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Daven had a point.

Logically, Kahn should have questioned Saxon before he killed him.

He couldn’t bring himself to regret what he’d done, though. Sax put his hands on Randa. Scared her. Threatened her. Added to what Kahn had seen in the memory sharing, it meant that Saxon’s death couldn’t come fast enough. Waiting would have given him another chance to terrorize Kahn’s Match.

He’d needed to show Randa he’d always keep her safe. That no secrets Saxon held meant more than avenging her. He couldn’t punish Parald, because the bastard was dead. But he could make sure Saxon paid the price for both of them.

So, Kahn was at peace with his actions. Satisfied. He’d finished what he’d set out to do and now his revenge was complete. After two long years, he’d finally purged the Air House monsters.

His phone binged.

It was just after midnight. Daven and Mannus were digging graves (probably at Sullivan’s house), Julius was on patrol duty, and Rye was off Phazing with Tallulah Jayne.

He lifted the phone and smiled when he saw “My Sweetheart” pop up. That’s how he’d saved Randa into his phone, because it was true. She was his whole heart. His Match. His everything.

You’re thinking too loud. It’s keeping me awake. She’d texted.

Kahn chuckled and craned his neck up to look at her.

Randa was lying on her bed, while he was on the floor beside it. He hadn’t been stupid enough to ask for a spot on the mattress. But he also wasn’t stupid enough to leave her alone, just when he was finally making some headway. Randa hadn’t objected when he’d stretched out on her tasteful, neutral carpet. She’d just handed him a blanket, like she’d never expected him to sleep anywhere else.

Kahn felt pretty smug about that.

His Match trusted him. And he trusted her, too. The Light House custom of Matches having different rooms was over. He couldn’t tolerate being away from Randa. He imagined it would be the same for the other Light Phases, when they found their mates. The Fall had changed them all. Left them traumatized. More separation was the last thing they wanted. Kahn was perfectly content to share a bedroom with Randa forever.

Even camping out on her floor suited him fine. He’d slept in far more uncomfortable places, even with the too-soft pillow. He liked the deep green of her bedroom walls. It reminded him of the Light Kingdom’s jungle. He felt calm surrounded by the familiar color, and the gentle sound of the rain hitting the windows, and the herbal scent of his Match’s nighttime skin lotions.

Sadly, he couldn’t actually see Randa, even with the three nightlights she had blazing. She was hidden under the covers, as if the cream-colored fabrics were impenetrable walls. Instead of feeling safe though, she must’ve been feeling lonely. She was reaching out to him.

He promptly answered. I’m not used to having a pillow. It’s very soft. Annoyingly soft, actually. Light Phases were much more accustomed to the unforgiving ground.

I could get you a brick from the yard, if you’d like.

He sent her an eye-roll emoji, then a laughing emoji, and then a skull. He wasn’t sure how to convey “pretending to be offended, when I’m actually smiling,” so he was kind of winging which little pictures would work.

The combination must have been a good one, because it sent her into a fit of giggling.

Kahn loved that sound. He loved making her laugh. He really wished he could see her. Luckily, the light of the phone illuminated her tent of blankets and showed her silhouette, and his imagination took it from there. He could vividly recall exactly what she was wearing. No other woman in the universe could look so alluring in a plain cotton nightgown.

Keep talking to me, sweetheart. It’ll help me relax with this marshmallow under my head. Tell me why you’re awake.

Randa hesitated and began composing a reply. Dots appeared and then vanished again, as she reconsidered. Finally her message arrived.

Are you going to stay in Mayport, even though Sax is gone?

I’ll stay for as long as you let me. Probably even longer.

She snorted. Ass.

You know you’re stuck with me.

A pause. I should have done more to protect Isaacs from Sax tonight.

There were 3 trained killers there and still you went after Sax with a little garden sign. Mannus had provided Kahn with a terror-inducing recap. With the brothers lurking in the shadows, Randa hadn’t been in mortal danger, but it still made Kahn break out in a cold sweat to consider it. You did plenty.