Page 32

“Relax, he’s taking a piss,” Kylar said.

“Where are the restrooms, anyway?” Max asked. “I have to piss like a race horse.”

“There aren’t really any,” Kylar said. “Jack whipped it out in front of some half-lives over there, and they all scattered like flies.” He glanced at Loren, as if suddenly remembering she was there, and mumbled an apology for the slur.

Lace snickered. “That sounds like Jack, alright.” Her gray eyes landed on her friend Aspen, who stood across from Malakai. Both Reapers had their arms crossed, their mouths opening and closing, as if they wanted to say something to each other but didn’t know how. “Are you guys going to say hi to each other, or just stare in awkward silence?” Lace’s question earned a few quiet chuckles from others in the group.

“I already said hi,” Malakai mumbled.

Max said, “Doesn’t count if you say it in your head.”

“All of you can go pound sand,” Malakai snapped, though he added in a softer tone, “Hi, Aspen.”

Her lips twitched with a smile. “Hi, Malakai.”

“Glad to see you’re, like, you know—alive.” He drew a sharp breath, as if it had pained him to say that, and gave his attention to the group. “All right, where’s my sister? If she’s dead, Devlin, I’m gonna break your scrawny neck?—”

“She’s right there, you dick!” Travis snapped, pointing.

Indeed, there was Jewels, making her way through the crowd with Jack Steele. Loren fought the urge to sprint to Jack—to demand to know where he had last seen Darien. There was a big cut in his brow, the skin bruised.

Malakai stalked through the group, pushing past a glaring Travis, and went to greet his sister with open arms?—

She wound her arm back and slapped her brother in the face.Clap!

Loren’s brows flew up.

“What the hell wasthatfor?” Malakai growled.

“For not gettingher,”Jewels said, jabbing a long black nail at Loren, who blinked in surprise, “out of the damn city!”

“You wouldn’t even be here if we hadn’t stuck around!” Malakai fumed, his hands curling into fists. “You’d be fried like a fucking fish stick!”

“Hold up,” Ivy said, pinning Loren with an accusatory glare. “Did you do something?”

Loren shrugged one shoulder, well aware that she was about to get an earful. Likely from several mouths. “Just the same thing I did during the Blood Moon,” she said quietly as everyone stared at her.

Ivy flicked her brows up. “Just the same thing you did during the Blood Moon?” she repeated, her tone coated in disapproval. “That’s thesame thingthat put you in a coma!”

Great, now everyone was mad at her. And Loren realized that Ivy had more reason than anyone to be upset with her. If—when—Loren died, Ivy wouldn’t have a brother anymore. Her time was already limited, and she’d put herself—and Darien—at greater risk by using her magic.

“Cut her some slack,” Malakai drawled. “She’s the reason all of these people,” he gestured to the busy streets around them with a sweep of his arm, “are still here. The reason whyyou’rehere. If we left, there’s a chance you guys might not’ve made it, even with those suits.”

Ivy was still staring at Loren—nostrils flared, arms crossed, her mouth a thin line. Loren had never seen Ivy look so angry. Apart from last night, when she had found out about Darien’s bargain.

“I’m sorry,” Loren mouthed, unable to find her voice.

“Tell that to my brother,” Ivy said, her pupils expanding as if she were fighting the Sight, “if you ever see him again.” Her words, although spoken in her usual careful tone, sliced into her like a knife, and Loren didn’t know what to say, how to react.

Loren had thought only ofthemwhen she’d gone to the tower. All she had wanted was to save them.And although she’d done exactly that, she somehow felt like she had made the wrong decision.

“It’s okay, Lor,” Dallas whispered.“I’mglad you did it.” Well, that madeoneperson who was glad. But Loren couldn’t peel her eyes off the pavement.

“Pass me that water, Blondie?” Malakai’s question was miles away. When she didn’t respond, he thumped over and took one of the bottles out of her tense hand.

“We need to get going,” Max said. “Some of Don’s Shadowmasters came through here a little while ago. They’re looking for Pax. We need to find him before they do.”

Malakai paused his guzzling. “Did they see you?” He swiped the water droplets off his beard.