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“This belongs to me!” she snapped, riddled with anger driven by guilt now. “I want it to eat at me, so let it! Maybe I’ll learn something.” Lily crossed her arms, face hard, thankful for the diversion from completely breaking down. “What about Caiven?”

He sighed, wiping his hands on his pants. “You don’t have to kill him.”

“I want to,” Lily hissed through her teeth. The Wraith pulsed impatiently behind her fingertips. “I want every trace of him eradicated from this plane.”

Jarek’s brows rose, and he grinned. “How very wicked of you.”

“Does that mean you’ll help me?”

“If I still had the Guardian, I’d do you the honor of destroying his soul too.”

Lily almost grinned back. “I need you to keep him still long enough for me to get close.”

“Absolutely,” Jarek said.

Lily nodded, gaze drifting toward the center of the room. And then they would be able to find Aarin and both girls. Nothing about that had changed. They were going home.

“I apologize,” Jarek started, his face equally as ashamed as his voice, “if killing those men added to your distress.”

With everything else on her mind, she’d forgotten about it completely—wasn’t even seeing the aura in front of her. She took it in, so thick and dark she could hardly see beyond as it clouded the room.

I should say something. Even if he assumed incorrectly what she was thinking, it was her responsibility, regardless of who killed and why, but she had no idea what to tell him while he wore a look that told her he didn’t regret it, only that she had to see it.

Funny thing was, she didn’t regret it either. That man she shot—he was the first person she’d killed with a weapon of any kind. The third she’d killed in her entire lifetime. Maybe after this was all over, she’d be mournful. Right now, all she knew was that he was ready to kill her or hand her over to Caiven. He was an obstacle in her way, just like the Stalker, and Lily wouldn’t let them slow her down.

So why should she see Jarek any differently here? There was still something uncomfortable she couldn’t pinpoint. Maybe caution or a humble respect, although it was reserved for the Serpent. What she felt for Jarek was extended gratitude he wasn’t the man Valen wanted him to be.

“I am too,” was all she could muster. “But it needed to happen.”

Jarek didn’t return her weak smile—his eyes busy roaming over her so boldly now Lily didn’t think she would ever get used to it. When they headed toward hers, she lifted her chin to try and appear aloof.

A sharp tearing sound pulled her back to find him ripping another piece of his shirt from the bottom of the front panel.

Without saying a word, he took her hand into his and wrapped the cut she gave herself with a tender touch. Lily thought she must’ve been imagining it, but didn’t so much as flinch, captivated that his fingers could be that kind with the lives they were rumored to have claimed, recent and ancient, bloodied or pristine.

Jarek tied off the bandage with a simple knot and lifted her hand at the fingers to inspect it. A faint aura danced along her knuckles from his drying blood on her skin entwining with her own. Content with his work, he searched her eyes again, and this time Lily didn’t look away.

Lily was beginning to understand what Kyer meant when he said he hadn’t seen Draven since waking him from the Coffers. She searched his soul, curious if she could find Draven somewhere within, or if this was all Jarek

His gentle expression slowly fell into a frown. His grip on her hand tightened, and his focus drifted.

“Something’s wrong.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Lily barely had enough time to grab her rifle with Jarek setting such a fast pace. Hand still holding hers, he steered her down the tunnel before abruptly stopping at the opening that led into a wide, brightly lit space. She gracelessly fell next to him, and he gracefully righted her, holding her to the wall with his hand across her stomach.

They stayed still—Jarek watching the opening intently, to the point she couldn’t tell if he was breathing.

Footsteps echoed in the passage. Closer, closer. Jarek parted from her, stepping through the doorway. There was a surprised yelp and a thud against the wall.

Squinting to adjust to the bright lights, she found Jarek hovering close to another man equal in height. He wore armor identical to Lily’s. His skin carried a light tan, his head shaved, and there was an atmosphere about him that made her skin crawl.

Her gaze fell to the red pauldron on his shoulder.

Novak.

“Where are you going?” Jarek snarled.