Zthane tears his eyes away from the television as I repair it and lowers himself in a chair across from us. “Sorry for dropping in like this, but we’ve been trying to get ahold of you all day to discuss next week’s mission.”
No. No. NO. We are not discussing this right now. Not now. Not when things are perfect between Jonah and me. “I really think we ought to—”
Jonah interrupts me. “What mission?”
Karl tugs at the collar of his polo shirt and shoots me an exasperated look. “Let me guess. Chloe and Kellan haven’t talked to you about the meeting we had this week?”
It’s my turn to smile weakly. Bastard.
Ever the diplomat, Jonah says, “I’d like to hear the details from you.”
Zthane lays out the plan just like he had in our other meeting. Whether or not he notices Jonah’s gone completely still during all this is unknown. Karl has, though. He’s watching Jonah warily. “Currently, the mission is scheduled for a week from today. We’ll be focusing on the area you two went to high school in, as it’s a known location to the Elders for Chloe.”
My hand finds Jonah’s and squeezes. Every muscle in his body is tense.
“Glad to see you’re taking this rationally,” Zthane continues. “I must admit, after Kellan’s insistences of you forbidding us from including Chloe in the mission, we were a bit worried about talking to you.”
Jonah’s grip is close to cutting off the circulation in my hand. I refuse to wince, though. “Don’t be silly. Jonah understands what’s at stake,” I say, mustering cheerfulness. “And honestly, guys. You make it sound like he’s my dad and we’re in the Middle Ages. Jonah would never forbid me to do anything. Since this is my choice and all.”
“Of course,” Zthane murmurs.
Karl cocks an eyebrow up at Jonah. He knows better. He has a Connection. He knows the intense feelings that would come with such a situation.
When Jonah finally speaks, he surprises all of us. “I assume you’re looking to me to be the official Council liaison for the mission, since you’ve requested my presence and Chloe will be working.”
“Makes sense, with your influence nowadays, doesn’t it?” Karl asks. “I typically fill in for the role, but we figured things would be better sanctioned with your backing.”
Jonah issues a quick, tight nod. “Did you bring me the dossier?”
Zthane extracts a brown file out of the black leather messenger bag he’d brought in. “The latest Tracker reports are included, as well as specs on the upcoming mission. Chloe, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with everything, too.”
After they leave, Jonah opens the folder on the coffee table. He doesn’t say anything to me for what feels like forever.
“Let me explain—” I begin, but he closes the folder.
“Explain what?”
“Why I accepted the assignment.”
He turns to fully face me. “I already know why you accepted.” When my eyes widen in surprise, he clarifies, “This mission is important to helping figure out how to take down the Elders. Of course you’d accept.”
Well now. How refreshing. This is easier than I thought.
Or not. Because he’s still going. “But, I’ll be honest. I don’t want you to go. It took everything in me not to kick their asses for even daring to suggest using you. I’m still considering doing so.”
At least he’s not raving like Kellan had. Or blackmailing me into not going. “I can see that. When I first thought they were talking about you, I was going to tell them you’d only be allowed over my dead body.”
He laughs, but sobers quickly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I’m honest. “Things have been good between us lately. I didn’t want to fight.” I don’t know if it’s the right thing to do or not, but I continue, “Especially after Kellan and I fought over it.”
Jonah’s silence is unnerving.
I need to turn this away from where I stupidly just took us, and do it quick. I touch his ring. “This’ll be our first official mission together. That’ll be fun, right?”
“Under no circumstances will I ever find a time where I’m waiting for you to be attacked fun, Chloe.” He sighs and grasps my hand, more gently now. “It’ll be absolute torture. If anything was to happen to you—”
I can’t let him go there. “It won’t. You’ll be there. A whole team of Guard will be there. I’ll be safer than any other being on all the planes at that moment.”
He swallows. “Do you know what my dad was like, before he lost my mom?”