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“Fuck yourself. I’m not dumb enough to meet with you brainless apes. No one can find me.” Sax thought he was the smartest person in the world, so he talked and talked and talked trying to prove it to everyone else. He craved respect like a drug. “I’ll stay hidden until I’m ready to strike.”
“Who are you planning to strike? Randa?”
“I am the greatest Air Phase who ever lived! Not Gion. Certainly not that little shit Isaacs. Me. Everyone will see it soon. The Dark King is going to ensure that I finally have the position I deserve.”
Randa’s lips parted. “You’ve seen the Dark King? Who is he?”
“You’ll find out along with everyone else, when we reclaim the realm from the weaklings. He’s already elevated me to his right hand. He knows I can get things done!”
“Like what?”
“Things that your precious Light Phases have no idea about. With me and Vandal helping the Dark King, nothing can stop his rise. He’ll set the whole universe straight. Just wait and see what we’ve got planned.” Saxon hung up with a bang.
“Vandal would never work with a moron like him.” Daven muttered.
“He could be lying.” Mannus allowed, in a rare show of agreement with his brother. “But Job will still be pissed to hear that Vandal and the Dark King might be plotting something big.” He paused. “Well, as pissed as Job ever gets, anyhow.”
Randa slowly hung up the phone, trying to hide the way her hands shook. A few months ago, that horrible conversation would have sent her into hysterical tears. Being surrounded by the Light Phases made her feel safe enough that she could endure Sax’s voice, though. She wasn’t going to fall apart.
Daven and Mannus shifted closer to her, like they could see her struggling. They didn’t press her about it. They just stood there, trying to reassure her with their presence.
It worked.
Randa took a deep breath. “Sax didn’t admit to being my stalker. What does that mean?”
“Nothing. We’re going to kill him either way.” Julius leaned down to meet her eyes, his expression comforting. “Just like we’ll kill anyone else who threatens you, or who disrespects you, or who you just don’t fucking like.”
“I never asked you guys to be my bodyguards.” She muttered, determined not to depend on them. Reminding herself she was mad at them.
“You don’t have to ask. We will always keep you safe.”
“Because you still think I can fix Kahn?”
“Because you are Randa. You belong to the Light House. And we protect what’s ours.”
Chapter Fourteen
He knew how to make himself comfortable,
and it was an important element in his comfort to be seated
next to the only persons in the place with whom he should care to associate.
F. Marion Crawford
Isaacs, of the Air House was never the most popular person at the table.
Usually, he was only allowed to share someone’s dinner on sufferance or because he was too strong to get rid of without a fight. Other men got smiles and friendly receptions, while Isaacs fought for whatever was left over. He was used to it.
Today, though, he wasn’t the outsider. Spending Sunday evenings with Randa was always the high point of his week, but this was even better than usual. Now, he had an audience to see that he was welcomed someplace nice and clean, like an honest-to-God person. That he was liked. In fact, he was the only man present who the hostess wanted around.
As he’d always suspected, being special felt awesome.
He lounged in his seat of honor at Randa’s island table, thrilled with all the food she was setting out for him …and even more thrilled that the Light Phases had to sit there and watch him eat it.
He wasn’t exactly sure why the other men were in her home. When he’d asked Randa about it, she’d just muttered something about helping them look for human Matches.
Isaacs wasn’t really buying that, but he also wasn’t pushing it. The Light Phases sure as hell weren’t guests. That was all that mattered, for the time being. He was the guest, and he intended to enjoy his elevated status.
