I choke on a laugh. “Gentleman lover? Really?”

“What? I didn’t think it’d be polite to call him my show pony.”

We smile at each other, snicker really, and I make my way up the stairs. In my bedroom, I brush my teeth and hair and stuff the clothes and toiletries Archer gave me into a bag. I grab the stash of protein bars I’ve been hiding just in case, then roll my scalpel and a few kitchen knives in the shirts to prevent clinking.

I head downstairs, determined. To my surprise—and really, I’m surprised that I’m surprised—Archer is waiting for me in the living room.

He scowls. “It’s safe to say you were the target of the plane crash. Someone wants you dead and plans to use your mom to draw you home.”

Yeah. He’s probably right. “That someone knows me well, because I can’t not go see her.”

“She’s going to die. Going to her won’t change—”

“She’s not going to die!” Deep breath in...out. “You don’t know the future. I survived baiser de la mort. She can, too.”

“You survived a weakened version. She was given a full dose.”

My chin trembles, and I shake my head. “You don’t know that.”

“I do. I’ve been in contact with her friend’s TL, who’s stuck around to monitor her progress.”

Her friend’s TL? My mom doesn’t have a Troikan friend. Well, not to my knowledge. “Tell the TL to give her Lifeblood.”

“She has. Many doses in fact. But Lifeblood isn’t a cure-all, Ten. It’s a spiritual strengthener. A power source. It can speed up the healing process, but it can’t repair what’s damaged beyond repair.”

I hear his unspoken words—She’s beyond repair.

I stalk past Archer, banging my shoulder against his. “Are we gonna chat all day or start driving?” I’m out the door before he can respond.

I march across the yard. Outside the Troikan perimeter, Killian is standing next to a black SUV. He’s wearing sunglasses, hiding his eyes, the one real feature found on a Shell. His dark hair is tousled by wind.

I move around him to throw my bag in the backseat of the vehicle.

He comes up behind me. I feel him. Not the heat of his body, but him. All him. I turn, and he’s right there. So close we’re pressed together, two halves of a whole.

“Back off,” I say through gritted teeth. “This isn’t the time to attempt a manipulation.”

His lips thin into a straight line. “I’m worried about you. I want to offer...comfort.”

“No, you want to take advantage of a terrible situation. We both know comfort isn’t in your wheelhouse.”

He flicks his tongue over an incisor. “I think it is. For you.”

I’m too raw to play nice. “I’m not special to you, Killian.”

“You are.”

“I’m not. You made that very clear today.” I glare up at him. “You did everything in your power to bend me to your will. But I’m not part General, okay? I’m just me. Just Ten. I don’t believe in fate, or Fusion, and I never will.”

He’s silent for a long while, tension vibrating from him. Finally he says, “You are special. When you look at me, I dinnae feel as if I’m alone. You make me think, and you make me better.” His accent is thicker than ever before, a muscle ticking in his jaw.

I sigh, expelling my anger. “Killian—”

“Nae.” He takes a step back, putting distance between us, hated distance, necessary distance. “I tried to manipulate you, yes, but only because I want the best for you. I want your future settled. Safe.”

Zero! In my raw state, I lashed out and hurt him. I hurt him badly, and I’m so ticked with myself.

He climbs behind the wheel and slams the door, making me flinch.

Archer suddenly appears, stepping from the invisible wall. He doesn’t glance in my direction but claims the front passenger seat.

With another sigh, I take the middle of the bench directly behind the warriors who are probably thinking of all the ways they can murder each other. One wrong word could set them off.

Grass and gravel spray from the tires as Killian speeds over roadless terrain. He seems to have no concept of safety as he snakes around corners and bounces over stumps and rocks, but the guys aren’t trying to kill each other and no one’s hurling curses at me, so I consider it a major win.

Soon the trees are replaced by buildings, each taller than the last. Eventually my eyelids grow heavy, and I yawn.

Gotta stay awake. “Are we going to sit in silence the entire drive?”

“Yes,” they snap in unison. Then they growl at each other.

“Forget I asked.” I spend the hours counting. Cars. Trees. Buildings. Clouds. When we stop to charge the car’s battery—gas is no longer needed, thanks to the realms—I borrow money from Archer to pay for the power.

“Wait, and I’ll go with,” he says.

“Stay with the car and ensure nothing’s tampered with. I’ll go with her.” Killian wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me forward.

Archer ignores him. “What do you want, Ten?”

“For you guys not to fight about this.”

He looks as if he wants to protest, but nods to Killian.

I stalk away, and Killian rushes forward to open the door. “You my bodyguard?” I ask as he motions me inside.

“Yes. You’re welcome.”

There are eleven people inside. Four are girls, and they stare at him. He pretends not to notice.

“There are three Shells.” He whispers the words straight into my ear, making me shiver. “I don’t like this. Hurry.”

“How can you tell who’s what at a glance?”

“I’m that good.”

Yeah, yeah.

I go straight to the candy bars and grab five of my favorite.

On my way to the register, I notice the digital newspapers flashing this week’s headlines. For an extra five dollars I can upload the latest stories straight into my cell phone. Well, if my cell were activated.

Psychic Arrested. Never Saw It Coming!

Man Kidnaps Ex-girlfriend. Demands She Do His Ironing!

Dead Man Found in Cemetery. Town Distraught!

Pass on Marijuana? Issue Being Discussed by Joint Committee.

Then my dad’s picture flashes over the screen of Realm Politics Today.

The senator’s mistress is pregnant! No one is surprised, considering his wife, famed artist Grace Lockwood, left him, preferring to live in seclusion for over half a year. Hiding away with a lover, perhaps? Dr. Dewayne Reynolds, who is also married to someone else, was spotted on the premises more than once. But there’s a good chance Mrs. Lockwood and Dr. Reynolds have already split because Mrs. Lockwood is back with her husband. When asked about the senator’s love child, she had no comment.

I’m—utterly—flabbergasted. Soooo much happened while I was gone. My dad wasn’t lying when he said my mom was living in seclusion. He didn’t wait for her to return, either. He had a fling, and the woman is now having his baby.

Soon I’ll have the brother or sister I always wanted but never expected.

I smile. I curse. My dad found a loophole to population control since the law is geared toward women. Only they are limited to one child.