Page 22

D ammit. Kai wanted more time to talk to Morlie about why she’d misled the council.

Before the baby situation, talking to her sister about it was heavy on her mind.

So much had happened since yesterday afternoon, and the sun hadn’t even cracked the deep-purple darkness. Now, an angry Morlie was on her plate.

However, she had no one to blame for this situation but herself. Kai sighed and followed her sister into the sitting area.

Morlie stood silently staring into the fireplace, where a small blaze flickered. Her sister had her arms folded, and Morlie seemed drawn into herself.

Kai figured Eilidh had set the flame in the hearth when Aodh’s sister had been here to visit Morlie. Kai was grateful that her sister had such a friendship here. Even if whatever the two discussed made Morlie aware of her actual age.

Kai watched her sister closely as she rounded the end of the couch to sit. Something was different about her. Just like Kai had changed since they’d arrived in the Drahk territory, Morlie had grown. Not just in age, Morlie had developed an air of maturity about her Kai hadn’t noticed.

How did I miss it?

Observing her, Kai wondered if the fire provided warmth to her sister or if Morlie was even aware of the blaze. Maybe it’s just something for Morlie to fix her eyes on .

“Why did you lie to me?” Morlie’s voice was low but strong as she spoke toward the fire, still not looking at Kai.

“Please come sit, Morlie.” Kai patted the couch cushion beside her.

There was a long beat before Morlie turned and moved from the fireplace. However, Kai noticed that her sister had claimed the single chair, not the seat beside her.

“Talk, sissy.”

Kai arched a brow at her little sister. She didn’t care how much Morlie had matured over the last few weeks since she awoke.

Kai wouldn’t stand for a derisive tone. Sitting at an angle, Kai shifted to lean back against the arm of the couch as she assessed her sister.

“Look, Morlie. I will start by admitting I was wrong for lying.”

Morlie shook her head.

Kai ignored the gesture. “Now that’s on the table, what do you want to know?”

“Why did you do it?” Morlie sat with her arms still crossed. She was talking, but she wasn’t open to Kai yet.

“Because—”

“Besides you not wanting me taken by the wolf guy.”

Exasperated, a rough, non-verbal sound came out of Kai’s mouth. “Not besides that fact...because of it.” Kai made a circle with her hand. “It is all that fact. The wolf guy is a Pack leader. A Pack that we don’t know anything about.”

Morlie slapped her palms down on her knees. “I get that may have been a problem, but you’re the same person who jumped in Dad’s truck and drove me outside the wall to a strange land.”

“You think I had a choice?” Kai shifted to the edge of her seat and leaned toward her sister. “You were sick, Morlie. You were so sick you were dying. Dying.”

Kai felt the tightness in her throat that still rose when she thought about how close she came to losing her sister like her parents. Her sister would never know that level of fear.

“I know. I am grateful you risked everything and sacrificed a lot to save me. You became the Mckenna’s...”

When her sister’s voice broke away, Kai just stared at Morlie. How did her sister see her? What did her sister think about her relationship with Aodh? Kai wondered as she waited for Morlie to continue.

“Lover. You became Aodh’s lover for me.” Morlie glanced away again. This time, her gaze returned to the wide, dark window across the room.

What did she see out there? From this angle, she couldn’t see anything but the tops of the trees, but something shadowed her sister’s features.

Morlie’s gaze returned to her. “I’ll forever be grateful to you.”

“I don’t need your gratitude.” Kai shifted in her seat. This time, she was the one who crossed her arms. “Yes, I agreed to be Aodh’s lover, but I am also his mate.”

Her belly tightened and filled with warmth, reminding her what else she was to Aodh, but Kai ignored it for the moment.

“I’m happy for you, Kai. I am.” Morlie got up again. She didn’t return to the fire. Instead, she just started pacing behind the small chair. “But, like you, I should’ve had the opportunity to decide what was best for me. I’m an adult, remember?”

“Oh, I remember. I spent one of your birthdays cleaning up your vomit from you, me, and the floor while you drifted out of consciousness. Recently, I celebrated it with you trapped behind thick glass and wrapped in smoke.” Kai crossed her legs and settled deeper into the cushions.

“Yes, you are grown. But you didn’t know it then, and I couldn’t sit back and have you retaken.

Not when it was my fault for driving you to the consumer medical center where you got marked. So, I couldn’t hand you over again.”

Morlie moved and sat on the arm of the chair closest to Kai.

“Don’t you see, sissy? I must learn how to live my life without the dark cloud of sickness hovering over me.

And you need to get from underneath your guilt, the guilt of not being able to save Mom and Dad, and your culpability when it comes to what happened to me. ”

Kai shoved a hand into her curls and tried to process her sister’s words.

Yes, she had guilt. But fear was what paralyzed her at times, and at others, it made her want to hold Morlie close to make sure nothing ever happened to her again.

Yes, she understood it wasn’t possible to protect her sister from everything, and life happened, but Morlie had been all she’d had for so long that she wasn’t sure she knew how to unclench her grip on her sister.

Morlie leaned forward and placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder.

Once Kai glanced up at her sister, Morlie continued, “If you don’t let go of the blame, it will smother us both.”

Her sister’s sincerity and determination brightened Morlie’s eyes. Kai heard and felt what her little sister said. She placed a hand on Morlie’s where it still rested on her shoulder. “I have known you’d grown up but still treated you like a child. I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize, sissy. I don’t know how I would have handled everything you have been through. You’ve been my rock.” Morlie turned her hand over and cupped Kai’s hand. “But I’m afraid if I don’t learn to stand alone, I will always need your shadow to hide behind.”

“I don’t want that. I want you to become a strong, independent woman. Mom and Dad would want it, too.”

“So do I.” Morlie smiled for the first time since Kai arrived.

They sat like that for a moment. Kai released her hand. “Have you eaten?”

Morlie shook her head. “Tana stopped by and asked if I wanted something. I told her no. I haven’t had much of an appetite. But I need to eat.”

A loud grumble from Kai’s stomach filled the room.

“I guess you haven’t eaten, either,” Morlie teased and stared at Kai’s stomach.

Heat infused Kai’s cheeks. Since she decided now wasn’t the best time to tell her sister about the baby, she didn’t correct Morlie’s assumption.

Kai realized she’d also need to tell Aodh he was right.

The baby always required food. They had eaten not too long ago, and she was famished again.

She feared she would become as big as this suite if the baby caused her to eat like this the entire pregnancy.

As a thick, curvy woman, she could not help but wonder if she gained too much if Aodh would still find her attractive.

Even though it was clear Drahk females were built thick, their heavy curves were sleek with perfect muscle tone. Not all lush and soft like hers.

Hopefully, she had months to worry about it. Right now, she needed to fill her belly. “How about I get some food sent up so we can spend time together? Maybe talk about what happened at the council meeting before I arrived. If you’re comfortable discussing it.”

“I’d like that.” Morlie nodded. “Besides, it’s not every day your sister comes charging into a group of shifters to save you wielding a big-ass sword.”

“My arms still regret my actions.” Kai rotated one arm and then the other. The soreness she’d felt had diminished to nothing.

“It was still bold as hell.” Morlie squeezed her shoulders as if she were massaging a prizefighter.

“The verdict is still out on if it was bold or stupid.” Kai shook her head. “I will be right back.” Kai got up and then headed to the door.

“Kai?”

With a hand on the handle, Kai turned to face Morlie, standing again by the window but looking at her.

Kai’s brow began to furrow, but she relaxed her face, not wanting to show concern about why her sister kept such a vigil, especially now that they seemed to be on better footing. “Yes?”

“Can you see what you can do about getting rid of the around-the-clock guards?”

“I think Aodh—”

Morlie tilted her head to the side as her brow kicked up.

It was clear to Kai that her sister’s expression hearkened back to their discussion. “After we eat, I’ll go talk to Aodh. Unless you want to take a walk after.”

“Not under guard, I don’t.” Morlie faced the window once again.

Even though her sister couldn’t see it, Kai nodded, gripped the door with both hands and pulled it.

The guard spotted her through the crack, got up from her chair immediately, and pushed the door wider faster.

Kai smiled at the guard. “Aine, I presume.”

“Yes, Aguya Kai.” She offered a slight bow as she pulled the door closed once again. The woman appeared older than her by a few years, but since Drahks lived so long, Kai couldn’t figure out her age as she assessed the other woman’s strong, angular features.

“It’s nice to meet you. Hopefully, you all can return to your regular duties soon.” Kai moved toward the stairs.

“I don’t mind. Edjer always ensures we have extra time off in the schedule.”

“That’s good to know they compensate you for the extra duties.” Kai smiled back at Aine. She was glad Edjer cared for his people here, in the Dispatch District, that never would have happened.