Page 117 of Fearless

Kitt rubs a hand down the back of his neck. His gaze is distant, clouded. “It’s meant to be… unexpected. For Paedyn, at least.” Quickly, he adds, “It will take place in the Bowl.”

“I see.” A beat of silence stretches between us before I ask, “Kitt, are you all right?”

That unsettling feeling washes over me again when his power slithers beneath my skin. I hold my brother’s gaze, but he doesn’t seem to be looking at me. It is as though he has retreated into his mind.

“Hmm?” His unfocused gaze falls just over my shoulder. “No. No, not yet,” he mutters distantly. “It’s not time… I need the right time….”

I glance behind, finding nothing but open air. His mumbled words have me taking a worried step forward. “What? Kitt, is everything okay?”

Those green eyes flick back to mine. He blinks. Then plasters a smile onto his features. “Yes, no need to worry. It seems I need some more sleep. Just… just trust me. I have everything under control.”

I nod, despite my concern. “Of course. I trust you with my life.”

He coughs. The grin that follows is genuine. “I’ve never doubted that about you.”

Then his hand is on the door, mind somewhere else entirely.

“You and me, Brother.”

“You and me,” I echo softly.

CHAPTER 42Paedyn

I’m awake long before the knock at my door.

In fact, I’m already dressed and well into overthinking by the time my escort to brutality arrives. I barely slept after slipping from Kai’s room last night, wide-eyed with the worry of what I’ll have to do today to prove myself.

With a deep breath, I swing open the door. Lenny’s eyes drift down the length of me from behind his mask, narrowing slightly at my lack of disarray. “I’m here to escort you to the third Trial?” He says this like a question, as though unsure if he’s the first to inform me of this.

I smile tightly. “I had a hunch.” Slipping my dagger into the sheath at my side, I add casually, “Ready?”

“Not as ready as you,” he mocks. “Did you go to sleep in these clothes?”

“I’m just ready to get this over with,” I bite back.

“Well, it seems you’re already in the brutal mood,” he mutters as we head down the long hallway.

“I’m… sorry. About yesterday.” I glance hesitantly over at him. “You were never meant to be involved.”

“And it’s a damn good thing I was,” he scolds. “You nearly died, P. And I would have never been able to live with myself if you had.”

His words crumble something inside me, maybe the stony indifference I’ve built around my heart as of late. I touch his arm, hoping to say something my lips can’t form.

Lenny’s brown eyes fall to that gesture, smiling grimly at my splayed fingers atop his uniform. “And you might be sorry for me, but you’re certainly not sorry about Blair.”

I swallow and spur my mouth into motion. “No, I’m not. I mean, I’m not happy about what I did, either. But…” I pull away, hugging my arms around a beating chest. “But I don’t regret it.”

“You were… merciless.” When he finally lands on the cruel word, I flinch. “I’ve never seen you like that before.”

“Neither have I. Not like that.” I avoid his gaze. “But I’ve seen glimpses of it ever since fleeing Ilya. I’m… I’m not proud of it.”

He nods distantly, red hair rippling. “Well, now you’re free of her.”

“So are you,” I remind.

“Eh.” He turns a corner, pulling me along with him. “She wasn’t too bad. You only knew the part of her she had to be.”

I glance sidelong at him. “Well, you don’t seem too upset about her… passing.”

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