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“Sure,” he said “Simple”

His cold and hopeless tone sent shivers down uilt behind the hopelessness, and anxiety behind the guilt I wanted to take him away somewhere private and force hi My heartbeat sped up and h my mind

What if he hadn’t passed? What if I had to leave him behind? I couldn’t do it For as many issues as Kai and I had, he was bonded to me It would kill part of my soul to be without him I would literally waste away, and eventually, I’d die

“Kai—you do think you passed, right?”

He turned his shuttered gaze my way “I don’t know”

“Bro! How could you not know? Those questions were easy!” Jayce looked as pained as I felt

Kai shrugged and walked away I wanted to chase after hio We’d always been at odds, and there had always been barriers between us But now, there was soure out or even feel That was new and different in a way I didn’t much like

After a nervous evening and a restless night, the threeto do while Kai and I headed back downstairs for our second round of interrogations

“Do you think you’re going to be able to give the for?” I asked hi toward the basement stairs

He glanced out athat overlooked the dark, foreboding cave beyond Sighing heavily, he shrugged

“Guess I don’t have a choice”

I gave hiaze Goddamn it I wanted to ask what he ave us each a long, somber look, then turned

“Follow me”

“I don’t knohy you’re being so theatrical,” I commented, mildly annoyed “It’s not like this is the first time we’ve done this”

Irritation prickled under otten nearly enough coffee at breakfast They see it, which made me very concerned about ould happen if ere stuck down here for any significant length of time