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“Not just the greater power itself. It was sweeping around us, but not impacting any of us at all. Like a blanket of reassurance and protectiveness. Perhaps a subconscious act due to the threat of Cassius and all of it?”

Her smile faded slightly. “Not... entirely subconscious.”

I cocked my head, studying her more closely.

“When I was with Cassius, I was strained after everything he revealed to me. My power started sparking out of control.” She looked down at our legs brushing, like she needed to register the physical connection. And then she revealed, “He did something to calm it. To soothe it.” She took a breath, then went on, “I think that’s what helped me settle enough to even make it through last night with the additional weight of everything. But then, being with the three of you, I wasn’t actually drawing on that soothing aspect he’d provided me with. When that protective energy rose, it was all me. And I wasn’t feeling that soothing energy of his working on my power. I mean, it didn’t matter when we were all immersed in one another. It wasn’t a factor. It’s because I… I saw you all get hurt like that. And the idea of it happening at all, let alone again, made me sick to my stomach. And I guess it came out that way last night, my power reacting and encircling the three of you protectively.”

“You didn’t ask me to employ my spell to tame your energy. I just quietly countered Nyx’s allure as usual. But from what you’re telling me, I don’t think you being able to handle it without that assistance from me was because of what Cassiusdid. You were holding it at bay on your own more than you realized, without the relief that he provided you. It sounds like you were transcending his influence—that soothing spell he employed. And, what you had encircling us in the pool, that was your energy, not your silver magic. It wasn’t perceptible by sight, just by feeling. Do your realize how special that is? How truly powerful and capable that you are to be able to do that just with your natural energy?”

She smiled. “It felt good. Itfeelsgood. I mean, it’s a little unsettling too, because I can still feel it acclimating, not yet calmed. But that fear isn’t superseding all else now.”

My fingers brushed her cheek. “That’s phenomenal. I’ve wanted that for you for a long time.”

“I know you have.” She grasped my arm and leaned against my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it took me so long to get to this place.”

“No. It’s okay. It’s just the journey that you had to take.”

She smiled sadly. “Kai, I know it was never okay with you. And I’m telling you now, I’m promising you, that it will never be away from you again. Thatjourney,any journey that I take won’t be without the three of you.” She gestured around us with her free hand. “That’s why I brought you here. I got this place just before my first year at the Academy, and itwasintended as a place I would disappear to after I graduated. But things are so different now. Inme.With the three of you.” She cupped the side of my face, her touch like liquid heat rolling through me. “I brought you here because I want this house to be a place of escape for us all when the world gets too loud and insane. I want it to beoursanctuary. A place of peace. A place to heal. A place to just beus.”

I went to grasp her hand on mine, to pull her closer, to… to do anything, something. Something to convey what her words andthe depth of the promise in them was doing to me, what it all meant to me.

But before I could, she dropped said hand and pressed it to my torso, just above my abs.

“Be still,” she whispered at my ear in such a soothing way, it lulled me into doing just that, sinking against the step, my gaze fixed on her palm starting to glide over my skin.

Power sparked, but it wasn’t her usual silver.

It was a blindingly bright white glow.

“Celestial Light,” she told me. “You’ll feel better in a moment.”

I watched as the bruises started to fade, as did the ache that had permeated my being since the damage had been inflicted.

But that wasn’t what impacted me the deepest.

It was her giving this to me, on top of the vow she’d just made me.

She was trusting herself at full powerforme, to make me feel better.

I watched as the last of the bruising faded away.

She went to ease her hand away, but I snatched it in mine. “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

“I don’t just mean the healing.”

Our eyes locked.

So much passed between us.

Regret, grief, and pain being acknowledged. So much fear, too. “Say it again. Ari.”

She shifted her weight and linked her arms around my neck. “Almighty sorcerer and pain in my ass, I swear to you with everything we all hold dear, with everything sacred to us, that I’m not going anywhere.” Her humor dissipated and an earnestness took its place as she uttered, “Ican’t,Kai. The idea of walking away from what the three of us have builtand continue to build upon with every passing day… it can’t be reconciled. I can’t stand the thought of it. And no matter what comes of recent disturbing events, I won’t let it break us. I promise you that. I’ll make the same vow to Vorzyr and Nyx when they wake up.”

“Oh, they’re wide awake now,” a voice came from behind us.

I turned with her holding onto my neck to see V standing there in all his powerhouse glory just in a pair of crimson boxers, and not the least bit modest about the mammoth hard-on tenting them, while Nyx was in a pair of vibrant-blue silky lounge pants, a button down pajama top open. V had his arm draped over Nyx’s shoulders, the two of them eyeing us with a mixture of intrigue and amusement.