The Protector (Fire's Edge #4) - Abigail Owen Page 0,67
gave him a long, serious stare. “I think he’s sincere in missing you and regretting being part of making you leave. The entire community has voted to ask you back.”
“And you’re telling me now because…”
“Because with them you’ll be with blood family and the Alaz and the Alliance can’t touch you. Can’t make you go anywhere. You’ll be safe.”
Elijah dropped his gaze, considering her words. Then quietly folded the paper up and handed it back. “They aren’t my family,” he said. “And my brothers need me.”
Lyndi sighed, pride and the weight of a mother’s worry warring within her, a fierce battle that might break her in the end. At least she could have truly saved one if he’d chosen to go. “I figured you’d say that.”
On a nod, Elijah turned and headed for the door. After pulling it open, he paused. “You know we’d do anything for you, don’t you?”
Lyndi stilled at the deep sincerity in his gaze. “Just like I’d do anything for you guys.”
“That’s just the trouble.”
She frowned. “What is?”
“You saved our lives. Do you think we want to repay that by putting you at risk like this?”
“I have to run anyway,” she pointed out softly. “But even if I didn’t, it’s not about owing each other anything. This is about standing strong for the people we love. That is what a community is about. It’s not the laws, or the leaders, or even the need to barter and trade. It’s about living your life with someone beside you who says nothing is going to hurt you or take from you or threaten you. Not while I’m around.”
Elijah dropped his gaze to the floor, thinking about that, then nodded. “I’ll see you up there.” And he was gone.
Her brave kid.
One who always seemed to know the right thing to do. A minor miracle given the tough positions he’d been put in early in life. Lyndi straightened. If Elijah could face those things, she could face her own demons, too.
Determination walked her feet out her door…and right into her brother.
“Got a second?” he asked, in typical brusque Drake fashion.
“I’m really not in the mood.”
“Good,” he said, unsmiling. “Neither am I.”
And then he did the most un-Drake-like thing he’d ever done. He yanked her into his arms, wrapping them around her, and put his chin on top of her head, just holding her.
Lyndi swallowed at the uncharacteristic show of affection and hugged him back. Just standing there for a moment acknowledging that, for the longest time, they’d been each other’s closest companions and confidants. Not that either was prone to confiding.
“I made the mistake of leaving without saying goodbye once,” his deep voice rumbled against her cheek. “Not doing that again. You yelled at me.”
She grinned against him and held on tighter. “You deserved it.”
“Yes. I did.”
Lyndi chuckled and pulled back. “Cami sure has had a positive effect on you, big brother.”
Despite his stoic shrug, she could sense the smile lurking under the surface. “Don’t tell her that,” he said. “She’ll get all smug.”
“That woman needs every advantage she can get, mated to you,” Lyndi teased.
“Probably.” He paused, then squeezed her arms before stepping back. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself out there.”
She searched his face. Usually it was Drake going off into danger. Even after she’d joined the team, most of her assignments were pretty tame. “You take care of yourself here,” she said, trying not to let emotion clog her voice.
After another pause, Drake nodded, and then he was gone. Leaving her to gather her courage again.
With a deep breath, Lyndi continued down the hall where she paused outside Levi’s room. She could pick up the sound of his feet as he moved around his suite. The soft sound of off-key whistling reached her from through the door, like today was any other day. He was too smart not to understand exactly what he’d signed himself up for.
Sometimes, she suspected cheerful for Levi was a facade. A tell that he was, if anything, more worried.
Lyndi closed her eyes, raised her hand, and knocked.
The door swung open almost immediately and she lifted her gaze to find Levi standing there, filling the doorway, his unreadable gaze trained on her, almost like he was trying to divine her secrets for himself.
For once, he didn’t immediately speak, which only upped the tension working its way through her body a muscle at a time. She twitched her shoulders, trying to fend off the unease. It didn’t help.