Page 28 of The Last Aether

“All of the dorms have wards that protect from truly severe damage by out-of-control gifts,” Riven explained. “It’s kind of a necessity when you’re training elementals with newly unleashed powers.”

“That makes sense.” My mind circled all the ways those kinds of protections could be useful. “Can you imbue them on people?”

The corner of Phoenix’s mouth kicked up. “Doesn’t work like that.”

“Damn.”

He moved towards me and leaned down to brush his lips against mine. The action was more about easy affection than heat, but something about Atlas holding me while Phoenix’s lips were on mine had me pressing my thighs together.

I squirmed in Atlas’s arms. “I think you can put me down now.”

“What if I don’t want to put you down?”

Kai grinned that cheeky smile that went straight to my core. “I wouldn’t want to put her down either, brother.”

A muscle in Riven’s jaw ticked. “Can we focus? We need to talk about what happened.”

The few sips of soda I’d drunk earlier turned to lead in my stomach.

Riven glared at Atlas. “Put the girl down. She does have legs.”

Atlas sent a dark look in Riven’s direction but put me on my feet. I patted his chest. “Thanks.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling my back flush against his front. “Tell us what happened.”

There was an absence of warmth in Atlas’s tone that was rare for him. I hated that coolness. Hated all the things we were up against and that my mere presence was tearing them apart.

Atlas nuzzled my neck as if he could feel my worry. “None of this is on you.”

“Doesn’t feel like that.”

Phoenix sent me a hard look. “Don’t you dare take on any of the shit that’s happened. And don’t take on Riv either, he’s always been a grumpy fucker.”

Riven rolled his eyes. “She doesn’t need coddling. And if she does, she’ll never survive.”

I couldn’t help but notice that Riven was avoiding uttering my name. It was as if my moniker was just like my show of skin, something he didn’t want to come in contact with.

Kai sent a sharp elbow back into Riven’s gut. “Whoops. It slipped.”

Riven bent over, coughing. “Fuck, Kai.”

“There was so much bullshit streaming out of your mouth I thought you might be choking. Is that not how you do the Heimlich?”

Phoenix’s eyes sparked, but I didn’t miss the hint of humor in his gaze. “You’re a hero.”

Kai grinned his mischievous smile at me. “Do I get a reward?”

This time it was me who rolled my eyes. “I’ll reward whoever tells me what happened.”

“I told you,” Phoenix said.

“I’d like a little more information than there was a trap.”

He grunted but didn’t offer up more.

Riven rubbed the spot on his stomach where Kai had landed his hit. “They had to know exactly when we left campus to lay this trap. Their timing was too perfect.”

My fingers dug into Atlas’s arms. “Someone here is feeding The Network information.”