I swallowed a dry lump and nodded. Kai bent to pick up my discarded clothes and tossed them to me before disappearing into the bathroom.
The whole time I dressed, a question continued churning inside me: Kaidan or the world? I’d been spared making that choice today, but it seemed inevitable that I’d have to eventually. Could I do the right thing if it meant Kaidan would lose his life? Tears threatened to fall again, but I fought them back, putting on a strong face and closing my eyes.
Please, God. Don’t make me choose.
CHAPTER TEN
WORRIES APLENTY
We opted to stay in the hotel room awhile longer now that the whisper was gone, but we knew we’d have to leave soon.
Kaidan stretched out on his back and looked longingly at my lap, which was at the perfect level to lay his head. I would have loved to run my fingers through his hair again, but didn’t want to take any chances. Having him there with me felt unreal. I expected him to be snatched away at any moment. I never fully relaxed, always tense and waiting for a dark spirit or enemy Neph.
“What happens now?” I asked.
“I have to go back to L.A.” His voice mirrored my sadness. “But I don’t want to leave you.”
“You must be tired.”
He pulled my hand under the covers and twined our fingers together. “I’ll sleep on the plane.”
I needed to be strong, but after experiencing how easily two Neph could overpower me, the thought of being alone was more frightening than ever.
“I haven’t heard from my dad,” I said. “I’m starting to worry. He’s gone a long time without calling before, but never when things were this serious.”
Kaidan sighed, sitting up and facing me, never letting go of my hand.
“I have news about that. They’re trying to get him kicked off earth.”
My stomach sank.
“Father flew me to Atlanta yesterday morning. He said you and Belial are suspected traitors, and that there were Neph and whisperers tracking you. I was sent with that bloody demon to confirm your lack of purity. I imagine they’ve got other trackers on your father, giving him hell.”
I rubbed my forehead, the twinge of a headache coming on. I felt like Kaidan was giving me the abridged version by the way he stared off in thought.
“What else did he say to you?” I asked. I studied his serious face.
He hesitated.
“Tell me.”
“There was nothing more about your father.”
He was staring at my hands, not meeting my eyes. I scooted closer and forced my face into his line of sight.
“I don’t want any secrets between us.”
“It’s not a secret, Anna. Just something not worth upsetting you about.”
I crossed my arms and sat up straight. He took in my stern face. If there was anything I couldn’t stand, it was being left in the dark, and he knew it.
He shook his head, eyes staring at the ceiling as if exasperated.
“Let’s just say my father expects you to have no trace of purity left after our meeting today.”
I had expected that was the case when he showed, but knowing what it meant, made me tremble. The prophecy called for a Neph who was pure of heart. Kaidan’s father had sent him to be sure I would never be able to fulfill the prophecy. So when the truth came out, someday, that I was still pure of heart, still able to fight the Dukes and send them back to hell, Kaidan would be to blame. And just like with Flynn, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.
I couldn’t breathe. I had to stand up. I paced in front of the bed.
“Anna . . .”
“Pharzuph will kill you as soon as he gets a whiff of me, won’t he?”
“You’ll be dead on the spot were his words,” Kaidan deadpanned.
I stopped and leaned my palms on the desk, letting my head hang.
Kaidan came up behind me, kneading my shoulders with his warm hands.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said gently. “You won’t see him again anytime soon, luv. Not until it’s time to fulfill the prophecy, and by then it won’t matter.”
I turned to face him. “But what if I do see him? He’ll go after you right away. They’re not taking any chances this time, Kai.”
I felt caught in an invisible net. Kaidan’s life was linked to my ability to use the sword. We were all intricately involved, like it or not.
“So much has happened,” I whispered.
“Tell me everything.”
I told him about Marek and Caterina being sent, and the constant barrage of whisperers. So much had happened in the few days since we’d spoken. Worst of all was Marna—my eyes burned when I thought about her.
Kaidan had no idea.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face to his chest. His arms went around me as well.
“I need to tell you something,” I whispered.
I felt the muscles under my hands and cheek tense. I held him tighter.
“Say it.”
My phone rang, startling me, and I yanked myself away from Kaidan to grab it.
“Marna,” I whispered. What timing.
Kaidan and I stood there, watching each other. I knew he’d be using his heightened hearing to listen.