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“Has Randa Phazed with Kahn?” Djinn arched a brow. “No, right? So, most technically of all, she’s still single. And she probably wants to stay that way, since Kahn just got her kidnapped by an invisible human.”
Kahn took a step towards him, eager to purge some of his fury and terror on the Fire King’s very punchable face.
Job moved between the two fractious kingdoms, before a war broke out over possession of Randa. “We can all work to find her. Kahn obviously has the biggest claim on his Match, but I’m sure he’d appreciate your help. Let’s just focus on identifying this Ben person. Or not person. Whatever he is.”
“Maybe he’s a robot.” Cross suggested. “There’s a lot more robots than I ever thought there were.”
Nia shot her Match an exasperated look. “He’s an Elemental. He has to be. Nothing else could have survived the beating Kahn gave him.”
“Hope’s Matched to a god.” Djinn smugly crossed his arms over his chest. “Kingu wouldn’t stay dead just because some pussy Light Phase killed him.”
Isaacs wasn’t so sure about Nia’s theory, either. “There’re a lot of creatures out there, since all the barriers came down. And I’ve never heard of a Phase becoming invisible. What House has powers like that?”
Kahn couldn’t explain it, but he knew what he’d seen. “Ben disguised himself. I didn’t sense him, at all. He was like part of the room.”
“Wait.” Job crouched down and picked something up off the ground. He slowly stood up, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. A tiger-striped flower. “I recognize this. It’s a teslova orchid.”
“Ben was wearing that thing on his lapel. Randa must have knocked it off, when she was fighting to get free.” Mannus whispered.
Kahn swallowed hard, his eyes on the delicate blossom.
Job met his gaze. “Yuan grows these in his butterfly garden.”
“Holy shit!” Cross blurted out.
Gion gestured to the flower. “Job’s right. They’re extremely rare. Yuan was all pissed that we damaged one, even though it was practically an accident.”
Yuan.
Kahn tilted his head to one side, sighting on a new target. “Yuan tried to force Randa into a Binding when she turned ninety-three.” He heard himself say from a long distance. “He was obsessed with her. She’s beautiful and he covets beauty.”
“Ben looks like a human, but he’s not.” Mannus breathed. “He’s a Reflection Phase. He’s Yuan.”
Daven frowned. “Can Reflection Phases turn invisible? Is that even allowed? I never heard of it.”
“Neither have I. But Yuan is one of the most powerful Elementals alive. I’m not sure what he can do with his abilities.” Job looked at Ty for answers, since she was the scientist.
“Well, if Yuan can disguise himself to look like anyone he chooses, it’s conceivable that he can also disguise himself to blend into the environment around him.” She adjusted her glasses. “Erase himself completely. Like a chameleon.”
“Like the Predator.” Tharsis murmured.
Julius ran a hand through his hair. “That’s how he snuck those flowers onto Randa’s doorstep, Kahn. He walked right by us and we couldn’t see him.”
Blackout rage crackled at the edges of Kahn’s mind. The Wildness pulled him towards the precipice, promising death and oblivion. It was the kind of fury that he wouldn’t come back from, if he let it consume him.
He’d never find his Match if he was lost in darkness.
Kahn closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, just like those internet therapy videos instructed. Randa was enough motivation for him to stay in control. More than enough. She would fight for him. And for herself. And for them. She trusted him to do the same. To stay in control. He wouldn’t let her down.
Job fisted his hand around the flower in frustration. “I should have been able to prevent this. I knew he was involved in framing the Fire House for bombing the Cold Palace, I just couldn’t prove it.”
“Why would Ben want to frame us?” Alder objected hotly. “I don’t even know the guy.”
“There is no ‘Ben.’ He’s Yuan.” Mannus stressed.
“I don’t know him, either!”
“We were drinking with him two nights ago.” Isaacs snapped. “He was disguised as Brad Pitt.”
