Page 41 of Scarlet Wars
“What does that mean exactly?” I asked, cocking my head, forcing my voice to cut through the low murmur.
Rachel leaned forward, planting her fingers against the table, her attention solely locked on Caden like she wanted to pin him in place. “It means we need to get this bubble lifted as soon as possible if we don’t want the United Chiefs to wipe out this entire Collective.”
Her gaze didn’t move as she added, “It means we make it our priority not to have every magus in the US die. It’s not only human military personnel anymore who are targeting our people. I’ve got reports of magi being abducted, experimented on by civilians, forced to translate even under the bubble.”
“Can’t you simply ask your sister who the hell imposed it?” Caden cut in, sounding as cold as he appeared to be. “She seemed to know who’s behind the whole damn thing.”
Rachel flinched before snapping back, “She and I are not on speaking terms. IfIasked, you could trust she won’t tell me the truth.”
There was a beat of silence before Jackson shifted in his chair. “What about Cyclos?”
I leaned back, running a hand through my hair, keeping my tone even though tension rode under it. “For now, Cyclos is safe. The Layers protect it from outsiders, and when the Great Exposure hit, I had everyone stock up for a year on food, water, and anything else they could want. They’re uncomfortable not being able to translate, but they’ll survive.”
Rachel folded her arms; her gaze locked onto mine. “Are you in contact with anyone over there?”
I shook my head. “My council got a message to me through the United Chiefs, but I don’t know how. I haven’t been able to reach them.”
Rachel exhaled slowly, keeping her focus on the map now sprawled across the table. “Damn it. Okay, listen, we need to trace the energy signature of the bubble. Find out which idiot decided to help the humans control their own. And end him, quickly.”
I arched a brow. “And how exactly do you plan to do so?”
Caden answered before she could. “We’ll need a LiaPrism,” he said, glancing at me. “A bubble needs to be imbued with new translation every so often. We need to track it when the magusbehind it goes to replenish, locate the asshole, and then kill him if he doesn’t lift it.”
“Solid plan,” I muttered, though doubt pressed at me. “We might also want to investigate what the hell happened to Emma and why the humans decided to brand her a terrorist before she blew up her house.”
At her name, Rachel’s focus flicked to Caden. “Right, about that,” she said carefully. “It’s time to involve her. We need her to join this team. She survived a bubble, something no one should survive. As I understand it, she’s survived nuclear weapons too. We’ve been patient, but it’s been three weeks since she got here. We need her to brief us; we need her to stand with us. And we need her expertise on humans if we want to have a chance at fixing all of this without a war.”
“You’re not involving her.” My tone left no room for debate. “She’s not ready. She needs more time.”
Rachel’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Thereisno fucking time. Magi around the world, not just the US, are calling for retribution against humans for the damn bubble, and war between species is becoming inevitable if we wait much longer.”
“I don’t give a shit.” My chair scraped back as I half-rose, the legs groaning against the floor. “Have you seen her these past few days?” The words were true enough to make Rachel flinch back slightly in her seat. “Both her parents were killed and she’s acting as if…” I shook my head, dragging a hand over my face. “She’s acting like it’s nothing. She criedonce. Once since she got here. You think that’s normal?”
Rachel parted her lips to answer, but Caden cut across her. “James.”
He leaned forward, elbows planted on his knees, his stare locked on me. “You know how she is. When feelings threaten to overwhelm her, she shuts down. It’s how she copes. You don’t get to judge her for it.”
“Judge her?” I snarled, my fist slamming against the table so hard the sound echoed through the room. “I’m notjudgingher; I’m worried about her!” My chest heaved. “Don’t know if you noticed the bags under her eyes, but she clearly isn’t sleeping. And her constant training with Sean? It’s ridiculous. She’s acting like her life depends on dodging his right hook!”
I shoved off the table, pacing a step along the wall before spinning back. “Dragging her into even more of this mess won’t help.”
“It’s not about shielding her.” Caden rose to his feet, slowly, his stare now level with mine. “It’s about reality. Even about agency. You think keeping her out of this protects her? That’s not how this shit works. She has a right to decide for herself.”
“She’s not a weapon for you to wield,” I snapped, fists curling so tight against the edge of the table my knuckles ached white.
“No.” Caden shook his head. “But sheisan Offensive. And we both know she won’t sit this one out.”
The silence afterward was thick, almost suffocating, broken only by the hum of the overhead lights.
My chest clenched painfully. “And if she gets hurt?”
“She’s already hurting.” His reply was cold, merciless, and unyielding. “At least this way, she controls some of it. And that…” He drew in a slow breath, as though testing the word on his tongue. “Control might be the closest thing to healing we can offer her.”
Rachel sighed; she was done entertaining us. “I’m sympathetic, truly. But she’ll grieve a lot longer than we can afford to wait. So, it’s simple: either she helps us, or this Collective can’t accommodate her and that fugitive status of hers much longer.”
My breath stilled, rage curling hot in my chest.
Wrong fucking thing to say.
