Page 141 of Legacy

Kai scrubbed his hand over his face, then set about finagling my equipment into a tidier arrangement.

“It’s been days, Kai, and we still haven’t talked about it.”

“Talked about what?” he asked, distractedly, concentrating on the equipment.

“What happened when you went after Cassius… my reaction to it.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need.”

He went to walk away, to leave me to get to work, and for him to head back to his books all over the place. But I stepped into his personal space. “Kai, I’ve seen you evolving, seen how you’re opening up, becoming more accommodating, showing more care, and settling into a team dynamic with all of us. But with what’s been happening, you seeing all these huge power players impacting things… one of your major fears… I thought you might have been heading for a backslide. That’s what I figured your attack on Cassius was going to be rooted in. But it wasn’t. You’re staying strong to that evolving track. And I’m so sorry, Kai. I didn’t trust in it. I didn’t trust inyou.”

He laid his hand on my shoulder and told me benevolently, “You just recently endured a traumatic experience with the Guardian Compound attack. Emotions have been incredibly high and overwhelming lately as well. Forget it.”

As he went to turn away, I snatched his hand. “You know it’s not just something I can forget. And I don’t believe for a moment that it didn’t impact you. I didn’t trust you, Kai.You.”

He stared at me for a moment, before he had me confused as fuck when he smiled. Giving my hand a squeeze, he told me, “It wasn’t that you didn’t trust me. You were afraid that I’d regress. And you like how I’veevolved, as you put it. And you also know that it’s the only version of me that can coexist withinour foursome, that how I was before would cause fractures in our bond. You can’t stand the thought of it, because what the four of us have now means everything to you. It’s the family you’ve always yearned for. Your reaction of not supporting my plan was a response to it hitting you—just how much it means to you, and how much you can’t bear the notion of losing it.”

“No, that’s not—I’mthe one who perceives these things, this sort of…”

“Not always when it comes to your own emotional state and processing. And me realizing this isn’t because I can interpret emotions like you can. It’s because I knowyou.”

That was…wow.

“Then…”

“Then, we’re fine, Nyx. Seriously. Better than fine. All right?”

“Ifweare, then what aboutyou?”

“What about me?”

I gestured at the mess of his stuff all over. “That.”

“I’m in research mode.”

Yeah, that was what he called hisobsessive states.

Talk about downplaying it.

“Kai, you need help. As learned as you are, there are facets of this that will always be beyond you, because you aren’t one of them. There’s knowledge that you can’t access without filling in that gap. And to do that, you need Cornelius. Vorzyr said he already offered to teach you, that he didn’t react negatively to discovering that Vorzyr possesses Celestial power… he’s the perfect person to go to about this.”

“If I do that, it directly risks V. I can’t go empty-handed. He’s given us time to allow V to process what he saw via the Stone of Recollection, but that’s coming to an end soon. It definitely will if I go to him with this, and he’ll want us to pay up, basically. We went there for him to give V answers in exchange for us revealing that the Primal Celestial Resonance from V was the key toenabling me to convert the Aetherbound Scepter into a failsafe. He’ll want me to come with his blood and magic so we can work that now.”

“That’s fine,” Vorzyr spoke, now coming over, the vial Kai had given him filled all the way to the brim.

“V—”

“It’s time, Kai. We went to Cornelius for two purposes. One hasn’t been fulfilled yet, and with everything that’s happened, it really fucking needs to be.” He handed Kai the vial. “So, take this to him and work with him on the failsafe.” He grinned. “And, also, do your usual thing of absorbing whatever else you can like a sponge.”

“Exactly,” I said. “Combine your research and investigations. It’s time to pool our resources. We know Ariana’s got the Cassius angle, but bringing another Celestial into it is really fucking needed right now.”

Kai finally gave a nod. “I’ll go to Cornelius.” He eyed Vorzyr. “I’ll take the vials of blood that you gave me as well.”

“Fine by me. Do what you need to,” Vorzyr told him. “Meanwhile Nyx and I will be here—him working on the Celestial ward, and me practicing my Primal Celestial Resonance and—”

His words were cut off as he suddenly clutched at his dragon’s head pendant resting over his white tee.

It was glowing with a red magical flame.

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