As soon as Kai heard Cassie scream, he shoved Jace and Blake out of the way to get to her. Memories of the night the Primordia Moon appeared, and the pain she'd experienced, flashed through his mind like lightning, sharp and blinding. It wasn't until he saw the inflamed claw marks on her back that he registered the sting of the ones on his own.
"Come on, Cassie. Let's get this cleaned up."
"We'll be waiting in the living room," Blake said stiffly, then pulled the door shut behind him, leaving Kai alone with her.
Her legs were shaky as he helped her to the bed. He laid her flat on her stomach and went to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit.
Blake had confirmed what Jarek told them yesterday, but knowing it and feeling it were two different things. Was this what it meant now? That every time one of them got hurt, the other would feel it? The idea had sounded poetic when Jarek said it. Now it felt dangerous. A liability.
He could live with pain. He could handle blood and broken bones. But Cassie getting hurt because he did? Her paying the price if he was attacked?
He didn't know how to deal with that.
He washed his hands and came back to her side. She hadn't moved, but her fingers were curled tight in the sheets. He sat next to her, gently lifting her shirt.
"This might sting."
Cassie didn't respond, but her shoulders tensed and her eyes squeezed shut. He worked carefully, cleaning the wounds. They weren't as red as before, thanks to her vampire blood. But, the marks still looked red and angry.
Growing up, Jarek had told him about the Sacred Laws, how they forbade vampires and werewolves from mating, and what became of the children if such unions defied the rules. Kai understood now, at least in part, why Cassie had been hidden in the human world and why she was in danger.
What he still couldn't piece together was how exactly she was supposed to save her aunt. And why, after all these years, they suddenly needed her to return. It's not like the punishment for the law had changed.
Kai sighed and pushed those thoughts aside and focused on finishing up with Cassie. He was relieved that she didn't pull away, that she still let him care for her like he used to. But he knew this moment wouldn't last. Not once she was steady enough to ask the obvious question:
What were he, Blake, and Jace doing in her apartment?
Once done, he set the used cotton and first aid kit on Cassie's nightstand, then gently lowered her top.
He helped her into a sitting position.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"It shouldn't have happened in the first place. I'm sorry."
And it shouldn't have.
Cassie looked up at him, eyes narrowing. "Why are all of you here, and why were you fighting?"
"Because I caught Blake and Jace trying to sneak into your apartment. They were going to kidnap you."
Her expression shifted from soft to blazing in an instant.
"They what?" she snapped, scrambling out of bed with a wince.
Kai stood as well. "Cassie, I know you're angry, but at least rest. You're hurt."
"No. I'm dealing with this. Now."
Shit.
Maybe he should've waited to tell her. But lying, or dodging it, would've made things worse. Cassie had never been the confrontational type, but yesterday had pushed her past the edge. He could see it in her posture, in the emotions that rolled off of her.
She'd reached her breaking point.
Cassie stormed into the living room, Kai right behind her. Blake and Jace had tidied up…mostly. But the shattered coffee table, the broken lamp, and the crack running down one wall made it clear a fight had gone down.
She stopped a few feet from Blake, who sat calmly in the armchair. Jace was sprawled in the other.
"Kidnap me? Seriously? You thought I'd just wake up and be fine with that?"
Blake didn't flinch. He looked up at her, expression blank.
"This wasn't something we wanted to do. It's something that must be done. There's a prophecy tied to you, Cassie. If you don't return with us, all seven realms will burn."
Cassie blinked. "A…prophecy?" she asked, her voice faltering as she glanced at Kai.
Kai stepped forward and gently turned her toward him. He lifted her chin until her uncertain eyes met his.
He inhaled deeply. "Let's hear them out. Then you can decide if you want to leave or not."
She bit her lower lip, hesitation flickering across her face. Then she turned back to Blake, slowly.
When she looked at Kai again, her gaze he knew she was seeking assurance that this was the right decision.
Jarek had taught him to respect prophecy and listen when the Ancients spoke. If one was involved now, they couldn't ignore it.
Without a word, he reached for her hand, and she took it, gripping so tightly her knuckles went white. He guided her to the sofa, sitting beside her without letting go.
She stared at Blake. "Earlier, you said you needed to speak with me. I'm listening."
First, Blake explained to Cassie who the Seven Realms were: werewolves, vampires, fae, shades, witches and wizards, humans, and finally, the Ancients. While the human realm operated under its own governing laws, the other six were bound by the Sacred Laws of the Ancients.
He went on to tell her who her parents were, and how they'd broken that law. How her mother, Liora, was killed. How her father, Ryder, was accused and exiled, giving his birthright to Blake.
Jace and Blake admitted they'd only learned about her a few days ago.
Then came the rest: the attack on her Aunt Sarah, Blake's girlfriend. The figure in the clearing. Who Nyara was, what she'd said. The prophecy Ryder knew about but Blake had recently uncovered. The attack on Mira, Jace's twin sister. The impending war between the werewolves and vampires if Sarah wasn't returned soon. And how Ryder was prepared to come get her, but couldn't leave the cave, trapped by a forcefield.
Kai listened to every word Blake said. He understood why they did what they did though he didn't agree with it.
But his attention kept drifting to Cassie beside him.
When Blake mentioned the prophecy, how she would be the one to save the realms or let them burn, Kai felt her panic spike. Then came the part about needing her blood to save Sarah and Mira. A surge of emotion hit him like a wave, her overwhelm bleeding through their connection.
And as the story continued, he felt her slowly pull away, piece by piece.
By the time Blake finished speaking, he felt…nothing.
She had shut him out completely.
Cassie slid her hand from his and leaned forward, elbows on her knees, fingers clasped tightly together.
Her voice was flat. "Jace. Blake. I understand your plight, and I empathize. But this fight is yours, not mine. Ryder chose to abandon me. He was exiled, which means he didn't have to follow the pack's laws anymore. He could've moved away for…me. Instead, he handed me over to strangers and chose a cave."
Her hands trembled as she stood. So did the others.
"I was placed in an orphanage," she said, voice rising. "I was bullied for as long as I could remember. I felt like I never belonged anywhere. But now I know why. So, thank you for piecing that together."
"But tell me something. That same magic that protected me for twenty-one years, couldn't it have protected him too? Or better yet, let's assume he couldn't have left. What he could've done was…send an email, a raven, a freaking dancing telegram!" Cassie put up her fingers for each one.
The lights flickered.
"But he stayed quiet. And his silence? That silence led to my suffering. Because of him, the only friend I've ever had, the only people who even treated me like family…I was just a job to them."
"Cassie…" Kai's chest tightened.
She raised a hand to cut him off. "Everything I've ever known was a lie. My world shattered in twenty-four hours. And now that you need me, suddenly I'm family? Now you want me to come home?"
Her voice climbed. Lights flickered again.
"Where were any of you when I needed someone? When I needed family? Someone to stand up to my bullies? To wipe my damn tears?"
Her eyes blazed purple. Her hair lifted, crackling with static. The energy in the air vibrated like a storm just before lightning strikes.
"So, Uncle Blake…your prophecy gave me a choice. I can save the realms…or watch them burn."
The lights flickered and exploded.
Her purple eyes blazed. "I choose to watch them burn."
Cassie turned on her heel and stormed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.