Chapter 20 · The Rook Family Safe

Kade's eyes snapped open and he grabbed my wrist hard enough to bruise.

"They're waking her up."

Three words. My lungs forgot how to work.

Nox pooled at my feet, still shaking off whatever it had seen inside Kade's bond. The med bay lights buzzed overhead. Lyra was passed out two beds down, her breathing finally steady. Sloane stood frozen by the door, her blade familiar coiled tight around her forearm.

"What do you mean waking her up?" My voice came out flat. Dead.

Kade sat up too fast and swayed. "Your mother. The vessel. Rook's got her in the family substrate. He's been feeding her bond fragments for months." He looked at Sloane. "Your dad's about to flip the switch."

Sloane went white. Not pale. White.

"No." She shook her head once. "He wouldn't. Not without me there. Not without—"

"He's doing it now." Kade's hand was still locked on my wrist. "I saw the timestamp. Thirty minutes ago."

I pulled free and stood. Nox climbed up my spine and wrapped around my shoulders. It was cold. Colder than it had ever been.

"Where?" I asked.

Sloane looked at me. Her jaw worked.