Please let him save Jasper, Nova, and Sienna.
“What names did you hear?” the man asks.
Kane glares at me as I take the phone from him and walk to the other side to stand on the table so he can’t reach me. He wraps his arm around my thighs to pull me away from the edge while I try to determine if I can trust a stranger. Ruby trusts him enough to allow her children to talk to him unsupervised, and she wouldn’t trust just anyone. But I struggle through the conversation as he gives me barely enough details that match Nova’s description.
My throat constricts at the memory of her hate, how she crumbled on the floor of the glass box after the auction ended. “I met her,” I whisper through my closing throat. “Nova. She went in the Grey category for three years.”
The other side of the phone is silent, like death. I don’t have anything to say other than, “I’m sorry.”
“Why was she in the auction?” he asks with unbridled rage.
“She stopped being taken to the Rooms. I don’t know how it all works or how they decide, but she wasn’t expecting it either.”
The line goes dead, and I slip down Kane’s body to sit cross legged on the table. He cups my cheek, gently gliding his thumb under my eyes to swipe my tears away as he kisses my crown. “Was she your friend?”
“They took them all away from each other,” I cry, leaning my forehead on his chest. “Jasper is the only one who can make Sienna feel better when she’s scared.”
He stills at the names. “You met Jasper?”
“He looked after me.” I look up at the blurry image of his pale green eyes through my tears. “He’s only young but he looked after everyone. But now they’re not together anymore.”
The craving for an escape grows the longer I think about them. How they hated me for betraying them. The way the older two shut down while Sienna cried softly, unable to stop the tears. And how they continued to promise they’d be back together again.
“Did—” He takes a deep breath before restarting. “Did you meet Xanthe?”
“Nova said Xanthe left before she was moved into the dorm, so no one knows where she is. Do you know them? From wherever you were?”
Kane’s shoulders sag as he closes his eyes, resting his forehead on mine. His lips barely move as he whispers, “They’ve all lost each other.” He hugs me like he needs something to keep him upright. “No. I didn’t know them personally. Th-they?—”
His tears drip onto my cheeks as I hold him.
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whisper, stroking his back. “You don’t have to say anything.”
83
KANE
Watching Delilah feed her nephew doesn’t stir any feelings other than fear. The old me wanted the typical family the world convinces people will make them feel fulfilled, but I don’t want a child in a world where I’ll constantly be in fear of them being taken away. Or worse, twins. It all ends with me, the last person with tainted DNA because the only way to stop history repeating itself is by making sure it remains history.
I just want my wife. A life with her far away from anyone else where we can’t be found while Sasha’s crazy ass complains about being hungry.
I’ve already been shouted at by Seraphim, when I picked up the plate Ruby set on the table which was apparently her dad’s special plate. I don’t know what else I could’ve done wrong. But I’m questioning myself as she stares at me, looking at each of my arms individually as she twirls her fork through the noodles. “Where’s your arm?”
“Eat in the other room,” Ruby says like I haven’t anticipated the question coming. Her daughter always stares.
“It’s fine. I lost it.”
“Oh, my dad can get you a new one. Can’t you?” She looks at Daigon as she pushes her fork into her mouth.
“I’m sure he can do it himself,” he says from his own seat since he’s allowed Ruby to sit somewhere other than his thigh.
“Well, he can. Or did you leave them at home?” She looks back at me when Daigon doesn’t answer. “You might have to wait until we go home but my dad can get anything and he?—”
“Other room,” Ruby repeats more forcefully.
“What? I was being nice like you said, because he kept putting his fork down so he could drink.” She rolls her eyes, drawling, “I’msorrrrrryyyy,” then picks up her plate, biting the rim of her glass to carry her meal into the living room.
“Sorry.” Ruby looks at her husband and he shakes his head once. “She doesn’t really understand it’s something people might not want to discuss.”
