Page 19 of The Last Aether

There was a warmth in being with Kai that I’d never felt before. It swirled around me, making me feel safe and secure. But more, Kai was life. An effervescence and spark that made everything more.

“Uh, guys…” Atlas said.

Kai sent him an exasperated look. “You’re intruding on my moment, man.”

Atlas chuckled, a grin pulling at his lips. “Look at your chest.”

My hand was still pressed to the gauze over Kai’s wound, but I could see the rest of his golden skin on display. Along his sternum, where my tears had fallen, were streaks of silver. Those same lightning bolts of metallic that were on my own chest.

“What does that mean?” My voice trembled as I asked the question.

Atlas moved in closer. “Let’s see the wound.”

I looked at Kai in question and he nodded. Slowly, I pulled the gauze away and gasped. Red still stained his skin, but there was no wound. In its place was a circle of silver cracks similar to the one on my chest, but smaller.

My gaze jumped to Kai’s face. “It’s gone.”

Kai rolled his shoulder and a flicker of pain passed over his expression. “Still hurts, but it’s a hell of a lot better than before.”

Quincy moved closer to the bed. “It’s the bond deepening. Speeds the healing.”

My fingers skimmed across the metallic lightning bolts. Kai groaned, but this time it wasn’t in pain. “Pip, unless you want me to fuck you senseless in front of this entire room, I wouldn’t do that.”

I snatched my hand back, cheeks heating. “Sorry.”

“You definitely don’t have to apologize. That feels like heaven.”

Quincy chuckled. “Sounds like you’re back to your usual self.”

I sighed at that and burrowed deeper into Kai’s side. “You’re not hurting too badly?”

“No, it’s just sore. Like a bad bruise.” He glanced around the room. “Someone should clean up the blood though. Not sure how we’ll explain the fact that I don’t have a wound.”

Atlas nodded, starting for the door. “Better if they think no one was shot. I’m on it.”

Neither Phoenix nor Riven said a word. Phoenix hadn’t made a sound since he’d laid the towels on the bed. He stood watching us, smoke gathering around him and sparks dancing in his eyes.

“Phee?” His name was just above a whisper.

His chest heaved as he stared at the dried blood on Kai’s chest. “They could’ve killed you both.”

Shit. I sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing. I crossed to him, refusing to let the smoke swirling around him scare me. It didn’t smell like smoke. It smelled like Phoenix. A deep woodsy scent that I wanted to roll around in.

I took his hands, squeezing, trying to bring his attention down to me. “We’re all okay.”

“But you almost weren’t.” A muscle in his jaw fluttered wildly. “They have to know there’s payback. We can’t let them get away with this.”

“The royal guard is searching for them,” Quincy assured him.

“Not good enough,” Phoenix gritted out.

Riven straightened. “He’s right. The Network needs a message. They come for us. We’ll come for them.”

“They. Will. Suffer.” Phoenix’s breathing had gone ragged.

I wrapped my arms around his middle. “Don’t go.” I couldn’t bear the thought of him searching out these hired killers. Ones who had trained their entire lives for that mission.

His arms encircled me, his grip tight. “I have to. I have to let this out. It’ll burn me alive if I don’t.”