“It’s only physical,” I mumbled, but even I wasn’t convinced.
Sean shook his head. “I don’t think that’s true, but whatever. Just keep it to yourself, will ye? She’s not over James and?—”
“I know that,” I snarled, while ignoring the pang of frustration.
“Good! It’s good you know because let me tell ye right now, the last thing that amazing woman needs is a battle between baby-daddies.”
I stared my friend dead in the eyes, knowing he was right.
That night, as I lay in bed, the truth of my conversation with Sean began to settle in. Reflecting on everything we discussed about Emma, I realized somethinghadchanged within me.
Somewhere along the way, a new, unfamiliar feeling had started to grow—something I knew, deep down, could never be altered, and would never be reciprocated.
THIRTY-NINE
EMMA
Caden kept his promise.
Whatever dealings he had with Cyclos, I was never dragged into them. As far as I was concerned, the entire Collective—and its new Leader—were as good as dead.
Which allowed the following weeks at Crown to become some of the best of my life.
For the first time since being retrieved from the Human World, I wasn’t only passing through or keeping people at arm’s length. I had become part of something real—woven into a tight-knit group of friends in a way I’d never been before.
Mornings started with breakfast and training, always with Rocco, Emile, and Saoirse by my side. Saoirse, as it turned out, wasn’t just good—she was one of the best fighters at Crown. Sparring with her had gone from challenging to exhilarating in only a few days, each match sharpening my instincts, pushing my limits, leaving us both breathless and grinning.
Saoirse was an outgoing woman, who knew she was beautiful and used it to her advantage, without letting it dictate her entirepersonality. She read more books than me and was unapologetic about the copious amounts of smut she devoured. Needless to say, our friendship went from practically non-existent to unbreakable in a ridiculously small amount of time.
She told me all about finger curling and scissoring, which had me so curious, I’d started to explore some more by myself at night.
Rocco and Emile were a pair of funny, laid-back guys who were obsessed with what they called “football” and food. Aside from Cristiano Ronaldo’s gorgeous little behind, I knew very little about soccer, but it felt oddly comforting talking about such human subjects.
Lunch and early afternoons were usually spent with Sean, who drilled me on all things translation and Jackson (unrelated), after which we picked up our research and tried to piece together as much as we could about Amplifiers, LiaPrisms, Radicals, Trackers and the future of magi.
With Sean, conversation was effortless. There were no masks, no tiptoeing—only honesty, humor, and this quiet, steady sense of security. In no time, he became the brother I’d never had—and always wanted. He never judged. Never made me feel small. And somehow, he always knew exactly when to challenge me—when to push, and when to let me breathe.
And then there was Caden.
Where Sean challenged my mind, Caden challenged…everything. My character, my knowledge, my patience, even my self-control. While Sean felt like safety, Caden kept me on edge.
Like a real predator, he moved with lethal grace, all control and cold intention. You could admire his power up close, even convince yourself you were safe in its presence. But forget what he was for even a second, and he'd leave scars no one else could see.
And yet, for all his danger, there was something undeniably magnetic about him. Covering for all that calculated stillness was the kind of effortless charm—subtle, disarming, and impossible to ignore. No matter how hard you tried to resist it, Caden had a way of pulling you in.
Which is how I ended up in the training yard, not-so-accidentally facing the wrong direction at the exact moment he peeled off his shirt.
And gods help me, I froze.
His back was a map of scars and muscle—raw, tanned, sculpted like a warrior carved out of pure menace. When he turned, I caught a glimpse of his chest and?—
I swallowed hard.
Abs.
Abs.
More abs.
