swipe. I have to saw through his hair. It can’t feel good, but as I do, shiny new hair grows out from his scalp. I feel foolish for never having suspected his secret. While we were on Earth, I’d watched as Luther had shot him, and yet he hadn’t been killed. He also hadn’t died from the knife wound I gave him.
When I’m finished cutting his hair, I walk back in front of him and hand him his knife. He rolls his shoulder, testing its healing. It already looks better, but not by much. His skin is less bubbly and crisp in some places. “Your sister is a psycho,” Kyon snarls. “She brought Verka with her.” He stuffs his knife back into the holster.
“Who’s Verka?” I ask, my eyes going to his upper arm where the skin is scalded and burned away. The charred flesh is becoming smoother. It still smells as gruesome as it looks.
“Verka is a cooler. Her gift is blocking other priestesses from using their gifts.”
“My headache?” I ask.
He nods. “She blocked you from seeing them coming.”
“I had no warning,” I admit.
“Nezra has crossed the line! She tried to kill you!”
“She’s in love with you. She warned me to stay away.”
“I didn’t give you a choice,” he says. The skin on his injured arm is starting to peel and flake. It’s not weeping anymore. It’s gross but it’s also fascinating. “If I didn’t promise to take care of her, I’d kill her right now.”
“Who did you promise?” I ask.
“Our mothers,” he growls. “I’m sending you home. You’ll be safe. I’ll send an escort with you. I’ll join you after I sort out this mess.”
“What? You can’t go back out there!”
“It’s Nezra,” he says in a derogatory way. “She’s already done her worst. She’ll be horrified that she hurt me.”
“You’re worried about her?” I ask.
“No. She should be worried about what I’m going to do to her.”
“What are you going to do to her?”
“Something dire.” He clenches his fists and stalks toward the door of the Hallafast.
“Wait!” I call. “Let me see if it’s safe! I’ll go into the future and look—”
He turns in my direction and shakes his head. “That won’t work. You’re going to be cool for a while.”
“What do you mean?”
“Verka blocked you. I have to cleanse her from your system. I have something that will help at home. I’ll see to it when I get there.” He turns to leave again.
“Wait!” I call again. “You can’t just go out there blind. Anyone can be out there.”
He pauses, and then a smile forms on his lips. “Are you worried about me?”
My mouth drops open. I begin to bluster, “No! Of course not! That’s so stupid!”
Kyon crosses back to me and takes me in his arms, kissing me as if he has caught my soul. “You’re full of surprises, Kricket. I’ll see you when I return home.” He lets go of me. Using his communicator, he tells Keenan to report to the ship.
I lean down and tear the hem of my dress away, making a long strip of silky fabric.
“What are you doing?” Kyon asks.
“I’m protecting your secret. Everyone saw you get shot. No one needs to know that you heal fast.” I walk to him and gently press the scrap of my dress to his upper arm, tying it loosely around it.
“You’re protecting me?” he asks as if dumbstruck.
“I’m protecting me. The only person standing in the way of Excelsior tearing me apart at this moment is you.”
“Admit it—you have feelings for me.”
“You’re my partner. It’s temporary. Don’t read into it.”
He leans down and whispers close to my ear, “I’m your lover, at the very least.” Behind him, Keenan boards the airship with several other members of my security team. Kyon reaches out and cups my cheek, making me look into his eyes. “I’ll be home soon and we’ll continue this conversation.” He gives me a quick kiss, and then turns and disappears back into the night.
The Hallafast ascends at a stomach-dropping rate, and we fly back to Kyon’s estate. Touching down inside one of the many inner courtyards of the snowflake-shaped castle, I disembark with Keenan by my side. As we walk to the door that leads into the Mercy tower, Oscil halts us in our tracks. I’m startled as its fem-bot voice announces, “Security breach, south perimeter. Security breach—”
Keenan growls. “Protect the priestess,” he says to the other security team members. They form a circle around me. “Back to the Hallafast,” he orders