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“Either way, we’re going to find him and Sax. Give us a couple days and Randa’s stalking problem will be solved.”

Job silently weighed that explanation. “Your House can be very… intense. It’s good that you’re helping Randa, but I don’t want the Light Phases scaring her, even inadvertently. She deserves to feel safe.”

“We don’t scare Randa.” Rye bragged. “She likes us. We like her, too. We’re keeping her.”

Job eyed Kahn, still suspicious. Everyone knew about his hatred of anything and anyone associated with Parald.

“Randa’s joined the Light House.” Kahn announced.

“She said that?”

“I said that.”

Job studied him. “Randa’s great-grandfather was an Earth Phase, so I take some personal interest in her welfare. She could come to my kingdom. I’ve told her this, but I can be more assertive about it. I don’t want her at risk.”

“No one will hurt Randa.” Kahn refused to even acknowledge Job’s offer. “You have my word.” Randa wasn’t going to the Earth House. Not ever. She was staying with the Light Phases. She was staying with Kahn.

Job nodded, accepting that pledge. “Alright. A new kingdom will be good for her. Jerrod, of the Stone House did an abysmal job of protecting his subjects. Randa has had a difficult life, because he was a weak ruler.”

Kahn saw an opening to gather more information on Randa’s past. “Did her parents want her to Bind with Jerrod?”

“I don’t know. I recall them as cold, socially-conscious people, so it wouldn’t surprise me. They would’ve enjoyed having their daughter as a queen.”

Kahn gave an irritated scoff. “Randa wouldn’t have enjoyed it.”

“No. And Jerrod was King of the Stone Kingdom, so he should’ve seen to it that she was safe from her parents’ manipulations. Instead, she ended up in the Air Kingdom and…” Job trailed off with a sad shake of his head. “It’s my fault, too. The Council should have stepped in and deposed Parald before the Fall even began. We’re not making that mistake again. We need to be proactive about eliminating issues before they spread.”

Kahn opened his mouth to ask more questions, but Rye cut him off.

“How did you even find us here, Job?”

“I asked Julius, when he started questioning me about Randa, and I realized you were bothering her.”

“We’re protecting her.” Kahn stressed. “And we’re going to keep on doing it, so everybody had better adjust.”

Job tilted his head, like he was seeing more than Kahn meant for him to see. “Just be very careful with her.” He walked over to the window and peered out at the marina. “Have you two heard anything else about Vandal?” The segue seemed random, except Job was never random.

Kahn and Rye scowled in unison.

Vandal was not their favorite subject.

The Light House only bred heroes and villains. Vandal was their biggest villain. The former general had been the greatest military commander in Elemental history. Then he grew disillusioned. Angry. Jealous of the Council’s power. In the end, Vandal had been Banished from Elemental society, after attacking the Agora and attempting to seize control for himself. That should’ve been the end of his tale.

But now he was back and plotting anew.

Since Vandal was the second oldest Phase alive, he’d been tossed out of the Light Kingdom before Kahn was even born. He’d met the son of a bitch, though. Vandal had kidnapped Kahn’s cousin Mara, trying to get her to translate some ancient writing for him. Chason, Mara’s Match, had chopped off Vandal’s hand. Kahn had blinded Vandal in one eye. It still didn’t stop the bastard from getting away.

Vandal was massive. He was trained in combat. He was not giving up on his dumbass mission. (Whatever it was.) The man was a danger to the world. It was why there were only four people higher than him on the Light Phases’ Must Kill list.

“If we’d heard anything about Vandal, you’d already know it, Job. And he’d already be buried in a shallow grave.” Rye said succinctly.

“Kahn was taken prisoner by him.” Job arched a brow. “Do you remember anything that might be helpful to us?”

“I was mostly unconscious.” Kahn scraped a hand through his hair, annoyed all over again that he’d been caught off guard by Vandal. “Plus, he had me in some kind of energy bubble, so I couldn’t escape. Supposedly, I invent it in the future. I’m guessing he kills me to get it.”

Rye’s jaw ticked. “That traitorous fuck should be dead fifty times over.”

Kahn’s eyes stayed on Job. “Vandal ransacked my home, stealing sketches and ideas I had for other inventions. I’m not sure whether any of it will help him or not.”