Page 12 of Kai
Goodbye really expensive microscope.
“But my laptophasto come.” I settled my hand on the case. “My work. It’s all here.”
“That case will be a pain in the ass to lug around.” He shouldered his ruck and drew his spectacular eyebrows together.“No favorite clothes, no keepsakes, no toothbrush?”
“Ka. Kua. Kia—”
“It’s Kai, as in Ka-e,” he put in.
“Whatever.” I tapped my index finger on the case, not a little enraged. “All that matters to me is in here. I’ve worked hard to collect this data. I can’t leave it behind.”
He must’ve sensed the magnitude of my distress. Or else he heard my teeth grinding. “I’ll see what I can do.” He eyed the case. “I can’t guarantee that your laptop will make it through a maritime extraction.”
“Amaritime extraction?” My heart stopped cold in my chest. “I… um… you mean—?”
“We need to go.” He retrieved a carbine from its hiding spot behind the threshold.
The fearsome weapon in his hands threw me off. Had he had it within reach since he got here?
Of course he did, you twit!
He’d never shown me the carbine before now, not even to scare me when I aimed my gun at him or to intimidate me into doing what he said. Used to being the smart one in the room, stupid felt a lot like a punishing migraine.
Random thought. How much shit would I have gotten from Nix and Dash if they found out I failed to flip off my gun’s safety when threatened?
The naked walk of shame opened before me, complete with a ragged mob ready to pitch rocks, poop, and garbage at me. Too many lapses for me to call myself smart. Too many mistakes.
Stupid Cersi,Father’s mocking voice echoed in my mind.You’re so stupid.
And you’re fucking dead.I suppressed the growl in my throat.So, stop talking to me.
Kai pulled a gun from his ruck and strapped the holsterto his waist. He did the same with the fearsome-looking knife he secured to his calf. It struck me that he’d left all his weapons out of sight, the same weapons he could’ve used to kill me without ever talking to me.
Why?
I could think of only one reason. He didn’t want to scare me.
Okay, all right. For once, the aura thing had come in handy.
“Let’s go.” He started down the spiral staircase.
“Coming.” I snatched the case and hurried after him.
I’d just arrived at the landing when the racket of a door exploding at the foot of the stairs made me jump backwards.
“They’re here!” I whisper-croaked as my blood froze in my veins. “It’s too late!”
Kai’s dark eyes settled on me, a challenge that negated the very nature of fear.
“Cece Astor.” His voice dropped a decibel, low and fierce. “Death comes and goes at will, but it’s never too late to fight like hell foryourlife.”
Chapter Five
Kai
The sound of her name on my lips exuded power,waspower. It rallied the forces within me and contracted into a massive fist in my chest, ready to strike against any foe that aimed to harm Cece. It evoked the determination to win that every Marine carried into battle, but it was stronger, vivid, even more intense. Funny. It felt like sorcery.
“Wewillfight.” I kept my voice low and my stare fixed on her, even as I monitored the clatter of boots rushing through the door at ground level. “Youdon’tgive up. Do you copy, Sorceress?”
