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flames erupted from the small hands. He belatedly held them away
from his smoldering tunic.
Blue sat on the floor, presenting his back to the boy. Fire leaped to
splash across the slash. Blue gasped, his breath hissing between his
teeth.
Blue Heaven 171
Stryver took hold of his lover s hands. Sweat popped out on his
brow and slicked his palms, but he made no effort to swipe it away.
He kept his gaze centered on Blue, silently offering his support.
Moments crawled past. After a while, the grimace of pain faded
from Blue s face.
The boy stepped back and swung his hands to and fro. The flames
disappeared.
Afraid to ask but needing to know, Stryver tilted his head to look
into his lover s eyes. Better?
Blue graced him with a weak smile, his courage warming
something cold in Stryver s gut. Yes. I am& better.
Why him?
Only& another god can& uh& cure another god from the
damage& of the god blade. Blue turned to the boy. My thanks,
brother.
The boy smiled back.
With a gesture toward Stryver, Blue asked, Now, will you heal
this one?
Uh, no. That s all right. I m fine. It ll heal. Stryver held up a
hand to wave the boy away, but the child had a mind of his own.
Blue shifted his shoulders, his back popping with the movement.
He faced Stryver and grinned. Pale sunlight entered the gap in the
curtain and fell across Blue s body. Let him heal you.
Stryver saw nothing but the beauty of his love s relaxed features
in the soft, golden glow. His Blue would live.
Searing pain lanced through his buttock. He gasped and bucked,
swinging his head to look. The child s hand was coated with flames
again, and he swiped at the cut on Stryver s rear. Darkness edged the
world around Stryver. A breath later, everything gave way to the
blackness.
172 Jadette Paige
Chapter Twenty-Two
The raving beasts retreat from the glow of love. Their fangs no longer
carry substance to harm.
Someone patted at his cheek. He tried to shove the person away.
Stryver. Wake up.
He opened one eye to a crack. Blue tilted his head toward him.
Stryver shook his head. What happened?
You fainted.
What? Fainted?
No, I didn t.
Uh, yes, you did. You fell right over, eyes rolled back, mouth
open, and bam, right in my lap. Blue nodded, worry evident in his
gaze.
Well, he was looking up at Blue from the spot in his lap, but
fainted? I blacked out.
Lines furrowed between Blue s brows. No. It looked more like
you fainted.
He sat up, wobbled, caught himself, then straightened to look
about. The red-haired god grinned, revealing a mouthful of white
baby teeth.
Without accepting anyone s help, Stryver struggled to his feet. I
blacked out. I did not faint. I never have, and I never will. Got that,
Blue?
Of course. If you say so, but it did look like&
Shooting a glare at him over his shoulder, Stryver motioned for
him to remain silent. You didn t see it right. Don t mention it again.
Blue Heaven 173
If you say, but where are you going? Blue came to his feet,
hands out to help him.
To bathe unless you want the water first. I need a bath and some
sleep. Stryver made it halfway across the room to the metal tub filled
with steaming water.
Go first. I ll feed these two. We ll bathe after. Blue tilted his
head to the table with the bowls of hot food.
After bathing and eating, Stryver reclined on the bed, intending to
rest his eyes for a few moments while Blue bathed with the two
children. Low snoring woke him some time later. Opening his eyes,
he noticed the late afternoon sunlight leaking through the gaps in the
drawn curtains. He shifted to one side and groaned at the pulling of
the wound on his buttock.
The snoring halted then started again. He glanced down, searching
for the source. His hair bright red in the dim light, crimson almost, the
boy who d seared the slice on his rear lay between him and Blue.
Stryver nudged the child onto his side, and the snoring stopped.
He turned his attention to his lover. Shadows caressed the clear
skin stretched across Blue s face. Eyes closed in sleep, Blue had his
cheek pressed against the blond hair of the younger child. Tiny baby
arms were halfway around his love s neck.
A beautiful, heart-touching view. His Blue with a child in his
arms. Stryver had never seen a more wonderful sight. The love he
held close threatened to pour out of him.
Azure eyes opened and met his. You re awake.
I wanted to stay up until you came to bed. Must have been too
tired.
You ve been through a lot the last few days.
Shaking his head, Stryver half smiled. It was worth it.
He reached out and ran his knuckles over the edge of Blue s
cheek. What now? Where do we go from here?
Blue pressed against his fingers. He sighed, contentment filling
the sound.
174 Jadette Paige
When his lover didn t respond, Stryver went on. What about the
District of Belaiss? It s close to the ocean. You liked the shore. I
heard a man can purchase land there. Good land for growing fruit
trees. I always wanted an orchard, something to nurture and harvest.
Fruits that would give others pleasure in eating.
He was rattling on, but now that the threat from Aidal was gone,
Blue had no reason to remain with him. He could return to the
cathedral. No matter how selfish Stryver felt at wanting to keep Blue
with him, the facts didn t change. He was the Godchild and still
carried the title. He d be the Godchild until he died. Living on a farm
and growing fruits didn t fit into the whole god thing. Stryver didn t
know how to fix it so he and Blue could stay together.
Anywhere you go will be fine. But first, we must return to
Heaven s Seat.
The old, familiar sensation of fear flashed through Stryver.
Why?
One hand lifted and brushed over the baby s head. This one must
claim his throne.
That brought Stryver up short. Hope bloomed in his chest,
growing stronger with each beat of his heart. But& the throne is
yours.
No longer. I will abdicate to him.
Why?
You once said that as a god I could never live as a human. If I
abdicate to this one and allow his blessings to reign over the land,
then perhaps I will have a normal life, Blue met his gaze, with you.
Would you like that?
Like it? He rose up on one elbow and leaned across the sleeping
child to pass a kiss over his willing lips. When do you want to
leave?
When you heal.
Then we leave at first light. That should give us enough time to
rest up.
Blue Heaven 175
But& your wound
Is nothing. I ve had worse and still traveled. He turned flat on
his back to stare at the canopy above them. We need to put more
distance between Shaifo and us. Even the thought of that place makes
me nauseous. For many years, I had a lover. A mercenary like me. We
dreamed of leaving that life behind. Last winter, Master ordered his
death. The closer we are to the fortress, the stronger the memories are
of how that bastard changed my life.
He brought us together.
He glanced at Blue. For that, I will be forever grateful. But for
the other, I can never forgive him. I cared deeply for Rance, and to
discover Aidal issued the order for his death and yours, too, makes me
want to kill him all over again.
A low laugh came from Blue. Well, thank the heavens he is gone
already. You won t have to carry to burden of his death on your
hands.
Blue fiddled with the baby s covers. He glanced up at Stryver.
Curious, Stryver asked, What is it?
It s nothing. Truly.
Yes, it is.
With a soft sigh, Blue met his gaze. You are the world to me. I
love you, and I guess I was hoping you love me, too.
Love? He wanted to know if he loved him? What was he
thinking? Stryver opened his mouth to tell him, but the raw emotion
of losing one lover and almost failing to reach Blue last night stopped
him.
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