Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

not meeting my eyes. I scooted closer and forced my face into his line of sight.
    “I don’t want any secrets between us.”
    “It’s not a secret, Anna. Just something not worth upsetting you about.”
    I crossed my arms and sat up straight. He took in my stern face. If there was anything I couldn’t stand, it was being left in the dark, and he knew it.
    He shook his head, eyes staring at the ceiling as if exasperated.
    “Let’s just say my father expects you to have no trace of purity left after our meeting today.”
    I had expected that was the case when he showed, but knowing what it meant, made me tremble. The prophecy called for a Neph who was pure of heart. Kaidan’s father had sent him to be sure I would never be able to fulfill the prophecy. So when the truth came out, someday, that I was still pure of heart, still able to fight the Dukes and send them back to hell, Kaidan would be to blame. And just like with Flynn, they wouldn’t hesitate to kill him.
    I couldn’t breathe. I had to stand up. I paced in front of the bed.
    “Anna . . .”
    “Pharzuph will kill you as soon as he gets a whiff of me, won’t he?”
    “ You’ll be dead on the spot were his words,” Kaidan deadpanned.
    I stopped and leaned my palms on the desk, letting my head hang.
    Kaidan came up behind me, kneading my shoulders with his warm hands.
    “It doesn’t matter,” he said gently. “You won’t see him again anytime soon, luv. Not until it’s time to fulfill the prophecy, and by then it won’t matter.”
    I turned to face him. “But what if I do see him? He’ll go after you right away. They’re not taking any chances this time, Kai.”
    I felt caught in an invisible net. Kaidan’s life was linked to my ability to use the sword. We were all intricately involved, like it or not.
    “So much has happened,” I whispered.
    “Tell me everything.”
    I told him about Marek and Caterina being sent, and the constant barrage of whisperers. So much had happened in the few days since we’d spoken. Worst of all was Marna—my eyes burned when I thought about her.
    Kaidan had no idea.
    I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my face to his chest. His arms went around me as well.
    “I need to tell you something,” I whispered.
    I felt the muscles under my hands and cheek tense. I held him tighter.
    “Say it.”
    My phone rang, startling me, and I yanked myself away from Kaidan to grab it.
    “Marna,” I whispered. What timing.
    Kaidan and I stood there, watching each other. I knew he’d be using his heightened hearing to listen.
    “Hey,” I said.
    “Oh, Anna.” She sounded like she’d been crying. “She’s still not back and she won’t answer her phone. It’s been over a day, and I’m too scared to wait any longer. I’m going to her.”
    Kai stepped closer, his eyebrows tightly knit with concern and confusion.
    I thought about Dad and what he’d done when our ally Zania was in trouble. Her own father, Duke Sonellion, had given up on her because of her alcoholic ways, and he left her to be beaten and sold into slavery somewhere in the Middle East. But Dad sent a group to help bail her out. Of course, her rescue had led to the eventual death of one of them. . . .
    “Are there any Dukes in California?” I asked. “Blake’s dad?”
    Kai shook his head just as Marna said, “No. It was on the news. He died last night and left his fortune to his only son.”
    I shivered. Blake’s dad, Duke Melchom, was most likely spiriting his way around China, his new duty station, looking for a new body to possess.
    “All the Dukes should be back in their respective areas,” Kaidan said. “What’s going on?”
    “Is that Kai? What’s he doing there?”
    “Yes, it’s him. Hold on.” I looked at Kai. “Can you call Blake and see if he answers? We think Ginger’s with him.”
    Now he raised both eyebrows, starting to understand, though he had no idea what had sent her running there. Kaidan turned and dialed