Page 83 of Thirst
“What?” I asked.
“No.” The corner of his mouth tilted in a crooked little smile. "I want you to figure it out for yourself."
And he left, leaving me staring, brow furrowed, at the closed door.
It wasn’t until I stepped under the hot spray of the shower that it hit me. The meeting with “Baker” had been a test, and from my father’s point of view, I’d failed it.
I’d chosen a side. Cain’s.
I’d never had any intention of hurting him. In fact, I would’ve done anything to keep my father’s hands off him, including lying to my own flesh and blood.
Somewhere along the way, something in me had shifted. Something I couldn’t turn off even if I wanted to.
And the Dark Gods help me, I didn’t want to.
21
Cain
The door of the garden suite clicked shut behind me, and the calm I’d been clinging to shattered. I cursed and drove my fist into the tunnel wall. Pain flared, but I barely registered it.
If Nyx hadn’t been playing me, then I’d fucked up.
I glared at the spidery cracks like the stone could somehow rewrite the past three nights.
I told myself she’d known what Baker had wanted and had come anyway, that we’d had no choice but to put her in a cell. But now that reasoning felt paper-thin.
I would’ve still brought her back to the island for her protection and mine. But we didn’t have to throw her in a cell. I could’ve fought Brien on that. I could’ve stood up for her.
Because Nyx—she’d chosen me. She’d done the best she could to save me from Nazaire’s machinations.
And me? I’d repaid her by imprisoning her.
I was still staring at the cracks when my phone buzzed. I shook out my throbbing hand and fished the device from my pocket. It was Brien, telling me to get to the war room ASAP.
No explanation, but I could guess—someone had reported that I’d moved Nyx from the cell. I grimaced and headed off.
Talon caught me at the next intersection. “What’s this about you and Nazaire’s spawn?”
My jaw locked. “I moved her to the garden suite, okay?”
He lifted his hands. “Hey, it was a question, not a judgment.”
“Sorry,” I muttered, heat crawling up my neck. “But I can’t take a crap in this place without someone running to Brien. And her name’s Nyx,” I added because she was more than just ‘Nazaire’s spawn.’
“Got it,” he said. “So… is Nyx still sick?”
“No, she’s better. That’s not why I moved her.”
“Then what’s up? You need me to back you, I will, but you gotta give me something to work with.”
“It’s something Rio said. If we want Nyx on our side, we can’t keep treating her like the enemy. Keeping her locked in a cell is only going to make her hate us.”
Talon gave me a sidelong look. “And maybe you were looking for a reason to let her out.”
“So what if I was? She shared intel with us, Tal. That was risky, and she didn’t ask for anything in return.”
“Agreed. But she also blew up our boat. And she showed for that meeting with Baker.”
