Elemental Compass - Jaymin Eve Page 0,105

voice husky.

He hugged her back, holding her tight. "I'm glad to know you're okay," he replied, equally as emotional. "We spent many days thinking you were both dead, and it's been…"

Justice swallowed roughly, turning back to me. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault—"

I cut her off. "It's not her fault. She was unconscious until a few hours ago, literally on the edge of death for days. We returned as soon as we could."

Justice's cheeks grew pinker, and I knew she was thinking about the fact that we wasted a little time on love making. Time well spent as far as I was concerned.

Love you, mate. Her voice was amused.

I would never get sick of hearing that.

You are my world. There was no truer statement I could give her. She owned my heart, soul, and sanity.

42

Justice Winter

Jacob was the sweetest fey who ever lived. And as much as I was craving hours, day, weeks, and months doing nothing but loving him, there were obligations to complete first.

"Tell us everything that happened since we left," I said to Louis. "We're desperate to know what we missed."

Jacob crossed his arms like he didn't really care, but I knew deep inside that he'd been worried about his family. I'd been his focus, but he loved them more than he'd ever admit.

"During our panic and mourning over the possible loss of you two,” Louis started, “we dealt with the fallout.” His tone was heavy, magic lingering on each syllable. “First was infiltrating the White House, finding the evidence."

He started to walk, leading us back into Stratford; Jacob and I fell in beside him. "We already had some of the Guilds in strategic positions, high within the president's team, and they were able to get enough information to help with our investigation.”

“Caine went rogue, didn’t he?” Jacob asked.

Louis nodded. “Yep, he took off with the special forces, not running the plan by anyone, and only those high up even knew what they were dealing with. It meant that basically everyone that knew what was happening ended up covered in ruby.”

"So what then?" Jacob pressed.

Louis met his gaze. "I magicked someone to look like President Caine, and now we have full control of America."

Jacob blinked a few times. "You spelled a Guild member?"

Louis shook his head. "No, a supe. Another magic user. It's old magic and it only works with the permission of the magic user, but it's possible to cloak someone in that way."

Jacob nodded. "Strong enough to fool a human, but most supes would see through it."

"Yes. Exactly."

Jacob finally cracked a smile. "I suppose it just has to hold out long enough for the rest of his term, and then next election someone else will step in."

Louis’s purple eyes were practically glowing. "We'll take no more chances. Guild members will be running for presidency, and we will ensure their success. No more spells, a legit candidate who is aware and works for us."

Looked like the humans were no longer going to find themselves separate from the supes. Control was slowly slipping through their fingers, and they could thank President Caine for that.

"How did you explain away the loss of soldiers and special forces?" I asked, my guilt trying to rear its head. Jacob was in my mind knocking it down though.

"We magicked bodies and evidence of a mass explosion during a special forces training exercise," Louis said lightly. "The world was devastated and will be mourning with America for months. All involved received the highest medal of honor."

My chest clenched. Those men and women would have families … children, and I'd just stolen them away.

"I wonder if I can reverse the spell?"

Louis slowed—we were near the Compass's house now, early morning light washing over the large wood cabin.

"They're not supernaturals,” he said, breaking it to me immediately. “They will have suffocated and died in the gems. We must let them go and lay the blame squarely where it deserves to exist. With a greedy, corrupt, power-hungry human. You did what you had to."

My eyes met Jacob's, and he shot me a lopsided smile. Yeah yeah. He'd been saying the same thing, but if I didn't feel guilty for what I'd done, I'd be a monster too. And I refused to ever walk that path.

"Jacob!"

The cry was wrenched from a throat hoarse from crying, lips parched from sadness, and a face blotchy with despair. Jessa flung herself down the stairs, tears streaming along her cheeks, and when I expected her to launch into Jacob's arms, she