Page 138 of Rite of Unity

“What are you doing in my room, Calden?”

He stood, and a slice of moonlight cut across his face, illuminating the hard lines of his cheekbones.His jaw was tight in a way I hadn’t seen before.

His black eyes studied me; the silence of his unspoken judgment burned.

“I found Nami.I’m taking you to see her.Tonight.”

My heart gave an involuntary thump.Alive.She was alive.

I swallowed.“I can’t.I could be eliminated.”

Calden slid his hand into the pocket of his coat.It was far more formal than anything he’d worn any of the other times he’d come to my room.He pulled his tablet out, tapping the screen.

“No one will be looking for you on Monday.We have twenty-four hours.”

My mouth fell open.“Where is she?”

His gaze slid down my form.“You’ll need something warmer than that.”

He crossed the room and, without asking, his fingers brushed my hair back from my ear.I stilled as he slid one sapphire earring out, then the other, and tucked them in his pocket.

I touched my naked ear.Did he know who gave them to me?

He marched past me, toward the window.

I stood in the middle of my room, frozen.I was desperate to see Nami, to know she was truly safe, but I was close, and nothing could go wrong.

I crossed my arms over my chest.“I can’t.”

Calden paused, spinning to face me.With his back to the moonlight, he face was shadowed.Impossible to read.

“You’d rather stay here?”

My pulse thrummed wildly.What did what I wanted have to do with anything?When had anyone ever asked?

“No.”

He nodded.“Come on then.”

He moved to the window ledge, arm rising stiffly, and grunted.

I rushed forward.“Calden.”

“We need to go.”

Before he could stop me, I caught the hem of his shirt and lifted it.

The bruising was ugly—deep purple and mottled, spreading across his ribs.

“We’re not going anywhere.”I dropped his shirt.“What happened?”

He pulled the fabric back down, his jaw tight.“The rebels are getting bolder.”He met my eyes.“A bomb went off at the site where I was filming yesterday.”

Tightness squeezed my chest.“You were alone with this all night.”

He said nothing.

“You need a doctor.”