by Shea Balik
Taking the steps two at a time, he went to what used to be his room, but was now his and Mingus’s. Entering, he first looked at the bed and found it empty. Then he caught movement on the window seat that overlooked the back, which had a spectacular view of one of the four mountains that surrounded this valley.
As usual, Pretty Baby was curled up on Mingus’s lap. Even though he was petting her, for the first time Oluf could recall, Mingus wasn’t finding comfort from doing so.
“You okay?” Oluf asked as he stepped closer.
Those sky blue eyes were so grief-stricken, Oluf nearly sank to his knees in despair. He hated that Mingus was taking this on his shoulders. Yes, he had been the one to finish the ritual, but none of this had been his fault.
Scooping him and the cat up, Oluf sat where Mingus had been and put them both on his lap. Just like Pretty Baby curled up to Mingus, his sweet love did the same to him.
Tears quickly soaked his shirt as Mingus cried his heart out, again.
“I should have stopped,” he said for what had to the hundredth time.
“No,” Oluf said quietly. “You did the right thing. I know it’s hard to accept, but you did.”
Mingus was shaking his head but he didn’t say anything more.
Needing to do something for the man he loved, Oluf wiped a finger along Mingus’s cheek to wipe away the tears. “You know what this means?” he asked.
Mingus frowned. “That I’m a baby and too weak to deal with what I’ve done.”
Oluf curled his lips in to stop from laughing at the pessimistic words. He loved Mingus, but there were times when the man was his own worst critic. “You know that’s not what I was going to say,” Oluf chided lightly.
Then he placed his finger under Mingus’s chin and tilted his head back so Mingus could see the truth in his words. “I get that you’re upset. We all are. What Omri did to Kyleigh is… gut wrenching. But as you told her once, you are alive. That is a reason to grateful.”
“But she won’t be,” Mingus choked out.
“Maybe, maybe not. But there is nothing you or I can do to change that. All we can do is live for today.” Oluf wiped the other cheek and held up his finger. “These tears,” he said. “They are Tears of Life. We owe it to Kyleigh to find a way to live it.”
Soft, lush lips captured his in a sweet kiss. When Mingus pulled away, he nodded. “You’re right. But first, I’m going to make those responsible for her death pay in ways they never imagined.”
It wasn’t quite what Oluf had meant, but it was something he understood. “And I’ll be right by your side, helping you do that.”
That was something Mingus would always be able to count on.
To be continued in Mending the Rift, the FINAL book in the Druid’s Curse Series!
Druid’s Curse Series
The End of Darkness
A Flicker of Hope
A Menacing Tempest
Fatal Frost
Beneath the Surface
Mind Over Matter
Tears of Life
Mending the Rift (Coming Soon)
About the Author
Who is Shea Balik, you ask?
Bestselling author of the Cedar Falls Series, Miracle Series, and Paranormal Wars Series, Shea Balik has always had a vivid imagination with stories running around in her head. Often her stories are taken from observations of other people with her own spin. Traveling is one of her favorite ways of fulfilling her passion of people watching. You never know, one day you may spark her imagination for her next book.
Whether at home or traveling she is usually in front of her computer writing or curled up with a good book. Find Shea at any of the links below!
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