“I know.” I shuddered. “I mean, I guess that’s good news.”
I saw her mouth drop open. “Why would you think that’s good news?”
“Because it means he’s keeping Misha alive.” I paused. “Probably as bait, which sucks, but he’s alive and that’s all that matters.”
Jada was quiet for a long moment and then she asked, “Is it?”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
Her sigh was audible. “I don’t want to even think about this, and I know you don’t, but God only knows what they’re doing to Misha and how that is going to affect him. I’m not saying that being dead is better, but...it’s probably going to be really rough when you get him back.”
“I know.” Tears burned my eyes. “I don’t... I can’t think about it. No matter what...condition he’s in, we’ll make him okay again.”
“We will,” she agreed, blinking rapidly and then wiping under her eyes with her palm. “Okay. Tell me something else. Have you gotten to see the city?”
Welcoming the change of subject, I let out a shaky breath. “Not really. We stayed in and got rest yesterday during the day and then went out last night,” I told her, skipping over the meeting with Roth and Layla. I didn’t think Jada would understand seeking help from demons when I didn’t understand it myself.
“Are you going to make time to see some stuff?” she asked.
“I want to, but it seems kind of weird to be out sightseeing while Misha is...” I gave a little shake of my head.
“Yeah, you have a point.” A faint smile came and went. “I would love to see the museums. Always wanted to, but not like that’s going to happen.”
Sympathy rose as I watched her. Female Wardens were kept in jeweled cages. “Maybe Ty will get assigned here next year? They obviously need the help.”
“Maybe,” she said with a sigh. “You know, I get why I can’t just come and see you or help, but it...”
“It sucks,” I told her. “If they’d just train the females to fight, you guys wouldn’t be so...” I trailed off, trying to think of the right word.
“Stuck,” Jada answered for me. “That’s how I feel. Stuck.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m lucky, you know? I love Ty and I know I’ll be happy with him, but...knowing that my friends are out there and they need help and I can’t do anything just sucks.” She exhaled heavily. “It pisses me off, too, because it doesn’t have to be this way.”
“Then change it,” I told her.
“How?”
“Thierry listens to you. If anyone can help you change things, it’ll be him.” Thinking I heard Zayne in the living room, I shifted slightly and glanced at the closed bedroom door. I groaned as pain flared along my back.
“I saw that!” Jada exclaimed. “Are you hurt?”
“Not really. Just my back is sore,” I told her. “The Hellion tossed me around like I was a misbehaving toddler. Hey, let me call you back—”
“Wait! Real quick, how are things with Zayne?”
My gaze slid back to my phone. “Fine. I guess. I mean, we haven’t tried to kill each other yet.”
“Have you kissed him again?”
“Oh my God,” I moaned, thinking of last night. “No, but thanks for reminding me. I’m hanging up now.”
She laughed. “Call me later, okay?”
“Will do. Love you.”
“Love you more,” she said, disconnecting the call.
No sooner had I rolled onto my aching back and looked at the picture on the nightstand, tucked close to the book, than Zayne spoke from the other side of the door. “Trinity? Can you come out here?”
Groaning under my breath, I pulled myself out of bed and shuffled out of the bedroom, immediately taking in the scent of coffee and...bacon? My stomach grumbled as I saw Zayne at the stovetop. His hair was pulled back at the nap of his neck. I didn’t realize until that very moment that I did appreciate a well-done man bun.
Jada would laugh her butt off hearing that.
“Come on.” He glanced over to where I lingered in the middle of the room. “Figured you’d be hungry.”
I didn’t realize how hungry I was until that moment. “I am.”
“Then take a seat and let me feed you.”
I did just that, hopping up on the stool. Zayne was turning off the stove. There were already two plates ready, both covered with a paper towel.
“Do you drink coffee?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at me. I shook my head. “I have some orange juice.”
“That’s perfect.” I started to get down. “I can get it if you just—”
“Stay seated.” He went to a cabinet and grabbed a glass, then made his way to the fridge. “Figured after watching you get chased around by naked Hellion demons, breakfast was the least I could do.”
I shuddered. “I’m going to need years of intensive therapy to erase the memories.”
“You and me both.” He placed the plate and glass of OJ in front of me, and I made quick work of the bacon. It was delicious, salty and yet sweet. Maple flavored, and I had to stop myself from licking my fingers when the bacon was gone.
Zayne finished his off with a cup of black coffee as he eyed me over the rim of his mug.
“What?” I demanded, running my finger along the edge of my plate.
“You’re doing really good.”
“At what? Eating bacon? I’m extremely skilled at that.”
He grinned. “At all of this. You’ve never been patrolling before, and while you have fought demons, it’s not an everyday thing for you and you did really well last night.”
Pleased by the compliment, I forced a shrug. “That was what I was trained for, you know? Maybe not fighting naked Hellions, but I’ve spent my whole life training with...” I trailed off, my gaze following to my empty plate. I wished I had more bacon and maybe chocolate.
Lots of chocolate.
“Misha?” he said quietly.
I nodded. “We’ve been training forever for the day we’d be called upon.”
“Called upon for what?”
“You know, that was never really specified,” I told him, sliding off the stool and wincing when it jolted my back. “Only that we’d be summoned by my father at some point, to fight.”
Zayne lowered his mug. “What was that?”
“What was what?”
“You just flinched.” Understanding flickered over his striking face. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” I said as I took my dish over to his sink, and technically I was fine.
He was still and then he was suddenly behind me, moving faster than I could track.
“I hate when you do that!” I snapped.
“Uh-huh.” He grabbed my shirt, ignoring my protests as he lifted it up. He swore under his breath, and I knew what he saw. I checked it out in the bathroom mirror when I got up this morning to use the bathroom. “Why didn’t you say something, Trinity?”
Pulling my shirt free from his grasp, I walked over to where my OJ was sitting. I snatched it up. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine,” he shot back. “Your back looks like a worn-out punching bag.”
I frowned. “Nice description.”
“This happened with the Hellions? Or has it been like this for a while?”
“From the Hellions. Probably when I got thrown off the platform.”
“You should’ve said something.”
Taking a drink, I lifted a shoulder as he stalked around me, his bare feet whispering over the cement.
“Why would you not say something?” He walked behind the island and opened one of the drawers, grabbing a small jar.
“I don’t know.” Honestly, I didn’t want him to think that I was whining.
“You may be this badass Trueborn, but you’re still half-human. You bruise easier than Wardens do, and if you had been fully human, you’d would’ve been killed a dozen times over last night.” He looked at me from where he stood, his stare piercing even if his features were a blur at this distance.
I rolled my eyes. “I just didn’t want to come across like I was complaining and it’s...it’s really not that bad. They’re just bruises and they’ll fade soon.”
“Just bruises?” As he came back over to me, I realized he had something in is hand. “I’m not used to...patrolling with half humans, so I don’t know your limits, and I need to know them so that you don’t hurt yourself.”
“I’m not hurt.”
“I beg to differ.” He took my free hand in his. “And this is the first time you’ve engaged with demons on a daily basis. You don’t even know your limits.”
“You’re overreacting.”
“Have you seen your back?” he demanded, dragging me into the bedroom and then into the bathroom, flipping on the bright lights.
I winced. “I’ve seen it and it’s not a big deal.”
Zayne let go of my hand. “Only you would argue with me over the condition of your back.” He placed the jar on the counter. “I need you undressed from the waist up.”
“What?” I gaped at him. “Usually a guy tells me I’m pretty before he demands that I take my shirt off.”
He shot me a bland look. “Is that all it takes for you to take your shirt off? You’re very pretty, Trinity.”
My eyes narrowed as I placed my OJ on the sink so that I wouldn’t throw it in his face. “That’s not all that it takes, thank you very much, and you didn’t even sound like you meant that.”
“Oh, I meant it.”
“Whatever. Why do I need to take my shirt off?”
“So I can put this—” he picked up the jar “—on your back. It’ll make the bruises heal faster, and unless you’re double-jointed, you’re going to need help putting it on. I need to see your back.”