“Whoa,” I whisper, turning to Romulus beside me. “What does that mean?”
“We don’t know,” he says quietly back, clearly not wanting to disturb Ksenia and Kharon, who’ve started walking toward the table again. His jaw is tight. “It didn’t happen in Hannah’s pregnancy. So it’s... worrying.”
I gulp, suddenly even happier that I got the birth control from Layden yesterday. After last night with Remus—yes, he pulled out, but still. I’m definitely not sure I’m ready for magical interdimensional babies.
And it’s looking like we could actually make this work between all of us after all. Remus might not see it yet, but talking with Romulus this morning gave me real hope. Tangible, possible hope.
I frown a little, confused about some of my feelings in that regard.
Because it didn’t feel wrong or weird to wake up like that in Romulus’s arms. It felt... natural. Right, even. In a way, I feltso much hope that, of course, this was how it should work. Of course the three of us could make it work together.
Romulus is so different from Remus, and I feel drawn to him differently. And if I’m being completely honest with myself—which is terrifying—I don’t only have strong feelings for Remus.
Not that I have the same kinds of feelings for Romulus that I do for Remus!
I feel a tight little knot of anxiety even having the thought. No, of course not!
But... is that just because I met Remus first?
The thought feels disloyal, and I’ve never felt so confused in my entire life.
Would it really be so bad, anyway, considering the situation we’re in? Romulus is right—they share one body. And considering how complex everything is, if I’m going to love one of them...
My stomach tightens as I even think the L word.
I can’t finish the terrifying thought, though, because Layden’s voice comes shouting down the stairs, panicked and urgent.
“Evac! We’ve got to evac! NOW!”
Abaddon immediately leaps to his feet, nearly overturning his chair. His golden eyes snap to the stairs just as Layden jumps down them two at a time, a huge military-style backpack and several other heavy duffel bags slung over his shoulders.
“What? Why?” Abaddon demands, his whole body going into warrior mode—shoulders back, wings flaring slightly.
“They’ve found us. They’re coming en masse. We’ve got to go,” Layden shouts, not even breaking stride as he heads for the door. “Now!”
“Who?” Kharon demands, all six of his hands moving to shield positions—two on Ksenia, two reaching for weapons that aren’t there, two braced for action.
“The government. Russian military,” Layden barely stops his motion to explain, clearly annoyed that he even has to waste these precious seconds. “The wards that kept the castle invisible broke somehow.”
“But they were set a thousand years ago and have never so much as—” Kharon starts, confusion and alarm warring on his face.
“Well, something happened!” Layden shouts, obviously out of patience. His blue eyes are wild. “Because we’re visible and on their radar, and they’re sending all their firepower at us! We have five minutes, if that. So get your asses to the ‘copter!”
My heart is suddenly pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat.
Ksenia just sat down, but she immediately grabs the table’s edge, readying to heft herself to her feet. Her face is set in grim determination. “I’ll get my guns. We will fight.”
But right as she pushes up, she bends forward with a sharp gasp, one hand flying to her belly as she doubles over.
And then a rush of water hits the stone floor with a splash that echoes through the hall.
Her water breaking would have been shocking enough.
Except that a second after the first splat of clear fluid comes a second rush—this time of blinding white-blue runes that pour from between her legs and hit the stone floor like liquid light.
The floor turns into a pearlescent white pool where the runes touch it.
Which Ksenia’s left foot then touches.
