Page 42 of Kingdom of Chaos (Creatures of Chaos #2)

Twenty-Five

Talon is leaned up against the wall waiting for me when we leave the room.

He takes one look at me and declares that we’re leaving and will come back tomorrow for that talk.

I try to argue with him, but he reminds me how late it is and that Ensley is probably going out of her mind with worry right now.

It would be cruel not to go back and let her know we’re okay and that we found her brother.

I agree, but we set up a time later in the morning to come back and talk to Kade.

Kade doesn’t seem concerned about letting us go, confident that with Becks still here, I’ll come back.

Before we leave, he even hands over five of their cell phones, each one already programmed with his number.

When I stare back at him in confusion, he tells me that whether I believe it or not, we’re on the same side.

I’m not about to argue with him; having a way to communicate with the group when we’re in different locations will be invaluable.

By the time we step outside, it’s well past midnight and the city has quieted to a low hum.

We walk in silence except for the whoosh of passing cars and the steady fall of our footsteps against the pavement. It isn’t until we’re halfway back to the hotel that Talon finally speaks.

“How’d it go with Becks?”

I glance over at him but he doesn’t look my way. His eyes stay fixed ahead, scanning the quiet street as if searching for something. Danger, maybe, or just the right words to follow up with.

“It was . . .” I struggle to find the right word. Seeing Becks again was a tangle of emotions. Relief. Heartbreak. Guilt. “Overwhelming.”

Talon casts a sidelong glance at me. “Overwhelming?”

I nod slowly. “He’s alive and on the mend, which is a huge relief. But he’s trapped in that room. And . . .” I’m unsure if I should tell Talon about Becks losing his powers. It feels like Becks’ secret to share, not mine.

“And?” Talon asks gently, his voice careful, but curious.

He’s going to figure it out sooner or later, if he hasn’t already. I feel a little foolish for not questioning it myself sooner. Of course Kerrim stole his powers.

“He’s lost his magic,” I admit, hoping Becks won’t be angry with me for sharing something so personal.

Talon’s head snaps toward me, surprise flashing across his features. Looks like he hadn’t considered that either. Maybe I’m not the only one who missed such an obvious detail.

“When Kerrim stabbed him with Shadow Striker,” I explain. “He says he can’t even shift.”

Talon’s brow furrows. “He can’t shift into his dragon?”

I nod. “That’s what he told me. Shadow Striker steals abilities?—”

“Magical abilities, sure,” he interrupts, his tone troubled. “But shifting, that’s who he is. It’s not just magic, it’s in his blood.”

He falls quiet for a moment, thinking. “Maybe it has to do with the dagger being here in the human world. It’s said to be more powerful on this side.”

“Maybe,” I agree, and we fall into silence again until Talon quietly asks, “Did you tell him the truth about us?”

My first instinct is to say yes. But the word sticks in my throat.

Did I really tell Becks the truth? Or did I just tell him the version of the truth I was ready to admit? The part that served my purpose, not the whole of it?

“I told him how I asked you to help me trick him into thinking we were together,” I say, my voice low.

Talon nods once. “He should know that.”

There’s a beat of silence before he adds, “So, are you planning to pick up where you left off with him?”

When I glance over, he’s still not looking at me. His jaw is tight, his posture guarded.

“We didn’t talk about that,” I answer honestly.

“But that’s what you want.”

It’s not a question, it’s a quiet conclusion he’s drawn on his own. And maybe if he had asked, I still wouldn’t have known how to answer, because suddenly, I’m not so sure.

I stay silent, which only seems to confirm something for him.

Then, softer than before, he asks, “Did you kiss him?”

The question hits like a dart out of nowhere, sharp and unexpected. My breath catches, and for a beat, I can’t tell if it’s guilt or confusion tightening in my chest.

His profile gives nothing away. I almost ask him why he cares, but there’s only so much lying I can do to myself.

I know why Talon wants to know if I kissed Becks.

And now that I’ve seen Becks, now that I know he’s alive and safe, everything I’ve been trying to deny about what’s happening between Talon and me becomes too loud to ignore.

It’s there, pulsing in every glance, every touch, every word left unsaid.

Something is growing between us. I don’t know what it means yet, or if it’s stronger than what I have with Becks, but I do know I can’t ignore it forever. Sooner or later, I’m going to have to face it.

When I don’t respond, Talon glances over and gives a small nod, clearly reading my silence for what it is.

“That’s what I thought,” he murmurs, and there’s a brief twist of pain on his face before he looks away.

Seeing that look on Talon’s face is like a dagger to the chest, stealing my breath. We’re almost back to the hotel and I panic, feeling the need to make things right. Somehow .

Grabbing his arm, I pull him around the corner into a narrow alleyway. The shadows offer a moment of privacy, even if I have no idea what I’m going to say.

Talon glances down the street, then back at me with a confused expression. “The hotel’s right there.”

“I know. I just . . . before we get back, I need to explain.”

His head tilts slightly. “Explain what?”

Yeah, good question.

“I guess, about Becks and me—” I start, and Talon’s expression shutters immediately. Whether it’s to block me out or to protect himself, I don’t know. Maybe both. Either way, it’s not what I want.

I shake my head quickly. “No. Forget Becks for a minute. I want to talk about you and me. About us.”

His brows lift, a glint of surprise in his eyes. “Is that so?”

I nod, heart hammering.

“Okay, then,” he says, leaning back against the brick wall, arms crossed as he waits for me to speak.

Under the weight of his gaze, I hesitate. The storm inside me is a mess of guilt and confusion, but also something deeper. Longing, maybe even hope. So much of what I feel for Talon is tangled up with what I feel for Becks. And vice versa.

I open my mouth to speak. Then close it. Try again. Only a few words make it out each time before I falter. My throat tightens. My thoughts spin. How do I even begin to explain something I’m still trying to understand myself?

Talon finally shakes his head and pushes off the wall. “I thought maybe, after everything we’ve been through, you’d finally admit . . .” He trails off, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “You’re not ready for this. Maybe you never will be. Just forget it,” he mutters, turning to walk away.

“Wait, that’s not true,” I call, my voice soft but urgent.

He stops, glancing back at me, and that’s when my vision shifts. His aura flickers to life, swirling blue and white in the shadows, wrapping him in a glow that makes him look almost otherworldly. Ethereal. Dangerous. Beautiful .

I suck in a breath, unable to look away. He’s breathtakingly handsome and wholly tempting in a visceral way. And in that moment, I just want . . . I just want . . .

His gaze darkens as he watches me. “Freckles,” he warns, his voice low and rough, “I suggest you stop looking at me like that.”

My tongue darts out to wet my bottom lip, and Talon steps closer, narrowing the space between us until I’m nearly backed into the wall, his presence overwhelming in the best and worst way. My pulse thunders, the blood buzzing fast and hot through my veins.

“Unless,” he says, his voice a low caress, “you’re finally ready to do something about it.”

My stomach flips, and heat blooms across my skin at the thought of what that entails. Crossing that line we’ve always hovered near, never touching it, but always aware it is there.

I know I should look away, but for the life of me I can’t.

I’m rooted in place, unable to move toward Talon, unable to pull away, caught in a silent war between desire and reason.

The indecision paralyzes me. And then, after a few long, pounding heartbeats, Talon makes the choice for both of us.

He turns and walks out of the alley. And Creator help me, because what hits me isn’t relief.

It’s disappointment.