Page 28 of Catalyst

Callie was the kind of person I wanted to make myself better for. Not because I specifically wanted to make her proud but because she deserved someone she could feel proud of… even if I didn’t exactly know how I’d do that.

Chapter 9

Callie

Most of my day passed in a drowsy haze, fluttering in and out of consciousness like a bird dancing through branches. Each time I woke up was less and less pleasant, but every time my eyes begrudgingly opened, Jace was there, holding onto me while he played some card game onmyphone. One I hadn’t installed, but I was too out of it to care.

This strange, agonizing sleepiness happened a lot during my first trimester. Something about my body shutting down because I wasn’t a suitable environment for a child with a fire-based ability. I’d learned early on that children often inherit an ability adjacent to their father’s, which was something I didn’t know. How could I whennoneof my siblings seemed to take after my father in that regard? The closest ability to my Dad’s was Jack’s, but even then, aerokinesis and cryomancy were only vaguely similar.

My OBGYN told me that I would eventually adapt to the excess heat my son was creating, and once it got to the point that my body could no longer stand it, we’d look into upping the dose of my suppressors. That way, they’d work for him too. The only problem with that was if I upped my dosage, I’d lose the small amount of power I could tap into. And, while I wasn’t supposed to be able to read minds as consistently as I do, the thought of being completely without my ability made me feel vulnerable in ways Ididn’tlike.

Thankfully, after sleeping most of the day, I felt better… well, better-ish. I was still too sluggish to get out of bed, but by the time the sun set, I no longer felt like I was melting. Unfortunately, by that time, I wasalone.

The world spun a little as I sat up, forcing myself to look around. My nightstand was littered with popsicle sticks, mostly empty sports drinks, and a low-dose bottle of Tylenol. I stared at them, a little confused by how they got there… until I remembered just how attentive Jace had been.

Every time I’d woken up, he’d force some sort of liquid into me, keeping me upright on his chest until he’d deemed I had enough. The memory caused a strange, tight feeling to take over my chest, one that I’d only ever associated withSulien.

… Was I allowed to feel like that about someone else?

Rationally, I knew he was dead, which meant he’d never come back. But, the idea of loving someone else, especially if that person ended up being Jace or Kane, felt like I was replacing him. I couldn’t stay single forever, but how was I supposed to move on when my heart would forever be branded with Sulien’s name?

Maybethiswas why people entered arranged marriages… And, if I did that, maybe my parents would love me again. Trenton Taylor couldn’t be that bad… right?

Just as the admittedly stupid thought started to marinate, the bedroom door squeaked open. I looked over, expecting to see Jace with another popsicle. Instead, Kane lingered in the doorway, his broad frame nearly filling the space. He clutched a bowl to his chest as he scrutinized me with a tight-lipped look of pity.

“You still not feeling well, sweetheart?” He asked, finally stepping into the room.

The scent of lemon and chicken emanated from whatever he had in the bowl, and instantly, I salivated. It was only then that I realized I wasstarving—just another thing to add to my list of self-imposed problems.

“I feel better,” I forced a smile. “Just… sad.”

Saying that out loud felt strange. Sulien had been dead for longer than we’d been dating, and that meant my window of mourning was over. At least, that’s what my dad had told me.

Kane’s expression softened as he sat down beside me on the bed, carefully cradling the soup as he did.

“Is it the kind of sadness you want to talk about?” He asked calmly before playing with the spoon.Please don’t let her talk about it.

His thoughts weren’t riddled with Malice, instead it seemed to be a genuine plea. He wasn’t equipped to deal with his own emotions, let alone mine.

“Not really.” I lied.

Even if Kane had wanted to talk about my feelings, he’d grown up with Sulien. That meant he probably missed Sulien more than I did, and I didn’t have a right to whine.

Kane’s shoulders lowered with relief as he dipped the spoon into the bowl before bringing it to my lips. “Open up, sweetheart. I told my mom you were sick, and she had her chef make this just for you.”

I hesitated for a moment. Seeing as I’d all but destroyed Gianna’s Saturday dinner, part of me was afraid this would be poisoned… But I didn’t think Kane would let her do that. So, I allowed him to feed me.

Even with the soup in my mouth, I had no idea what it was. The broth was rich, slightly lemony, and full of chicken and rice. It wasn’t bad, and it also filled the hollowness in my stomach, which was always a plus.

Kane’s eyes stayed trained on mine, a sly grin lifting the left side of his lips as he lifted the spoon to my lips again. “First time trying avgolemono?”

Seeing as I had absolutely no idea what the fuck that was,yes. But I didn’t want to seem uncultured by admitting that. So, I smiled and reached out to take the bowl from him.

“It’s good,” I promised.

Kane’s lips pressed into a thin line as he swatted my hands away.

“I’m taking care of you, don’t do that again.” He warned.

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