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“We’re trying to find a way to undo it,” Kaden said.

Finn squinted as he looked from me back to Kaden, taking a moment to let the request sink in. He put his pipe down.

“Let me make sure I understand. You want toundoit?“

“Yes.”

“You’re mated, are you not?” Finn asked.

How did he know that?

“Yes,” Kaden said.

I was afraid to sayanythingto this man. What he knew was too unsettling, and I wasn’t going to give him anything else.

“You haven’t had a full-powered female Kradix in centuries,” Finn said. “You haven’t had a couple fully mated in longer than I can remember. It would mean—”

“I know what it means,” Kaden said, leaning forward. “I want to undo it. Can you?”

Finn turned toward me. “You want this undone as well?”

“He…” I was on the verge of explaining how Kaden didn’t want me, but it was embarrassing enough to know it. It didn’t seem necessary to tell everyone. “It’s for the best.”

Finn was still squinting, as if nothing about this situation made sense at all.

“Can you do it or not?” Kaden asked.

Finn reached for his pipe again, lighting it and puffing. He didn’t strike me as someone used to being stumped.

“I need to understand the steps that occurred in order to determine if I can do anything,” he said. “How did she receive your mark in the first place?”

“I gave it to her,” Kaden said.

Finn went silent again, as if he’d been expecting some other answer. “But you didn’twanther to transition?” he asked, even though the answer was pretty obvious.

“Not completely. No.” The way Kaden answered, he seemed to be the only one who didn’t find this situation odd. I’d been wondering why he’d mark me if he didn’t want me to transition for quite a while.

“Unusual,” Finn said, puffing some more.

Yeah, it was, wasn’t it? I was on the brink of agreeing with him aloud when Kaden sidelined that train of thought.

“Can you do it or not? I have vast resources. I can pay whatever price you name.”

“If you hadn’t marked her willingly, there might’ve been a way. Not a sure thing, but some possibilities we could explore. But that you did it and you were both willing? No. I don’t see a way around that.” Finn was shaking his head, as if he thought Kaden had taken leave of his senses.

“You won’t even try?” Kaden said.

“I don’t negotiate prices for services I know I can’t deliver.”

Finn was so sure that he couldn’t do it, he wouldn’t even try? Cookie was right. Mouse man, too. It couldn’t be undone.

If it wasn’t for the man sitting next to me, I would’ve felt nothing but relief. But it wasn’t that easy anymore.

Kaden stood. I got up, looking to beat him to the door. I wanted to get back to Nowhere and be able to think alone for a few minutes. What did this even mean?

“Kaden, if I might have a word with you before you leave?” Finn said.

Kaden looked my way, and I motioned to the door, eager to be out of there.