Page 120

The contact had me sucking in a breath as a wave of peace rolled through me, jarring against all the rest.

“We’ll figure it all out.”

“That’s a tall order,” Kai pointed out.

Then he started rushing around, grabbing this and that and about to settle into work at his stone table.

Ariana, Nyx, and I exchanged a look.

This whole thing was one of Kai’s worst nightmares now come to life.

“Kai, not right now,” Nyx said, going to him. “You need to get some rest. We all do.”

“He’s right on, Kai,” I spoke.

But he ignored all of that, and started to sink into obsessive mode.

Ariana rounded the table and slid her hand to his cheek, making him still.

Their gazes clashed.

“If you’re going to tell me to—”

“Your head isn’t clear.”

He blinked.

“You can’t even begin to achieve what you want to when you’re in this exhausted and stricken state. You need to be at your best, yes? Nothing less will suffice when embarking on a complicated endeavor like this. Isn’t that your mantra, baby?”

Baby.He would love that.

Nyx and I grinned as we saw proof of it, a spark lighting his eyes.

“Ari, I can’t just—”

“Youcan, and you need to.” She looked out at us. “All of us need to take a beat.” She took his hand and gestured at Nyx and I to join as well. “We’ll crash in my dorm room, be together all night long. Rest and sleep well, and then we’ll begin again anew.” She eyed Kai pointedly. “With clear heads. Focused.Readyto do something of this magnitude.”

She was speaking his languageandNyx’sandmine as well with that offering.

Kai gave a nod. “All right. We’ll take a beat.”

20

~Kai~

I stirred with a disgruntled groan.

Disgruntled, because I felt fully refreshed, meaning that I’d slept for a long while, and hadn’t merely taken a brief nap like I’d intended.

So much time had been wasted.

And now I had to wait longer before I could get to my lab and begin on the long and complicated path to dealing with what had been revealed last night, because I had classes to attend. I’d already missed a couple yesterday to take Vorzyr to Cornelius. And I’d even missed a night class, because when news of the Guardian Compound attack had reached me, I hadn’t been able to focus,andI’d had to put V down and stay by his side at my lab to monitor him.

I eyed the gold-rimmed clock hanging on the wall at the far end of Ariana’s dorm room. If I left now, I could get in an hour’s worth of work in my lab.

Warmth pressed against my side as I laid on the right side of the bed at the edge.

Warmth that was urging me to remain sinking into it.