Page 22 of Guardian of Exile

“Evra…”

“You do not want to do anything,” the Amazon said flatly.

“I don’t. I’m sorry. I’m glad we went out tonight. I didn’t expect to be, but I am. But I need baby steps. You should go dance with Morgen, because I can tell that you both really want to, but I’m going to go back to the hotel.”

Evra shook her head. “I do not wish to abandon you.”

Nyx smiled at her, and it was genuine. “I know. But I promise I don’t feel abandoned. I will feel way worse if you don’t go, because then you will be missing out on the New York experience, all because I’m not a social butterfly. I want you to have fun. Pleeeease promise me you will stay and have fun for me.”

Evra wavered. “At least let us see you back to the hotel. You should not go alone.”

Nyx arched her eyebrows. “I won’t be alone. You can’t honestly think Kaden is going to lurk at the bar and watch you and Morgen sexy dance.”

Evra hesitated. “Are you sure it is wise to walk with him?”

“What do you mean?”

“I do not trust him.”

Nyx couldn’t hide her surprise. “Look, I know you don’t exactly like him, and stars know I have my own issues with him, but we’re all fighting on the same team, here.”

“That is not what I meant and you are well aware of it.”

Nyx was confused. “No, I really am not.”

Evra’s exasperation came through in her voice. “I do not trust him with you.”

Oh. Evra was thinking of the Calista Event. “I don’t think the whole stabbing thing is likely to occur again. Kaliaris has been monitoring his sleep and promised to alert Griff or me if Kaden seems like he’s woken up and isn’t really in control of himself. They haven’t said anything. Whatever happened to him in Calista, I think he has it under control now.” Killing Kiev had probably been as cathartic for Kaden as it had been for Nyx.

Evra just stared at her.

“What?” Nyx asked. “Have you noticed something I haven’t?”

The Amazon shook her head. “Not in that regard. As you have said, I am sure it will be fine.”

“It will.” She clapped Evra on the shoulder. “So you’ll go dancing now? You’ll have fun?”

It took a little more convincing, but she delivered Evra back to Morgen, then had to have the same argument with him all over again. Her last drink must have had a delayed effect, because by the end of the argument she had to keep reminding herself to focus on the task at hand.

“Finally,” she groaned, once Evra and Morgen had disappeared inside the club and she was left with Kaden. “I wasn’t sure I’d actually convince them to go.” They started walking back to the hotel.

“Why did you?”

She held her arms out at her sides. “I’m a walking black hole of despair. I’ve been sucking the joy out of the two of them for weeks. It’s a relief to know they’re now having fun outside of the reach of my incredible powers of negativity.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You aren’t that depressing.”

She waved her finger at him. “You aren’t the best judge of that. When was the last time you had actual fun?”

He looked as if he was about to actually tell her, then shifted course and said, “According to Morgen, never.”

For some reason, that made her laugh. “Morgen’s fun level is up here”—she held her hand as high above her head as she could manage—“which means the rest of us are waaay down here.” She bent to tap the ground as they walked, lost her balance, and would have gone ass over teakettle if Kaden hadn’t caught her arm and hauled her back upright.

The entire thing seemed incredibly funny, and she was laughing again as she regained her vertical foothold in the world.

Kaden shook his head as he let her go. “You, Nyx Fortuna, are drunk.”

She shook her head, which made the world do interesting things. “Tipsy. I only had two.”