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“They saw past your bullshit, huh?” I tipped my head. “Cut you out.”

She glowered at me, telling me I hit it on the nose.

“Or this could be a trap.” Croygen inched to the end of the bed. “I know your backhanded deals too well. Come crawling back, pretending to be betrayed while you are actually betraying both parties.”

“This time, I’m being truthful.” She stood, turning to Croygen, ignoring our weapons on her. “The moment we got through the fae door, they took the nectar and ran.” Fury flashed over her features. “I’ve been watching them for the last few days. I know where they are keeping it.”

“Where?” Cooper growled.

She shot him a dirty look. “You know that’s not how it works. You help me, I help you.”

“Help?” Croygen laughed bitterly. “All you know is how to help yourself.”

“You didn’t say that when we were in bed.”

Like a thousand birds taking off at once, fury swooped down on me, burning through my limbs, flying me toward her in a hum of wrath.

He was mine.

“Whoa. Whoa.” Croygen stepped in my path, hustling me back. “Calm down, Kitty-Kat.”

Her smirk over his shoulder spurred me forward, and I tried to push through Croygen.

“Hey.” He cupped my face, blocking out everything else except him. “She’s not worth it,” he muttered to me, the truth hitting every nuance in his claim, pulling my attention completely to him. “It’s what she wants. Don’t let her get to you.” His thumb grazed my bottom lip, his mouth so close it looked like he was going to kiss me. “Okay?”

He didn’t move until I nodded.

“Aren’t you guys so cute,” Amara taunted, swinging us back at her. “You two are a thing now? The Puss and the Pirate finally banging each other?”

“Amara, if you don’t tell me what the fuck you are doing here,” Croygen spoke, his timbre dragging the floor, filled with the barest of truth. “I willfuckingkill you.”

Amara blinked, her mocking expression falling from her face as if, for the first time, she knew he might do it.

Something had changed. Her power over him was gone.

Swallowing, she tucked her purple-black hair behind her ear.

“I really am here to help.”

“You don’t help. So what do you want from us?”

“I can’t get into the palace alone,” she confessed.

“You want us to provide cover and assistance to get in so you can grab the nectar and take off?” Croygen snorted. “I don’t think so.”

“We know it can be divided.” She signaled to Annabeth. “I was watching when the doctor cut it up. So I propose we divide it up. Half for me and half for you guys.”

“Giving you half of the most powerful substance on Earth?” Cooper’s laugh boomed through the room. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“Why?”

“Because you are the last person who shouldeverhave it.” Cooper shook his head. “No. No way.”

“Then I guess you’re not getting it either. Since you don’t know where it is.”

“And how do we know you do?” I came up between the boys. “That you aren’t lying to us. Leading us into a trap.”

“I guess you’ll have to take my word.”