“But she survived a hit from Slade and managed to keep running until Zee found her.” Roslyn spins it, trying to make it sound good instead of shitty. “That’s badass.”
“So if she’s anointed, then she’s just mortal. She’s not human—but mortal like a human. I guess if Zee has the calling to sire her, then it’s possible for an anointed to become one of us. I thought I read they couldn’t be affected by bitten fey,” Thad says, flipping through a bunch of books. “Maybe it’s just the hex allowing it?” he continues, making it sound like a question.
I start to speak, to remind them they have to keep me from doing just that, when Karma is suddenly up and walking toward the door.
I didn’t even notice we had an audience standing in front of one of the windows.
“Slade send you to make more threats?” Karma asks her sister. “Or did you come to drop off another book we can’t read?”
Damn cryptic journal. It was just random numbers and hieroglyphics that didn’t mean anything.
“I don’t know how to write like you do,” Kya says flatly, even though I don’t miss her fleeting moment of embarrassment when she admits it.
Karma’s body stiffens when she hears the confession. Karma wasn’t in the rings as long as Kya. Sometimes we forget Kya was practically raised in there.
The silence gets awkward, and I think Karma is at a loss for what to do. Kya has made it clear she doesn’t care if Karma is her twin.
“Slade did send me, and he did want me to tell you how stupid you all are, but I’m just here to drop off a book at his request.” She holds it up, and she cuts her eyes toward Karma. “Don’t worry, sis. I didn’t write this one. It shouldn’t be so hard to decipher.”
Regret flashes over Karma’s eyes, but Kya doesn’t look like the kind to accept apologies or want pity.
I notice Chaz staying out of sight, and I wonder why. Leah stated Slade can do as Karma and Kya do, so what’s he worried about Kya seeing that Slade hasn’t already seen?
“What’s this about?” I ask, standing up and walking over to the door since no one else seems eager to.
She holds it out. “It’s on the Aquarius line.”
“Where the fuck did you find something like that?” Gage growls, coming over.
Kya cocks an eyebrow at him. “Some of the people who were locked up were much, much older than anyone in this room. They know where all the good stuff is.”
“We could be using those books to find out what the hell is going on—”
“You’ll be in our way. Just stick to your Mystery van and leave the heavy lifting for the big boys, sweetheart,” she chides, smirking at Gage even though he looks ready to throttle her.
She tosses the book down, and I lean past the perimeter to pick it up. Kya takes a large step away from me, as though she’s cautious and wary.
“Don’t sire her,” she tells me. “She’s not designed to be one of us, and she doesn’t think like one of them. The Aquarius is different, even though Slade doesn’t want to believe it. This is the only book I believe, since I got to know her a little.”
Apparently Leah overshared, since Kya knows what I want to do.
I shut the door behind me, blocking all the nosy fuckers out, and she follows me at a safe distance as I guide us toward Kane’s house.
“She wouldn’t be at risk if Slade didn’t have a target on her back. She could leave and be safe far away from me.”
She frowns as confusion mars her features. “He said you insisted on keeping her.”
“Only after he admitted he’d kill her the second he got a chance.”
“Slade is only after one thing. She’s nothing more than a distraction. The last thing he wants to do is kill an anointed. They feel the death of each other. It’s probably why she was drawn here to begin with, even though she didn’t know it. It’s subtle, from what I’ve read. But when one dies—like the one your changer killed—it does call for the others to seek revenge. Leah doesn’t want revenge. Hell, she doesn’t want anything but to be normal. She’s not bloodthirsty or cutthroat. Maybe you misunderstood Slade, because he sure as hell doesn’t want the anointed on our asses.”
“There was no misunderstanding. She’ll have to be shadowed by someone at all times because he made it clear he was after her.”
She looks even more confused, but she shakes it off. “Whatever. The point is she’d be safer. Slade won’t chase her. Get rid of her before you do something permanent.”
I tense, and she cocks her head to the side to study me. “Fuck,” she grumbles. “You’ve already had sex with her. Are you stupid?”
I nod, because I am.