The door blasted open so hard it ricocheted off the wall and nearly decapitated Zane.
Chloe burst in first. “What the hell? Everyone can hear you four tunnels away.”
My parents strode in next with Pantar and Mira behind them, both showing their teeth to everyone in the room, including me—Kharox prowled in, the caboose of this shit train.
Adelaide strode to the center of the room. “Reverie Hawthorne,” she snapped, “are you screaming at your men or are your men screaming at you? Because the acoustics don’t make it clear.”
“All of the above,” I frowned down at the floor.
My fathers fanned out behind her like an intimidating parental wall.
Grumpy pointed at the broken chair. “Who did that?”
“Zeke,” we all said in unison.
Zeke lifted his hands. “It was an emotional moment!”
Dad stared at the scorch marks on the floor. “And that?”
Nathan coughed. “Also, an emotional moment.”
Zeke frowned at him, then turned to my mom. “Reverie feels it would be better to meet with Trent alone. We stringently disagree.”
All three of my fathers turned to me as my mother’s eyes went nuclear. “Absolutely not. No. That’s not going to fucking happen.”
“Adelaide!” Grumpy admonished.
She rolled her eyes. “Now’s not the time, John. We just found out Rue is alive—” She choked up for a moment, “and our baby girl is the one who needs to take Trent to find him.” Mom took a deep breath, “We don’t even know where Rue is, so I think the first step is more information. Reverie. You tell us everything you’re thinking. Exactly why you want to go alone.”
I swallowed. “Because I think… if everyone came… Trent is less likely to listen. And I don’t want to lose Rue before I even get to meet him.”
Oren walked over to me and took me into his arms.
Zane stepped toward us. “Precious girl, we understand how you feel, but don’t shut us out. Wearestronger together.”
Pops put his arm around Mom. “We want Rue back, but not at the cost of our child.” He smiled slightly, lost in memories. “Believe me, Rue wouldn’t want that either.”
My mother nodded. “We’ll come up with a plan. Together. But we do it smart. Strategically. No rash heroics. No suicide missions.”
Kharox had been very quiet since we’d come to the caves, but chose this moment to speak.“The two-faced one will not run… if he believes she chooses him.”
Every man in the room went rigid.
My mother pinched the bridge of her nose. “Let’s… table that comment for now.”
Chloe sidled up to me and whispered, “This is going to be a long day.”
I exhaled, shaking.
But for the first time since reading the note…
…I didn’t feel alone.
Chapter 32
Trent
Our headquarters on Earth smelled like smoke, power, and lies.
