24. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty-four

Luci

T his tea is lovely. Sweet and milky. Very soothing. I can't help noticing that Drew has brought us to his own sitting room, and the intimacy of that is warming me far more than this hot drink is.

Drew. The name still feels new in my mind. Frightfully intimate. But I love it. It is who he is to me now. Not just my husband. Not only Felford. Drew.

The name poured out of me in the library after I spilled. It felt so right. And has felt so ever since.

He pours himself another cup of tea and looks at me with deep concern in his dark eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

I'm not about to have a fit of hysteria and hide up the chimney. He needn't worry about that. At least, I don't think I am. Perhaps this relative calm I'm feeling is simply shock and any minute now everything will sink in and I'll freak out.

Drew's gaze flicks down to the cup I'm holding in my lap. He sees it is still nearly full, and settles back against the sofa without offering me a refill.

I bring my cup to my lips and my hand is shaking far more than I'd like. Though, I guess it is not surprising. My husband did just discover that I'm a Revivalist. By all rights, I should be in a Council cell somewhere. Being interrogated .

A shudder wracks my body. I'm under no illusion that my parents would have rescued me. Or even pleaded my case. Assassination to stop me from talking would have been the best I could have hoped for. They definitely would've renounced me.

I owe Drew my life.

I look up at him and find him watching me. Our gazes lock. My heart flutters. He is so very handsome. And kind. And wonderful. But I do not understand why he is saving me. Surely he has not been enjoying my body that much?

"Are you sure you don't want to hand me over to the Council?" I ask.

His eyes darken. "Quite sure. You are mine and nobody is taking you away from me."

My heart goes crazy and my throat feels so strange. I can't remember how to swallow.

Drew leans forward. He takes the teacup and saucer from my trembling hands and places it on the coffee table. Then all of a sudden he is moving me and the next thing I know, I'm sitting sideways on his lap and his arms are around me.

My breath comes out of me in a big rush, and I rest my head on his shoulder. This is wonderful. I feel safe. Warm. Protected. I don't deserve this. I don't deserve Drew. But I'm so very grateful that I have him.

"You are safe now," he says.

His words rumble from his chest. I feel the vibrations of them along my ribs. The truth of them sinks into my soul and relief floods through my veins. It's over. Done with. I've been caught and taken off the chessboard. I'm no longer a piece in the game. No longer a part of anything. I'm safe. All I am now is Drew's vessel, and it is the only thing I want to be.

His arms tighten around me and I never, ever want him to let me go. I could happily sit here for all eternity .

Somewhere a clock is ticking. Distant sounds of the staff going about their work drift through the bones of the house. All is peaceful. Calm.

But then a sudden thought is tearing through my mind like a tornado. I wriggle free from Drew's arms, leap to my feet and run to my rooms. I hear the sound of his footsteps following me and it is the most wonderful sound in the world.

"Luci?" he asks.

But it is easier to show him.

I fling open my closet door and drop to my knees. The box is tucked behind my old suitcase. I have nothing left to hide and damn does that feel good.

I grab the dagger and spin around to face Drew. His eyes widen and he jumps back.

"Sorry," I mutter.

I turn the dagger around and offer it to him hilt first.

"Please look after it," I implore.

"What is it?"

"A fey dagger of immense power. It was given to me to use to open the portal."

Drew's face pales, but his hand is steady as he takes the offered dagger. I watch as shock and surprise flow over his face as the raw strength of the blade becomes unhidden.

"Wow," he says.

"Hide it. Hide it somewhere no one can find it."

I never wanted the portals to open. I never wanted the fey to return. There was never anything I could do about it. But there is now.

"They wanted you to use this?" Drew asks as he turns the dagger over in his hands.

Oh, no. I've messed up and more or less confessed to not working alone. But Drew does not seem surprised by that. I don't think my claim fooled him in the first place. And I don't think he is going to press me for names. He is an intelligent man, I'm sure he has figured out that it is my parents, and he understands I could never blatantly betray them. Sabotaging their plans is one thing. Naming them is quite another.

"Yes," I say simply.

He looks up at me. Confusion glitters in his eyes. "But you are just a vessel?"

I take a deep breath. Gods know he deserves the truth. He is risking so much to keep me safe. It is the very least I can do in return.

"Vessels are far more powerful than most people know."

His eyes widen even more, but he nods calmly.

"It was you that put out the fire when you climbed up the chimney."

I nod. I'm impressed that he noticed that.

"I can't wield magic with any skill. But raw power is limitless. Everyone knows vessels absorb power from the world around them, few know the extent of that. Vessels are conduits, catalysts. Capable of sucking in the energy of even the sun and redirecting it."

Drew nods thoughtfully.

I take another breath and continue. "The intricate spell weaving of the fey is still in place around several old portals. All they need is a blast of immense raw power. Like a kick start. Any tapped vessel could do it, if they were aware of their strength."

Drew lets out a low whistle. His gaze is fixed on the dagger in his hand, as if it holds all the answers. Suddenly he looks up at me and his dark eyes are all but blazing with intensity.

"Fucking hell, Luci! This is why vessels have been oppressed, disempowered and subjugated for centuries!"

Oh my. My heart is fluttering. My stomach twisting and my lungs stuttering. That makes so much sense. Drew really is clever. I never realized the truth about vessels before. My entire life. But Drew has it all figured out in five minutes. He truly is wonderful .

"Vessels are kick-ass," he grins wolfishly. Pride and delight are sparkling in his eyes. He isn't scared of me. Or put out that in some ways I'm stronger than him. He is proud.

A smile stretches across my lips. I'm married to the most wonderful man in the world and everything is going to be fine.