Page 14 of Catalyst

I clenched my jaw and forced myself to look away from her. No sooner had I done so than the massive wooden door opened, revealing Gianna Anastasakis herself.

Her presence was commanding despite the unusually soft smile on her lips.

“You’re late,” she said, her dark eyes pinned directly on Kane.

He pulled away from Callie just long enough to hug his mom. “Sorry, Callie was caught up in homework, and we lost track of time.”

Gianna’s gaze flicked to Callie, causing all the color to drain from the princess’s cheeks. She instantly glued herself back onto Kane’s arm, holding onto him for dear life.

“Oooh, so you’ve got a smart girl,” Gianna purred, stepping to the side. “Come on in. Shin’s been talking about meeting Callie all day.”

Callie’s breath hitched as Kane started to move, but she stayed anchored in place, her gaze planted on the ground. It was like she’d forgotten how to walk. Kane placed a hand on her back, leaning in and whispering something too low for me to catch. He hid the action with a kiss on her cheek before he guided Callie inside.

I followed behind them, grinding my teeth as I ignored the strange knot forming in my chest. Kane and Callie removed their shoes before entering the dining room, but as I tried to do the same, Gianna’s hand found the crook of my elbow. Her nails dug into my skin just enough to sting.

I glanced down at her hand, then up at her face. Gianna didn’t scare me, even when she tried shit like this.

“That girl… she’s Sulien’s… right?” Gianna drawled as the other two members of our party disappeared into the dining room.

I nodded slowly, not entirely sure where this was going.

Her lips twitched into a look of disapproval. “Poor thing. Shin’s going to eat her alive.”

I let out a low breath as Gianna released me. I shouldn’t have been concerned about whether Shin was going toeat her aliveor not. Honestly, it would probably be best if she got scared away.

But somewhere deep down—and I mean deep, buried under all the sarcasm and resentment I normally hid behind—I didn’t like how Gianna said that.

And more than that, I hated that I cared.

Chapter 5

Callie

Ididn’t want to be at dinner. At first, it was because I needed to have as much of my project done as possible before Wearable Combat Systems on Monday. Sure, it wasn’t due for another fifteen weeks, but if I walked in completely finished, one of the Aegis heroes in the room might notice, tell my dad, and maybe then he’d love me again… That way, I could go home and quit bothering Jace and Kane.

Then, as much as I hated to admit it, Jace’s warnings got to me, even if his thoughts were filled with how “nice” Gianna and Shin allegedly were. Now, as the five of us gathered around a table far too large for such an assemblage, it was the noise of everyone’s thoughts that bothered me most.

Gianna’s weren’t the loudest, but they still cut through the others.

She’s a pretty little thing. Too bad she’s a Voltaris.

Her gaze swept over me, dissecting me like I was a piece of art she couldn’t decide whether to buy or burn. None of it was personal. She had a business to run, and she couldn’t risk hero-spawn poking around in it.

Kane’s thoughts were the quietest—but they were full of worry.

She’s going to have to get used to our family if she sticks around.He took a bite of lamb, then rested his hand on my knee.I just wish she’d eat. She hasn’t eaten all day. She’s going to get sick…

I tried to tune out his wariness as I picked up my fork to push the roasted squash cubes around my plate. I was the only person who could lessen Kane’s concerns, but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat—not with Shin Seo staring at me.

His mind was like a tomb, completely and utterly void of all life. But, his presence was the most suffocating. Not just because I knew from all my father’s stories that he was evil, but because he lookedsomuch like Sulien.

Same eyes, same nose, same chin. Even the way he stared at me reminded me of his son. But while Shin was in his late fifties, his son would never be older than twenty-two. My bottom lip quivered as Shin extended a shaky hand toward his water glass, his gaze still locked on mine.

Sulien had mentioned his dad being sick a lot—some form of cancer, though he never said which. I assumed that was why Shin looked so gaunt and pale. I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly, as I wondered what Shin looked like when he was healthy. If I had known that, I could have imagined what the future might have held for Sulien if the world hadn’t had a vendetta against star-crossed lovers.

“Callie, are you alright?” Gianna’s voice yanked me from my thoughts.

My eyes snapped open, and I forced a smile. The kind my parents had taught me to plaster on whenever the cameras were around.

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