Chapter 720: Husband Material
I left them to hash it out, no longer feeling like they needed me. Mom would fill me in later and I really needed to just get out of there, catch some air.
The giant central tent was already being disassembled, the walls on one side coming down. I skirted a group of witches folding and compressing the fabric into small squares which then vanished in pops of blue fire.
Time to go home and sort through what happened here. Make a plan.
Or curl up in a ball in my jammies with a carton of ice cream and a funny movie.
Perfect.
Except perfect wasn't about to let me have my retreat moment. At least, not yet. Not when I was cut off as I strode for my pavilion, wondering if Shenka had finished packing up yet.
Trill grabbed me, pulled me into a fierce embrace. "Thought we lost there for a minute," she whispered.
I grinned at her brothers, as Owen came to hug me. He'd grown a lot, as tall as I was, now, at height with Apollo. I released the younger Zornov and accepted a kiss from the older as he winked at me.
Made me snort.
"Couldn't have kicked ass without you," I said. "Thanks for being here."
Trill shrugged. "I wish it could have been different," she said. "Would have been nice if it was Belaisle who took that hit to the chest and not his lieutenant."
We all knew Liander was headed for a different fate.
"You're staying a while?" I didn't mean to sound so plaintive, but I missed their young faces, their energy.
Trill shrugged, Owen looking suddenly excited.
"As long as Ethpeal's making waffles," he said, voice cracking from soft soprano to more manly baritone.
I laughed. "We'll see." Hopefully this little bout of excitement had roused Gram from her funk.
Time would tell.
"We'll meet you at the house," Trill said. "I have some things to tell you."
I waved, let them go. Stood there and absorbed the fact things were done. Over. At least for now.
Someone nudged me from behind. I turned, found Gram, supporting Varity, the pair grinning at me like they'd had the time of their lives.
I said it once and had to say it again.
Crazy. Old. Ladies.
A quick hug for both, a shot of magic to help Varity recover, and I pulled away, trying to scowl, smile fighting its way to the surface.
"You pair," I said, "are more trouble than I'll ever be."
Gram grunted. Sure she was offended. Right.
Varity leaned in, squeezed my shoulder with one long-fingered hand. "Well done," she said.
"Back at you." I let my sorcery brush hers, felt her section it off even as I tried. "You could have told me you were a sorcerer, too."
Varity and Gram exchanged a look that said there was a whole world of things they knew I didn't. "Wouldn't have mattered," she finally said. "I never intended to use it."
"Well, I, for one, am glad you did," I said. "Don't be so quick to wall off your power, Enforcer. Some of us won't judge you for it, at least."
I was guessing her reasons for hiding. Must have hit the nail square from the way she scrunched up her face.
"Old habits," she said. "And I had to choose, a long time ago."
Foolish, in my opinion. "If they were smart," I said, "they'd start training their own who have sorcery."
Syd.
Ding. Freaking. Ding.
Made a note to mention it to Pender even as Varity's eyes widened and she chuckled.
Turned to Gram, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Brilliant," she said. "You done good, Hayle."
Gram blew a raspberry with her thin lips. "She's a work in progress."
The pair snickered as they left me.
I was just thrilled to see Gram smile.
Started to head out again. Quaid's hand squeezed my elbow as he came to my side, shattering my good mood all over again. "Are you going to marry him or not?"
Holy hell. Talk about sudden conversation shifts to give me a headache.
I stared up at him, drawing a breath to setting into this thing between us a little before blowing his head off. Realized Sassafras was right. Magical connection or not, I had to deal with this once and for all.
"For the last time," I said, freeing myself from his grasp, "that's none of your damned business." Hesitated. Finally drew a breath before my chest collapsed from lack of breathing. "Or are you making it your business?"
Syd. Syd. What are you doing, Syd?
Did I really just-
I did. I had to.
Time to know the truth even if it broke my heart forever.
Quaid's face crumpled, body shaking as he lifted his hands, imploring or warding me off, I wasn't sure. But for one aching moment of possibility I stood there with him and wondered.
And hoped maybe I didn't have to choose after all.
With a strangled cry, he turned from me. Hung his head. Shook it.
Walked away.
And that, as they say, was that.
Or so I thought. Even as I trembled from the backlash of my own shattered hope, a hand settled on my shoulder and turned me around.
And Payten met my eyes. Tears stood in hers as she looked up, watched Quaid go, before turning back to me.
"Are you sleeping with my boyfriend?" Such a soft sound, her voice. Such a horrible, painful question.
On so many levels.
He'd lied. And I had done as she thought.
"I love him," she said, voice thick and heavy. "I have since we met at camp that first summer." She let out a breathless laugh around her tears. "I knew you and he were a couple. But we clicked, he said you were over." She shook her head. "Did he lie to me?"
To both of us.
"There are times I know he loves me, too," she said. "But other times I wonder where his heart really lies."
No. Way. I would not believe she was like me. Would. Not.
I just couldn't give her that.
Cold swept over me as my demon mourned, Shaylee sighing her sadness, my vampire softly sinking into silence even as the family magic wept for my loss.
I was done. Now and forever. To hell with fate or destiny or the damned magic keeping us together.
He'd broken my heart for the last time.
"Trust me," I said to her, putting every last scrap of conviction I had in me into my voice, my power, my words. "Quaid is all yours."
She backed off a step as I pushed past her.
Crossed over the border of the site and tore at the veil. Ahbi tried to hug me, but I wasn't in the mood for comfort.
Not from her, anyway.
It was inevitable, wasn't it? Wasn't he always the one I went to, the shoulder I could cry one? The only one who loved me without wanting something in return?
Weak or strong, right for me or wrong, I emerged from the veil just outside the wards to the Sidhe cavern with one thought in my mind.
I had a choice to make. And the answer was obvious.
The moment I stepped through, Liam came running, his arms wrapping around me, lips next to my ear as he whispered his love for me. Kissed my forehead, my lips before letting me go.
My oak tree. Stronger than I ever gave him credit for.
"You are amazing," he said, a little breathless, the scent of his fabric softener and the earth all around me. "Syd Hayle wins again."
I stared up at him, frozen, unable to smile in return, to breathe or speak.
"Syd." Liam's relief faded into worry. "Are you okay? Talk to me." He shook me a little even as the heavy weight of Galleytrot's power joined us, the big hound sitting down behind Liam to watch me with eyes burning with red fire.
You love him. My demon's pain hurt me, too.
She does, Shaylee sent.
And he will do just fine. My vampire hugged me as the girls came to join her, even my demon finally relenting. The family magic stirred as I drew a ragged breath and kissed Liam with desperate need.
He kissed me back, answering what I demanded with his own want, lifting me into his arms and carrying me in a few short strides to his bedroom door. I pulled away from the intensity of his kiss, holding his face between my hands as he paused on the threshold.
Do it, Syd.
Do it now.
"Liam O'Dane," I said. "Will you marry me?"
I'd never seen such sweet tenderness before, tempered with a flare of doubt.
"You're sure," he said. "That I'm good enough?"
Oh.
My.
Swearword.
I kissed him, lingering, letting him feel all of my egos embracing him and wanting him to say yes.
When I pulled away again, his eyes shone with tears, lips curling into a smile.
"Sydlynn Hayle," he said. "You only had to ask."
I hugged him as he carried me into his room, only the soft growling from Galleytrot's wide chest making me pause.
Until Liam closed the door firmly in the hound's face.
And then it was just the two of us.
I could live with that.
***
