Page 116 of Angel Lost

Kai leans up into Chano’s much bigger frame, grabs his earlobe, and twists. Chano yelps as Kai drags his head down to our level.

“First, you wouldn’t have sensed shit. Those rooms are sealed. And second, Lorelei wasn’t allowed to take you, bonehead.” Kai gives a finalwrench before letting go. “This is all my stepmom. Don’t you dare put this on Lorelei.”

I give him a watery smile, laying a hand on his sleeve. “He’s partly right, Kai. If I’d gone looking sooner, been more insistent about it…If I’d listened to you about Davina…”

Chano rubs his ear, his lip curling in Kai’s direction. “Watch your step, fae.”

I square my shoulders. “Stop it. The pair of you. We need everyone’s help to pull this off. To get them all back.”

Chano slowly picks up his abandoned gloves from the ground, dusting them off, stuffing them into his back pocket. He moves to collect his gardening tools. “If you help rescue them, Lorelei, there’s no way Davina will let you graduate from the Gifted Academy, you know that, right?”

I shrug. “I probably won’t graduate from Fates either. Davina said if I got kicked out of there then she’d make sure I was thrown out of Fates too.”

Chano stabs the ground with his fork. “Then you can’t do it.”

Kai cackles. “Least of our concerns, kids.” He pats the insignia on my robe. “If caught, we could be imprisoned for acts against the crown. Or killed. By my charming uncle.” His face breaks into the waxy snarl I hate.

“Enough.” I smack them both on the chest. “We are getting those kids out. And we are not getting caught.”

Chano peers down into my face for a very long time, then bends over, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Thank you, chica.”

Chapter Forty-one: Lorelei

Chano’s trousers are soaked from the length of time he’s been kneeling in the grass in front of the runaway. But no matter what he tries, the boy won’t talk. Can’t talk, maybe. He’s unresponsive except to direct orders, which he follows like a robotic automaton.

Kai paces in ever more erratic circles in the walled garden, tugging his hair and hissing under his breath.

“He’s too like my twin. Someone’s done this to him.”

“Your twin?” Davina mentioned a twin.

Kai avoids eye contact, rubbing his palms together in jerky movements. “I destroyed him.”

I share a look with Chano. “No more secrets, Kai. Not when it might help. What happened to your twin?”

Kai tugs at his hair, eyes darting this way and that, and a flush creeps up his neck. “I…I happened. I was the prototype for our stepmom.”

We wait him out. Just when I think he’s not going to say any more he starts talking, talking and walking, pacing in tight circles around us.

“Vale and I, we’re identical. Except Davina, my stepmom, she gifted me aether.”

“Forced aether on you, Kai,” I say. “Call it what it is.”

He pauses, taking a deep breath. “So, that’s why I’m so obsessed with tattoos.”

I raise an eyebrow. His jaw works and I force myself to stay quiet.

Eventually he continues. “If I can develop my skill enough, maybe I can tattoo a fix onto him. Maybe I can fix this kid too.”

Chano frowns. “I’m not sure you can fix a mind like this, Kai.” Chano dabs drool from the side of the boy’s mouth. “But I don’t understand. What happened to your brother?”

Kai stands directly in front of the kid, peering into his eyes. “This guy is a walking shell. Someone used him for aether practice. It’s my fault. They saw how it worked with me and Vale, how it developed my skills.”

“I don’t understand, Kai,” I say gently.

He shifts uncomfortably. “It’s easier if I show you,” he mutters, reaching for our hands.

Cautiously, I place my hand in his.

---