Chapter Twenty-Four
Lia
Ilace my fingers together and pace. Whatever they’re talking about is taking too long.
Earlier, when Carter and I stepped away, he told me Leo’s stressed about the mission and worried about me.
Worry is our default.
Survival wired it into us early—watching each other’s backs, never relaxing, never assuming safety would last.
“Hey.”
I jump, heart skipping. Kylo’s hands rest on my shoulders. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I look up at him, searching for bruises or anger, but find only a calm intensity. “Everything okay?”
“Leo and I made it out unscathed. He’s a good brother.”
“I knew he’d be angry, but I didn’t expect that reaction.”
“He’s worried about you. If I were in his shoes, I’d react the same way.”
“I shouldn’t be what he’s worried about.”
“Carter’s been doing the same thing for years. Let’s give your brain something different to focus on.”
“Training?” I groan.
“Good girl.” He winks. “I’ll deduct a mile from your run for getting it right.”
My cheeks heat.
Nerves buzz beneath my skin as we step onto the mat. I didn’t used to think this much before. Training was easier. Structured. I knew where to stand, how to move, what he expected of me.
He draws me closer. “What are you thinking about?”
“I don’t know what to expect from you.”
“Today’s just another training day.”
Another training day. That’s it.
“That’s the spirit. Let’s start with telekinesis. Practice levitating. Bring me with you.”
I’m beginning to understand how my telekinesis works now. My thoughts have to be clear, and my intentions even clearer. I don’t know how Kylo manages it without closing his eyes. I can’t concentrate unless mine are shut.
Fluttering my lashes closed, I picture us rising together—weightless, suspended like we’re floating in a bubble. A sudden gust sweeps around us as we rise, our bodies hovering several feet off the ground.
“Impressive,” he says. “I’m going to apply pressure. Don’t let me move you.”
My body hums with energy as I brace for the tug. The moment I feel his telekinetic pull, I lock onto him and the wall behind him, my focus narrowing to a single point.
I throw the force back at him.
He flies into the padded wall with a satisfying thud.
I choke on a laugh—and because the universe has a sense of humor, I lose control and fall flat on my ass.
Ouch.
He’s by my side in seconds, brows pinched together in concern. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I press my lips together.
“What’s so amusing?”
“I caught you off guard. That stunned look might be my new favorite on you.”
His eyes drop, fixed on my mouth. “Do you want to know what my favorite look on you is?”
“What?” I breathe.
“Watching you come.”
I press my thighs together, my core turning to liquid heat.
“I want to kiss you.”
“What’s stopping you?” I ask.
His thumb drags across my lower lip, pulling it down. “Once I taste you, I won’t be able to stop.”
I lean in—
His hand drops. “Ready to kick my ass?”
He knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
Asshole.
“Bring it on, Radshaw.”
Kylo and I circle each other. He’s going easy on me at first, letting me land a few hits to practice my timing. I charge forward, and he stands still, letting my fist connect with his side. But then, like a switch flips, he starts moving in a way that’s agile and effortlessly fluid.
He slips past every strike, that crooked grin playing on his lips like he’s enjoying this way too much. “In battle, Aether Hunters don’t stand still. You have to learn to move and aim. Try again.”
I draw the energy in, holding it steady—
Whoosh.
Kylo sails.
“Nice work.” He gets to his feet. “Even a light hit like that would buy you a few seconds to retaliate, hide, or find your footing. I’m going to throw dumbbells your way. Block and divert, but don’t let them hit you.”
My eyes go wide. “Dumbbells?”
“Come on, you’ve got it in you. Show me what’s hiding underneath.”
He starts with five-pound weights. I stop the first one, head straining from the effort, then spin it and send it flying back toward him. He catches it easily.
The weights get heavier. Ten, twenty, thirty pounds. My breathing turns shallow as my focus narrows. The sixty-pounder comes next. Pressure pounds at my temples as I raise my hands, catching the weight midair.
It hovers between us, his energy and mine holding it in place.
“Good. You’re resisting. Send it somewhere else.”
“I’m trying,” I groan, sweat dripping down my face. “It’s heavy.”
Slowly, it shifts direction. Kylo releases his hold, and the dumbbell drops with a dull thump.
“Pick it up and send it my way,” he commands.
I step closer, palms open. The dumbbell lifts a few inches.
“It’s all about focus,” he reminds me. “Imagine it in the air. Tell it to rise.”
I picture it weightless—rising effortlessly. The dumbbell hovers at eye level. Not as high as Kylo can lift, but it’s floating. My arms tremble as I hold it in place.
“Maintain that position. Wait for my cue.”
“What?” I shriek. “This is taking all of my strength!”
“That’s the point. Hold it.”
I want to hurl the dumbbell straight at his smug face.
His finger glides along my temple in a feather-light trail.
“What are you doing?”
The dumbbell slips, dipping toward the mat, but I catch it.
“Pay attention. There will be distractions in battle. Keep the dumbbell up.”
The iron dips again as his touch trails lower, grazing my collarbone. “Raise it.”
My whole body is a mess of tremors—half from the brutal exhaustion of the hold, half from the need he ignites. I heave the weight back up.
His hand wraps around my neck, fingers splayed, his thumb resting over my pulse.
The mental tether snaps. The dumbbell crashes to the floor, the impact vibrating through the soles of my feet.
He clicks his tongue, a dark, teasing smirk playing at the corners of his mouth as he looks down at the fallen weight. “You have to focus.”
“Then stop touching me like that.”
He chuckles, the sound deep and resonant in his throat. “Do it again.”
My brain is soup.
After eight hours of Kylo pushing my telekinesis to the brink, I barely have the strength to lift my arms. I drag myself through a scalding shower, scrub the sweat from my skin, and pull on clean clothes for the briefing Carter called for.
For weeks, this felt like a fever dream, but now that the real mission is less than twenty-four hours away, my confidence is dwindling.
The scent of melted cheese and pepperoni hits me as I step into the dining room. My stomach growls in protest. I snag a grease-shining slice and collapse into the chair beside Kylo. He’s halfway through his own piece, his posture relaxed.
“I could eat a whole pizza myself,” I mumble, unashamed.
“This is my sixth slice,” Kylo says, and I laugh at the sight of him—mid-bite, cheeks stuffed, grinning unabashedly before he swallows.
“Tomorrow morning, we split up. Leo, Lia, Kylo, and I depart at first light. Zayne, Marco—you stay behind. Hold the compound until dusk, then move to the rendezvous,” Carter announces.
“The goal is the Canadian border. We meet Elijah there, but keep a low profile. No obvious powers. No drawing attention. To the rest of the world, we’re just a group on vacation. Understood?”
“Where were they last spotted?” Leo asks.
“Marco found a trail at multiple motels about an hour out. If they’re that close, staying put is a risk. We move at sunrise. Pack your gear. Weapons, essentials, nothing more. We don’t know when we’re coming back. Assume an Aether Hunter is behind every tree. Stay alert.”
Why is he splitting us up?
“To give us a head start. Zayne and Marco are the distraction if any hunters are stalking the perimeter,” Kylo says.
“Thank you.”
“You’re thanking me for reading your mind now? That’s new.”
I nudge him. “Don’t get used to it.”
Carter’s voice pulls everyone back in. “The most important task tomorrow is to stick together. I’ll take the first driving shift. After that, we’ll play it by ear until we reach our first campground. I need all of you on watch while we’re on the road. Any questions?”
If the Aether Hunters don’t know where we are, why does it feel like he’s waiting for something to go wrong?
“He’s taking precautions,” Kylo says. “An hour is close. They could sniff us out. And we’re outnumbered. Regrouping with Elijah and staying off-grid will throw them off our trail and keep this compound hidden.”
“Have you left the compound like this before?”
“We’ve traveled between here and Elijah’s place more times than I can count.”
I nod, shoving my overthinking down with a bite of pizza—the grease and cheese a temporary, delicious balm for my nerves.
Kylo and Leo fall into a heated debate over their favorite weapons, bickering over blade weight and mechanics with a passion that makes them seem like brothers.
Leo and I started with nothing. Now we’re surrounded by these dangerous, complicated men.
The loneliness is quieter.