single rotation that you were a captive in Rafe trying to negotiate your release from Manus’s custody. That is, until he arrested me and nearly executed me. But, we both know how that turned out for him. Manus was not nearly strong enough to protect you from the Brotherhood.”
“And you are?”
“I’m your only hope. You realize that the Brotherhood is trying to kill you during your claiming? They’re required to respect this time between us as part of the contract that I made with them.”
“My claiming? What are you talking about?”
“It’s the time we are to spend together after a commitment is made,” he struggles to explain, looking at me like I should know what he’s talking about.
I think for a second, my nose wrinkles like I just smelled something bad. “You don’t mean honeymoon, do you?” I look sidelong at him while I frown. That thought is unsettling.
“Honeymoon?” he says the word like he has no idea what it means. “We’re supposed to spend time together—alone—in order to get to know each other as a couple.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “We’re not a couple.”
He frowns. “We are a couple.”
“I don’t want to be claimed.”
“You have no say in the matter.”
He’s primed for a fight. He looks very muscly all of a sudden. I ignore his insanity for a moment, because we can fight about that later if we live. Instead, I ask, “So the Brotherhood didn’t approve of this?” I move my pointed finger back and forth between us.
He frowns. “The Brotherhood promised you to me. We have a contract. They want to void the contract. They always secretly planned to rescind it.”
“Aren’t you part of the Brotherhood?”
“I am,” he says, nodding.
“Then don’t you have a say it what happens?”
“I have a vote. I have some influence, but I can’t always control what they do. They’re a vicious, snarling group of politicians who’ll smile to your face while they’re plotting your death.”
“Super. Nice club you’re in. Why don’t they want you to claim me?”
“Together you and I are exceptionally powerful. They knew I was their best chance of finding and killing you if I was unable to secure you for Alameeda. If you remain with me, they can’t control you.”
“And you knew all of this beforehand?”
“Of course.”
“All their little plots and schemes are going awry. How do you think they feel about that?”
“I’m sure it’s all rather upsetting for them. One might say they feel murderous.”
I blink. Did he just make a joke? I can’t tell. He’s so straight-faced. I rub my forehead. I don’t feel well. It’s as if I died earlier today and have been resurrected. “Okay.” I look around me for a way to help. “So what should I do? Dig holes for land mines? Carve stakes out of bamboo? Make coconut-shell bombs? What?” I’m only half kidding. I don’t want to die tonight, especially not in the way they have planned for me. I’d also like to keep all of my organs, so I’d rather turn this around on them, if I can. “Or we could just leave. We could hide you know—somewhere they’ll never find us. Do you know how to get to Chicago? Because if we could get there, I could hide us—”
Kyon gathers me up in his arms and kisses me hard on the mouth. I push against his chest, but he’s caveman strong. He lets me go on his own. “You’re so adorable sometimes. I almost don’t regret not killing you.”
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. “You’re insane. You know that, right?”
“I am the sanest person you know,” he says honestly.
“Or the most delusional. I’m leaning toward the latter.” I sigh. “What do you want me to do to help?”
“Here, I’ll show you.” He puts his arm around my shoulder and leads me to the cottage just off the beach. It’s only small by the standards of the bigger house on the island. Made of teak, it looks like a bunch of huts connected by brown, wooden bridges with polished driftwood railings. Thatched roofs blow and rustle in the sea breeze, making the same sound as the palm trees on the shore.
We climb the wooden steps and come to a deck. It’s lined with legless, hovering chaise lounges for lying in the sun. Plump cream-colored mats cover the hovering chairs. Up a few more stairs and we face a series of interconnected teak structures. To our left is a thatched-roof gazebo with a hammock strung from