Page 262 of Scarlet Wars
But when he faced me again, something in him had shifted. Not all the way, not some miraculous transformation, but enough. For the first time since stepping onto the plane, he looked like someone who had found a thread of clarity to hold onto instead of drowning in the madness he’d walked in with.
He gave a me a curt nod. “Thank you,” he said, the words low but steady, like he meant them.
I leaned back into my seat, settling into the white leather with a practiced nonchalance. “That wasn’t for your benefit,” I said, because admitting I gave a shit about him would’ve completely ruined the moment, and because it was the truth.
To my absolute shock, hesmiled. It wasn’t much—quick, honest in a way he rarely let himself be—but it was real. Before Icould comment on it, he reached over and clasped my shoulder, his hand firm and grounding, an unspoken acknowledgment that said more than either of us would ever bother putting into words.
Then he leaned back again, and the silence that settled between us wasn’t heavy or strained. It was…strangely comfortable.
We would never be friends. There was too much history between us, too many fractures that would never quite mend, and the simple, undeniable fact he’d taken the first girl I ever loved from me.
But despite all of it, despite every reason we had to stand on opposite sides, we were allies now.
And for the first time, I realized I’d finally let go of the only reason we shouldn’t be.
Exactly two hoursafter leaving the airport, we touched down in Nevada, ready to start the trek toward the outer Layers of Cyclos.
The second I powered on my human phone, the screen exploded with notifications: texts, missed calls, the whole frantic parade. I didn’t have anyone saved in my contacts, but I had a pretty damn good idea who it was.
I tossed the phone at Colt. “Someone wants to talk to you.”
He caught it, stared at the screen like it was a bomb about to go off, and then—because apparently today was full of bad decisions—he hesitated.
I let out a low, warning growl. “You better use your brain here, Colt. I know you’ve got one. Emma swears you do.”
He shot me a look that could’ve curdled milk. “Relax. I’m just figuring out how to fix the biggest mistake of my life, asshole.”
“Oh good,” I said dryly. “He speaks. He insults. That’s more like it.”
Caden rolled his shoulders back, the last traces of uncertainty shifting into that annoyingly solid, unshakable confidence he wore like an accessory. Then, without acknowledging a single word I’d said, he hit the call button.
“Hey.”
Grand opening.
“No, we just landed. We’re making our way to the First Layer right now.”
A lot slower than I would’ve liked, but the man wasn’t lying.
“No, I…”
I couldn’t make out what she was saying on the other end, but based on the rapid-fire bursts of noise, Emma was saying a lot. No shock there.
“Yes, I understand, but?—”
I snorted under my breath.Good luck getting a word in with her when she’s worked up.The woman could outtalk a courtroom full of lawyers strung out on cocaine.
“Emma, listen to me. You’ve got it all wrong.”
I winced.
Outstanding strategy. Women absolutely love hearing how wrong they are.
This was going to go swimmingly.
“Because it would be a fucking honor to fight by your side!” Caden finally snapped, voice cracking open with something raw and loud enough that I blinked.
Huh.
