett. Rykard defeated Mathias d’Arc in a Council-sanctioned challenge. He takes his place beside another new Council member, Tynan o’Shea, who replaces his late grandfather, Clifden.
“In related news, the new Council met today at the home of Carlisle Blackbourne. After a heated debate, they issued their first collective edict denouncing Mathias d’Arc’s return and ongoing violence against the Privileged, women in particular. The edict, proposed by new Council member Rykard, passed by a narrow margin of four to three.
“Rykard delivered his first public statement after the vote: ‘This makes Mathias public enemy number one. His actions, including the rape and murder of many women, among them my sister, and along with the assassination of my predecessor, MacKinnett, proves he’s the most feared and loathed wizard in magickind. We will capture him and dispense justice.’
“I’ll bring you more details as they become available. Until then, safeguard your homes and families. D’Arc should be considered very dangerous. That’s all the news for now. This is Sydney Blair-MacTavish. Good evening, magickind.”
With a nod, Sabelle lowered the mirror. “Good job.”
“The best, firecracker.” Caden kissed her cheek, looking like he’d like to do a great deal more to his mate.
“My pleasure.” Flushing, Sydney tucked a lock of red hair behind her ear. “I hope your Ice and the others catch him soon.”
Her Ice? How Sabelle wished that was true. But no sense spilling her guts to Sydney—or anyone else. No one could shake sense into a hardheaded warrior like Ice. As soon as that wizard returned—
In the next breath, gentle whooshes sounded near the cavern’s primary door. Bram appeared, then Tynan. Ice trudged behind them, watching the ground as he teleported in and made his way down the rocky hall.
As he passed her, he spared her a glance. Just one. It dripped regret and love, remorse and need. And exhaustion. Still, he would have nothing to do with her. Sabelle wanted to tear her hair out.
“Ice, wait.” The plea tumbled out before she could stop it.
“Sabelle, we’ve nothing to say.”
“You may feel that way. I, however, have plenty—”
“Not now, Sabelle,” her brother cut in. “The Doomsday Brethren have grave matters to discuss. There are wider implications to the Council’s newest vote.”
She bit her lip hard to hold in her frustration—and barely succeeded. Magickind and the future, the Doomsday Brethren and the Council were all-important. But damn it all, so was her heart. Bram had taught her well over the years, however. Duty first.
As she followed her brother to the back of Ice’s cavern and the massive dining table, the others emerged as well. Marrok kissed Olivia tenderly, then settled in a chair. Caden whispered something in Sydney’s ear, then kissed her forehead. She smiled, then looped arms with Olivia. Together, they retreated to the back of the cavern. Sabelle stood her ground, refusing to leave, as Lucan, Tynan, Bram, Ice, Duke, and the twins all settled into a chair around the table.
Bram cast her a challenging stare. She met him head-on, arms crossed over her chest. “I’m not leaving before I hear about the Council initiations and the edict vote.”
“There’s little more to it than Sydney announced via transcast. Tynan and Ice are official, and Mathias is now wanted.”
A partial truth at best, Sabelle was certain. “Did any of the Council members try to protest the initiation?”
“Blackbourne and Spencer are not pleased, but resigned,” Tynan answered.
To Ice’s presence. Everyone thought it, but no one said it. Why bother when the truth was obvious? The Council elders were elitist bastards.
“And Camden?” she asked.
“Suspiciously quiet,” Bram added. “He may be resigned as well. Hard to tell. Either way, Ice will make a better Councilman than all of them combined.”
Sabelle’s eyes widened. Had her own brother said that? Was Ice more than a convenient vote to push Bram’s agenda? Judging from the look on Ice’s face, he was equally stunned and asking himself the same question.
Gnashing his teeth, Bram snarled, “Don’t everyone bloody look at me as if I’ve grown a third head. Ice is strong and brave. I admit it. He brings the Council a perspective they lack. Along with Tynan, we’ll accomplish the important things for magickind I’ve long sought. He . . .” Bram paused, grimaced. Whatever words he contemplated, they looked painful to admit. “He has a core of honor. Yesterday’s challenge proved that.”
Shocking! Bram’s version of an apology, and he’d delivered it, not just to Ice, but with all the others listening. She was not only proud of Ice, but her brother as well. They’d spoken earlier, and Bram had confessed that, since the dark cloud, he found it hard to be diplomatic when his agenda was threatened, his ambition blocked. Tonight, he’d checked himself and clearly fought hard against his raw ambition, now barely hidden under his surface. In doing so, he’d both impressed her and provided instant acceptance for Ice. Bram didn’t easily admit that he was wrong, and no doubt it was more difficult since Mathias’s nasty spell. But Sabelle knew exactly the message her brother conveyed—and what it had cost him. He approved and accepted her choice of a mate. Though Sabelle didn’t require it, and would have spoken the Binding to Ice regardless, having Bram’s roundabout blessing was a relief. They may never be the best of friends again, but they could tolerate each other. It was more than she’d hoped for.