“I—of course,” he stammered, clearly regretting every life choice that had led him to this moment. “No one could forget you,” he finished, voice stronger.
Vanca made a pleased rumble in her throat.
Nerissa frowned.
Kieran made a choking sound beside me. Benedict covered his mouth, shoulders shaking once.
Kaida raised a brow. “Is this part of the warding process?”
“Not yet,” Vanca said easily. “But I’mflexible.”
Domik flushed hard. “This is not—There is no?—”
“Oh, there is definitely something,” Vanca purred.
“There is not.”
“There is.”
“There is not.”
“I’m not hearing this!” Nerissa burst in, covering her ears. “Enough. You can do … whatever this is after we have secured the island.”
“Flirting,” I said, unable to help my grin.
Kieran winked at me.
Vanca sighed dramatically, but stepped back just enough to be considered cooperative. “Fine. Work first.”
Domik exhaled like he’d been given a reprieve from execution.
“Four anchors,” Benedict said, dragging the focus back. “South, west, north?—”
“Yes, and east, we get it,” I finished, impatient. “What do I get to do? I want to do something. It doesn’t have to be the bloodwards themselves.”
Benedict’s mouth opened and I straightened, already bracing for the answer I knew was coming.
“Don’t say ‘stay here’ like I’m furniture,” I warned him.
“You’re not furniture,” Benedict said. “You’re the center.”
I stopped, not expecting that.
Nerissa nodded. “It isn’t a bad idea. You’ll feel it before any of us do: any strain or imbalances. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have you monitoring from the center.”
My brow furrowed as I tried to mark the geography of the island in my mind, my hand sliding instinctively to my stomach. “The center is?—”
“The volcano,” Benedict finished, shooting a wary look at Nerissa.
“It’s dead. The sacrificial wards saw to that. Besides, the child amplifies her connection,” Nerissa added. “You’re not meant to bleed power at the edges right now. You direct it.”
I looked between them: Benedict, Kieran, Kaida, Nerissa. All of them were steady, unyielding and unfortunately right. Well, except for Benedict. He looked torn. And I knew exactly why. If he had his way, I’d be in the treehouse the whole time, wrapped up so tight in the blankets I couldn’t move.
I exhaled slowly. “Fine. I’ll watch.”
“Guide,” Benedict corrected.
“Guide,” I allowed, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. “Just sounds a lot like watching.”
