Kayden leans back, glancing out the window. "Yeah, well, she drained half the damn garden while you were talking philosophy," he mutters to Darius. "Doesn't seem like she's going to be thirsty anytime soon."
"We wait," I say. "Patience is the only way this works."
"We don't have time," Darius cuts in.
My gaze sharpens. "Explain."
"They'll come for her," he says. "Other satyrs. Even with the secrecy, word will spread. They'll come to finish what they think is their duty."
Kayden gives a humorless laugh. "Then we kill them. You've got the power for that, don't you?"
Darius's tone goes flat. "Yes. But I'd prefer not to go down that path."
"Then let's make sure you don't have to." I glance between them. Keeping the truce between these two is a full-time job. "We fortify. Keep the perimeter tight."
"I'll handle that," Astrid says, rising from the armchair where she'd been pretending to read one of Winston's books. "Need to stretch my legs anyway."
I nod, then look at Jace. He exhales, long and heavy.
"I've got to get back to the bar," he says. "But I'll have the pack keep watch. Eyes only. They won't engage. I'm not losing anyone else. Not even for Sage."
I catch the shift in Kayden's posture, the start of a retort, and step in before it lands.
"Thank you, Jace. Surveillance is more than enough. You've done plenty already."
He holds my gaze for a beat longer than necessary, like there's something unsaid there. Then he nods and leaves with Astrid.
Jace looks older. Loss does that—it burns years into you.
"I can watch the perimeter too," Tomas says from his corner.
I shake my head. "Not yet. I want you here. Both of you." I glance at Donna. "You've lived through what it's like to fight yourself. Sage will need that."
Tomas nods once and settles back into his chair, no argument.
"Of course," Donna says softly. "Whatever you need. It's… difficult, that kind of war. I don't know if it's better or worse thatyou're the one close to her. When I turned, I didn't know you. I couldn't hurt you the way she can."
Kayden exhales a dark laugh. "Oh, she can rip us to shreds. But hey, what wife can't?"
Donna shoots him a look. "Seriously?"
His smirk flickers, empty of humor. "What? Didn't realize we had a joke police. Go ahead, cuff me." He lifts his hands halfway, mock surrender.
Donna rolls her eyes.
"I'll go now," I say, cutting through the tension. The words drop. Silence follows.
"Good luck, brother," Kayden says quietly.
Donna squeezes my arm, a brief empathetic gesture. Darius meets my eyes and nods once.
Then I turn and head for the basement. The air grows colder with every step down.
"So, husband number one finally shows up?" Sage asks, voice lilting with mock sweetness. "Or are you number two? I met Kayden first, so I suppose he gets the top billing."
I sit cross-legged across from her. The floor is cold. The air smells like iron and stone.
"This isn't going to work, Sage," I say evenly. "I'm not jealous of my brother. We both married you."
