“No,” I said without preamble, ignoring his protestations. “What do we have? I know Milani is in the southern realm. Let’s start there,” I said.
Kaden shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is because I am making it that simple,” I said. “If we all go, we can—”
Kaden released a sigh and ran his hand down his face. “Sheownsthe Southern realms, Dianna, and you’re nothing but dust with the firepower she has.”
“So?” I asked, tossing my hands up and walking to the desk they were all hovering over. I grabbed a fistful of papers and waved them in his direction. “What do you want me to do, stare at fucking papers all day? Nismera’s armada has my mate, which means it’s one step closer to Nismera herself, and if she gets a hold of him—”
“We know,” Isaiah said, clicking his tongue. “You’ve been asleep for a day. If Milani was going to take him to Nismera to be killed, I’m sure it would have happened already.”
My eyes widened. Cameron cursed, and Kaden rolled his eyes as if they agreed not to fill me in on that part. I knew why he wouldn’t. Because I would become erratic, and he was not wrong. A day? Fuck. I needed to get out of here. Search every camp or place I could find. Track down more ships …
Kaden grabbed my wrist, snatching the papers out of my hand. “First, these are maps. Second, what did you think you were going to do? Was your plan to take on an entire legion? Oh, wait, you didn’t have a plan, and here you are again, wanting to go off half-cocked and get us all killed. They’ve got him. You cannot outfly her. You cannot withstand her weapons. You will die, Dianna, and then none of this will mean anything,” Kaden seethed.
Memories assaulted me from the way he spoke to me and held my wrist, the pain of our past roaring back like an inferno. I snapped and ripped my arm from his grip, the sound of my palm connecting with his face coating the air.
“Don’teverput your hands on me again.” I ground the words through my teeth, pushing him out of my space. There had been a time when I’d been so fearful of defying him. I knew if I snapped back, he’d dangle Gabriella in front of me like a damn treat before a hungry beast, bringing me to heel. And fuck if it hadn’t worked perfectly for him for years. But she was gone now, and so was that damaged, scared girl who thought blood and claws could hide her broken heart.
The room went deathly quiet. Isaiah hadn’t moved a muscle, but I felt his eyes bore into me. I knew if I attacked Kaden, he’d be tempted to rip my head off, bond or not.
“I’m sorry,” Kaden said, licking the blood from the corner of his lip. Perhaps I’d hit him harder than I’d thought. “The weapons she has on that ship could not only rip you apart, but us, too. In case you forgot, we are all fucking connected.”
My head tipped. “So?”
“So?” He scoffed. “Do you not understand anything I said?”
“I do,” I said. “I know you don’t get it, but when you truly love someone, you’ll risk anything.”
Kaden’s jaw tightened in frustration. “You are not thinking clearly.”
“But I am. I followed warships with no regard for myself because I knew what they were taking meant more to me than myself, and no, I didn’t care what they held or what happened to me, let alone you two.” I cut my eyes to Isaiah. To my surprise, it almost seemed like he could relate, but Kaden just scoffed at me. I whipped my head toward him. “I don’t know why I am explaining it toyou. The only thing you’ve ever cared about is yourself and what others can do for you,” I said, disgust coating my words.
I spun away from them, but I caught the look that crossed Kaden’s face at my words. I didn’t wait to see if they followed me, nor did I care. We were connected. I knew that, but Samkiel was kidnapped, and my body was suddenly acting as if it had lost all moorings. My knuckles rubbed at the center of my chest. As hard as I tried to fight it, the hollow ache was soaking into my very cells as if something was missing, and every cell was rebelling.
“What’s wrong now?” Isaiah asked, and I shook my head, not having realized they were both watching me so intently.
“Nothing,” I said, dropping my hand and starting to pace. I could feel Kaden watching me, but I didn’t owe him anything, much less a peek into my pain.
“All right,” Isaiah said, not meeting my eyes. “Well, we have another problem to consider. We think they may also have the medallion.”
Cameron snorted, folding his arms as he leaned back against the edge of the desk. “You guys suck at recon.”
Isaiah made a rude gesture in his direction, which Cameron returned. I swore that if they weren’t mortal enemies and Isaiah a complete and utter psychopath, they would probably be best friends.
“Why would you think that?” I asked Isaiah, stopping and placing my hands on my hips.
“They left so quickly, and we did not see any signs of Camilla or Vincent,” Kaden said. “My guess is they killed them and took the medallion, or they have them on board as prisoners. Either way, I assume it’s in their grasp.”
“I don’t care where either of them is at this point. That’s not my concern. Whatever that medallion is, it is extremely important. So, if the fleet has it, great. We can get both. Samkiel is by himself with that psycho bitch, and I won’t let him stay to endure gods knows what before she sends him to Nismera,” I said, blowing out a breath. “If she hasn’t already.”
Isaiah opened his mouth to say something, but Kaden cut him a hard look, and he snapped his teeth closed with an audible click.
My eyes narrowed. “What was that?”
“What?” Isaiah asked before clearing his throat, still refusing to look at me.
“You know something.” I snorted. “Of course you do. You two were a part of the inner circle of her evil regime. So, tell me.”
