Page 62 of Phoenix Burn

She nodded and left the cafeteria.

“No worries, Angel. She’ll be right,” Matt said. “You’ll do better than me, likely. Cody’s sure to have his knickers in a knot this morning. Expect he’ll run us ragged.”

I suspected he was correct—it would be some time, if ever, before Cody relaxed again. I couldn’t blame him either.

We descended to the third floor, where Matt and Mari headed for the coliseum, and I nipped into the staff quarters. Kitani answered the door so promptly I assumed she’d been waiting for me. The twins were hollering from the hall.

Their mother, however, smiled at me. “They’re fighting mad this morning. Much better than scared. However, Trix is a welcome addition.”

A tall form appeared in the kitchen. “I’m going to have the class out front today,” Cody said. “You can bring the girls out there to play.”

For a moment, I thought Kitani was going to object. Her eyes flared as though she said something to him telepathically, and his went pure copper as he stared back at her. He might be gorgeous, but when he looked like that, he was scary as hell.

Kitani seemed the type to give as good as she got, but she relented to the pressure. “The twins love the lake. I guess we can do that this morning.”

Considering what they’d just been through, I thought it was a wise decision. No way anyone would come after the twins with the entire shifter contingent of the academy only feet away.

I handed her Trix’s leash. “Did Ryan talk to Jacques?”

Her lips pursed, and she glanced at Cody, but she answered. “Yes. If anyone can find out what is going on, it’s Jacques. If we hear anything, we’ll let you know.”

The doubt in her voice squeezed my heart, but I nodded. I’d only begun to appreciate that the multi-realm universe was a very big place. And Talakai could literally be anywhere.

If he’d planned the twin’s abduction, did I want them to find him? It was an excellent question.

And I didn’t have the answer.

“Hey,” Kitani said as she petted Trix. “Were both her eyes blue before?”

I froze. “No. They’re changing color.”

Cody snorted. “You sure she’s not spending too much time with Cara?”

I stared at him in puzzlement. “I don’t think so. Why?”

Kitani laughed. “Beware the blue-eyed critters. Cara’s got them everywhere.”

When I transferred my stare to her, she waved me off. “Ask her about it.”

She closed the door to happy twin squeals. With my mind spinning, I galloped up the stairs and to my room.

Moments later, with my photos shoved into my pocket, I was pelting back down them. I was full of questions, and Cara seemed ground zero for the answers.

18

Anna

Cara waited for me by the forest gate.

Before I could say anything, she gestured me closer to the archway.

“Are we going someplace else?” I asked.

She merely smiled, but her eyes were on the gate. “Stand here,” she said.

I moved to where she pointed. As soon as I did so, light chased across the arch as though it were awake, but awaiting instruction. My skin tingled.

“Do you feel it?” she asked.

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