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tobias

I studiedmy sister lounging on the couch of the space she had claimed. Clothing was littered across the room. She’d done extensive shopping—she had not changed in our time separated. Misery marred her expression. She looked from me to Asher, and then Jaxon.

Ren had gone to prepare the car and idled at the front. Once I was done with our conversation, I would head to my meetings.

“I can’t handle it,” she shouted. “If you will not kill her, make her leave,” she ordered, sniffling again. “I tried to accept her presence, but she thinks she’s better than me.” She sprang to her feet. “Did you see the way she looked at me?” She scoffed, shaking her head. “If we kill her, everything can go back to normal.”

“No,” Asher hissed. Imogen turned beseeching eyes to Jaxon.

“Jaxon, please,”

“No.”

Something turned cold in her gaze. I had not seen that before, and it was because Jaxon never denied her. He went along with whatever she ordered.

“She’s not going anywhere?—”

“Shut up,” she hissed, her eyes flashing. As her Progeny, Asher had no choice but to be silent. She smoothed her hands over the skirt of her dress.

“I am going shopping, and I am taking that human servant with me.” She stood, but I did not take my eyes off her expression. Her pride had been injured.

They have chosen. That is fine.Her thoughts slipped into my head, and they weren’t clear, it was as if hearing them through a thin veil. That was how I knew she was not using her ability to reflect her thoughts to me. Imogen walked out the door without a backwards glance at any of us.

A chime went off and Asher lifted his phone.

I was glad I no longer dealt with communications. Asher had returned to his rightful role. He was certainly more apt at managing the virtual requests. He could whine about the work, but I was done with carrying his duties while he was wrapped up with Catalina. And now that she was mine, I did not need a distraction from her.

“The meeting is set with Calliope and then Alistair.” Asher sighed. “She’s refusing to meet at Crimson Nights. She wants us to go to Saphire Lounge and she’s demanding I be present.” Asher frowned. “I wanted to stay and keep Catalina company.”

“I will stay with her,” Jax said, crossing his arms.

“I don’t know about that,” Asher scoffed. “You’re likely to piss her off more than anything.”

“Well, at least she’ll have someone protecting her.”

“Ren should be the one staying.” I knew well why Asher said this, but it wasn’t possible to leave him behind.

“Ren has to go. He has the best chance at getting through to Calliope. Tobias will read her mind. We have no choice.” Jaxon paused.

“We shouldn’t be long,” I added. I had the same concerns as Asher, but we needed to take care of how we handled my sister.She was vengeful, so we had to figure out how to break her away from us, and the first step was meeting with Calliope.

“Fine, then once Imogen leaves, we will go.” Asher turned to Jax. “And contact us as soon as she returns.”

I only nodded. Taking all this care was necessary.

Imogen already caused so much damage, and my little human could no longer handle it. I prayed for a little more time, but it had run out.

And the fact that a mere human, one so sweet and gentle, could even make us consider choosing her, when we’d only have a measly few centuries with her, showed how much we had changed.

Imogen would not and had not been handling it well.

I would find a place where Imogen would be safe and protected—and away from Catalina.

NINE

catalina

I staredup at the ceiling, swinging my arm side to side as it dangled in the cuff. I didn’t think they’d put up such a stink about me leaving. Honestly, wasn’t I doing them a favor? They were obviously torn, their precious Imogen returned to take center stage, and I wouldn’t get in the way.