“No.”
Fascinating. “Why not?”
She looks away, ruffling more bubbles.
“Alana.” I put bite into my tone this time.
She sighs. “I don’t know. I guess you trusted me with something and I didn’t want to let you down. Plus, it’s nobody’s business, right?”
I like that. A lot. She’s a sweet doe in a lion’s world and has no clue about her vulnerability. Or perhaps her power. “I have several options open to me right now,” I say.
She turns back to study my face. “Like what?”
“I could take you back to my house and lock you down. Or I could trust you to come to the right conclusion about where you belong and ask me to take you.” The long game has never bothered me, but with my body starting to freeze, I don’t have that kind of time. Even if the illness takes me and I die, she’ll always belong to me.
She rolls her eyes. “It’s good those self-esteem modules you’ve been streaming are starting to work.”
Smartass. “You can’t charge the crystals because there’s an enemy out there who has learned how to infect systems, crystals, and their human connections.”
She stills. A wrinkle settles between her brows. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.” I run my index finger down the unharmed side of her face.
She gasps. “You’re freezing.”
“I am. From the inside out, and my organs are crystallizing.”
Panic tightens her facial features and she sits up, splashing water over the edge onto my pants. “That’s insane.”
“The only time I’m remotely warm is when I’m with you.” I’m not going to start lying to her now.
She looks at the far end of the tub, the gears visibly working in her brain. “That’s why you needed the larger garnet.”
“Yes. Mine is infected and it’s freezing at the same rate as me. Or faster.” I frown. The garnet’s demise is nearer than mine—what does that mean? When its life is snuffed out, will mine follow? When I prove the hacker’s identity, I’m going to make them suffer in newly invented ways.
“You must have an idea of the mastermind behind this,” she says softly.
I like her brain. A lot. “I’m fairly certain it’s Sylveria Rendale. If I marry one of her daughters, she’s all but promised a cure.” Although I don’t know yet if she’s the one with enough talent to have created this clusterfuck. Is it Horace?
Alana shuts her eyes and breathes out. “Do you believe her?”
“Maybe. She might be bluffing.” The chess game of life and death isn’t new to any of the families. “Gut instinct says she at least knows something, but I need more than that to cure the garnet, or I’d just take her and force answers from her botoxed mouth.” But if she isn’t the evil alchemist, that person might slip away. “We’re working on it.”
The struggle in Alana is visible on her face and fucking fascinating to boot. “I’ve been reading some of your books that deal with the ancient wisdom of crystals and I’ll keep going through them. Maybe there’s something there.” Finally, her shoulders go back and she opens her eyes, zeroing in on me. “I might be able to gain you backdoor access to Sylveriaa’s servers.”
I sit back. Not an inch of me expects this. “Ella might still have a claim to the company. If I blow it up, she’s hurt.”
“So don’t blow it up,” Alana says. “Find your answers, cure yourself, and protect my friend.”
Her trust nearly knocks me over. Taking in a lungful, I taste the intoxicating melodies of honey and lavender. “This means you trust me. Come home with me willingly so I don’t have to take you by force again. My patience has boundaries.”
“Man, somebody needs to drag you into the current century.”
“Consider yourself the one.”
Her small fingers play with the bubbles. “We need to discuss the event tonight.”
Interesting. “What about it?”
“Everyone will be there, and I don’t want a scene.” She looks up, vulnerability glimmering in her eyes. “I know I conduct much of my life in front of the camera, but I choose the topics. Even though you beating the tar out of Cal would get huge play, I don’t want that.”
I don’t like the undertone of her voice and take a moment to read between the lines, which is not one of my gifts. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
She pushes her hair out of her face. “I acted like I liked him.”
I grasp her chin, my thumb sliding through the bubbles. “Nothing that happened was your fault. Not one iota of it. Tell me you understand.”
Her gaze searches my face. “Fine. I understand. You’re not mad?”
“Not at you.” I’m careful not to aggravate her bruise. The one Cal will pay dearly for.
Her cute mouth pouts. “Well, I guess Cal will be safe tonight at the ball, at least.”
That’s what she thinks. I lean over and press a kiss to her sweet mouth. “I have to go. If you can get me into the TimeGem servers, let me know. But if Ella refuses, don’t worry about it. I have my best people on it.” After making a few preparations for the stupid event tonight, I plan to use everything I have to infiltrate TimeGem today.
Her head lolls. “Okay.”
The pill is obviously taking effect. I alter my plans and pluck her from the bath before setting her on her feet and drying her from head to toe. Then I tuck her sleepy butt back into bed, my suit soaking wet. “Call me when you awaken.”
