The Beastkeeper's Redemption

Forty-Two

Forty-Two

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Instead of baulking at the challenging and sceptical tone of Grover's words, Kaede watched as Izzy considered the set of keys now clasped between her fingers with a speculative expression on her face.

It was the very same expression she wore whenever she became distracted amidst one of the many tasks she had begun and was thinking about something of equal import- to her, at least.

He supposed that was why he loved her as much as he did- the inherent resilience about her. Instead of cowering from the challenge and turning heel and running, or passing the onus of getting them all out of there alive onto someone else, Izzy chose acceptance. He stepped closer to her, his body protesting with each movement, and offered her as much support as he was able. When she glanced up at him and leaned back against his chest, his heart convulsed at the contact.

The sheer joy alone at having her nearby, no matter the circumstances, almost undid him. He shouldn't want her here; he shouldn't entice her to stay; her safety was his priority, and that surely meant she should leave this house. While he wore the collar, he was useless to her. Even his strength was sorely lacking due to the beatings he had endured.

Presently, he was as useful as a knife without a blade.

But those huge, beautiful eyes stared up at him with soft affection glistening in their depths, and Kaede was a lost male. "Iz," he murmured, dipping his head so that the coarseness of his unshaven cheek brushed against hers, running his nose against her temple as he slid his arms about her waist and drew her back against him. It caught him again, the impact of the truth that she was here, in his arms- when time and again, while pitted against his kind that evening, Kaede had begun to lose hope that he'd ever see her again.

"You shouldn't stay," he breathed quietly against her ear, aware that they were surrounded by the other fae, who were all murmuring in hushed silence about their newfound release- even if it could only be short-lived. "You do not have to shoulder this burden. It shouldn't fall on you, and you shouldn't feel that it does. You nor Lou need put yourselves at risk."

He figured she might protest or at least grow a bit angry at his suggestion that she leave, but Izzy's expression transformed, not in the way he expected it to. Instead, her lips curled softly into a perplexed smile, and her brow creased. "That is the silliest thing I've ever heard."

Aëghan snorted with amusement, and Kaede cut him a glare before turning his attention back to Izzy. "Truly, it is not. You cannot surely expect to save us all, Iz." He tapped the collar about his neck meaningfully, pulling her attention to it. "None of us are of any use to you with these on."

Izzy turned in his arms then so that she could lean back to consider him with a frown while splaying her palm against the side of his jaw. "I love you, Mr C'lainn, but sometimes I can understand why the others tease you as mercilessly as they do."

"This might be the most reasonable female I've encountered," Aëghan remarked to no one in particular.

"I am not sure if I should feel offended or not by that," Kaede grumbled, moved by her admission and concerned about her other remark.

Izzy merely grinned, her expression relaxing. "Do you mean to tell me that the fae are wholly reliant on their magic alone?" she teased, and then she tapped the point of her index finger against his temple. "Not a single idea or thought up here, hmm?" The same finger then poked and prodded at the bruised muscle of his bicep. "All these muscles rendered useless when you can't channel your power?"

"They are useless even when they can harness it," Aëghan quipped dryly.

Kaede issued him another glare. If he wasn't in as much pain as he was, he may feel inclined to throw fists just to shut the Dravolese up.