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“It’s the fucking title of his autobiography,” Caelan mutters under his breath, still glaring at Dax across the room. “I Have All The Answers. Just Ask Me.”

Daxen’s face goes blank. Then he lowers his head and, so quickly I nearly miss it, the side of his lip tips up in a self-deprecating smirk.

I feel like I’m living in an alternate universe. Is he actually playing nice? First the public submission to Idril and now this. Maybe I was wrong earlier, and he isn’t regressing. Maybe he was just being his normal asshole self, and I misread it.

“I want to get to work on these text messages,” Branwen says, standing from her seat. “If it’s cool with Vaelanor, we can hang back and get started on that.”

“Fine with me,” I agree.

“I need tae steal Soren for just an hour or two,” Kane says, catching Soren’s eye. “Just to check in with the lads.”

Soren frowns. “Is everything alright?”

“Oh aye. They just want to see for themselves that you haven’t been drained dry,” he grins. Soren rolls his eyes, glancing down at Idril. “Is that alright with you, Little Mate?”

Idril’s eyes widen in surprise. She glances between Soren and Kane, like she’s not sure Soren meant to ask her opinion. When it becomes clear to her that it wasn’t a mistake, she smiles.

“Of course. I can help Caelan with⁠—”

She’s cut off as Caelan reaches out and wraps an arm around Idril, pulling her into his lap.

Dax stands, throat working as he swallows thickly. His eyes darken on Idril, and the way she’s perched on Caelan’s lap makes his pupils dilate.

Jealousy. That’s jealousy… holy shit.

“Great. You all can let me know what you find,” he mumbles as he packs up his equipment. “I’ll be in the Security room analyzing tapes from Cage’s last few weeks.”

He doesn’t wait for a response. He swings his bag across his shoulder and heads toward the door, not bothering to bid farewell to any of us on his way out.

The door swings shut, slamming behind him, effectively signaling an end to Soren’s little meeting.

I don’t move from my spot on the couch as the rest of the group stands and begins filing out. Thank the gods Branwen mentions she needs to speak to Idril before we get started, because I need a minute alone. To get my shit together at the very least.

I’ve barely nodded my assent when she asks me to hang on for a second before she scurries into the hall, shouting Idril’s name dramatically. When Idril responds with a peal of laughter, I’m eternally fucking grateful that I’m the only one left in the room and I can let free the groan of frustration and need I’ve been swallowing back all afternoon.

I am so totally, completely, fucking fucked.

Chapter 25

Idril

“Iwant to go back to my father’s Estate.”

It’s the morning after we met to discuss what Soren and I found in Cage’s room, and the sun is just peeking over the edge of the forest outside the window.

The sound of my own voice makes me wince. It’s a jarring contrast to the soothing sound of Caelan’s heartbeat where my head rests on his chest, and the even cadence of Soren’s soft breaths where he sleeps on my other side, an arm flung across my middle.

“I wondered when you were going to bring that up,” Caelan murmurs, idly running fingers through my hair. “We can go today, if you’d like.”

I nod in agreement, too afraid I’ll start crying if I speak out loud. Every time I so much as think of my mother, I find myself fighting back tears. And I don’t want him to see me crying.

It’s so stupid to work so hard to hide it when I know for a fact Soren and Caelan both can feel my pain through our Bond. I’m getting better at blocking them, but it takes practice—something we’ve found ourselves short on these last few days. Still, I don’t think they realize how grateful I am that they make such an effort to keep their emotions to themselves. It’s already difficult enough to navigate my own chaotic feelings. I don’t know how I’d handle it if I had to sift through theirs, too.

Of course, there are moments when I love feeling them down the Bond. Like right now, as an overwhelming sense of support flows into me, pulsing down the silver thread connecting Caelan’s soul and mine.

I let it wash over me, luxuriating in the warm perfection of his care. It’s so perfect. So overwhelmingly real.

Days ago we realized that Soren has the strange ability to sleep through anything—including a possible nuclear attack. So it startles me when Soren snaps to attention, shooting awake with a gasp.