Page 120 of Blood and Reign

Kai steps forward, enveloping me in a hug. “Are you okay? After seeing her?”

He pulls back as I nod. “Not many people get to say they saw someone they loved one last time. I’m extremely lucky to have had that chance.”

Kai’s eyes soften and he places a kiss on my forehead. “I’m glad you got to see her too. Just… don’t pull away from us. Please.”

“I won’t. I promise. It just doesn’t feel real but in the same sense Iknowit was.”

Kai nods. “I get it. Just know we’re here for you, if or when you want to talk.”

“I know.” I really did. But most of the time their presence alone always made me feel better.

As if he can read my mind, Kai pulls me back into him, comforting me in the best way.

Jax steps up beside us. “Group hug.” He winks at me. “We’ll have the group activities later.”

I laugh as the guy s crowd around me, surrounding me in their warmth, quickly snapping me out of my strange mood.

While we’re still huddled together, Jax starts whispering all the things he wants to do to me when this is over. The guys groan as he comes up with the most random, ridiculous things. But it makes me laugh and from the look in his eyes, I can tell it was his plan all along.

Someone clears their throat from behind us. We break apart, only to find Soren standing there with a smile on his face. I completely forgot he was coming with us.

“We should probably move this along.”

Jax narrows his eyes on him. “You ruined our moment.”

Soren exaggerates a bow. “My apologies. I assumed you’d want to save the world before it was too late.”

“You assumed wrong. I already told you I don’t give a shit about it. I’m only helping because it’s something Kiarra wants to do.”

Soren gives him a deadpan look. “And if she wanted you to jump off a cliff?”

“Then you best believe I’m going to have a fucking pep in my step when I take a run and jump straight off it.”

I look at Jax like he’s crazy before shaking my head. “Let’s go.”

A few minutes pass before we make it to the spot where we met Soren. It reminds me of the deal we made.

“You never asked for that favor. What was it?”

Soren rubs the back of his head, looking anywhere but at me. “I knew who you were as soon as Draven told me about you. I also knew it was only time before you met your aunt.” Soren clears his throat, mumbling something that makes Jax laugh.

But I don’t catch it. “What?”

Soren clears his throat again, speaking louder this time. “I wanted you to put in a good word for me… with Rielle.”

I bite my lip from the laugh threatening to escape while the guys laugh at Soren’s discomfort.

He starts forward without a backward glance. “Let’s save the world and you can follow through with your deal.”

I smile to myself, glad that Soren was our guide after all. As if he hears my thoughts, he turns and winks at me, earning glares and growls from the guys.

Jax comes over to me, taking my hand. “Stop fucking flirting with our girl.”

I roll my eyes at his ridiculous caveman attitude while Soren walks ahead, chuckling to himself.

We make it to the spot where the portal left us. As soon as we get near it, it appears as if it was always there waiting.

“How did it…”

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