I pulled the blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around my shoulders. “I’m fine, and you know I’m not going to tell you where I am.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

The concern in his voice made tears prick my eyes. “I’m okay, really. I just wanted to check in and say hi.”

He released a slow breath. “I’m surprised you have time. You’ve been pretty busy the last week.”

“Busy?”

“Orias, Stephan Price, the gulak demons last night.”

I chewed on my lower lip. “How do you know I had anything to do with those?”

Chris laughed softly. “Let’s just say your handiwork is hard to miss, Cousin. And we got your friend’s call last night.”

That brought a smile to my lips. “Did the Mohiri take care of Draegan?”

“Oh, he’s been taken care of. When we got there he was yelling about the girl who cheated him and killed his men. Then he started describing what he was going to do to this girl when he found her.”

I grimaced. “That bad, huh?”

“Yes. Nikolas thought so, too.”

“Oh...”

“Nikolas has been as surly as that wyvern of yours since you left, and it doesn’t take much to set him off. Do you know what it’s like being around him when he’s like this?”

“Sorry.”

Chris groaned. “No, you’re not. If you were truly sorry you would tell me where you are right now and save me from this torture.”

“Chris, I –”

“At least talk to the man,” he pleaded. “Give him something.”

I took a deep breath. “Is he there with you now?”

“He’s nearby.”

My pulse quickened. “Okay.”

I heard Chris walking and a door opening and closing. There was a muffled sound as he handed his phone to someone. Then a deep impatient voice said, “Hello?”

“Hi,” I replied hesitantly.

“Sara.” He said my name so softly it was like a caress. Warmth curled in my stomach. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?”

“Chris?”

“The gulak demon.”

“He didn’t touch me.”

I could hear his exhale. “You didn’t call last night. I didn’t know what to think.”

I closed my eyes, wanting to kick myself. Last night had been crazy, and we were all so excited about getting the contract for Greg that I hadn’t thought Nikolas might be expecting me to call him like I’d been doing every night. God, I’m an awful person.

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m just glad you’re okay and that you’re talking to me.”

The ache that had lingered in my chest for days began to ease. I tugged the blanket closer around me and curled up on my side, facing the laptop. “Me too.”

He sighed and I imagined him running his hand through his black hair, his gray eyes dark and intense. “I know you’re angry with me, but this isn’t solving anything. Tell me where you are, and we’ll talk this through.”

“I’m not angry about that anymore.”

“Then tell me where you are.”

“If I do, will you try to stop me from looking for Madeline?”

He didn’t reply.

“This is important to me, Nikolas. I’ve gotten closer than anyone else to finding her, and I can’t stop now.”

“We’ll look for her together,” he said, and I closed my eyes, wishing I could believe that.

“Does that mean you won’t have any problem with me going to see warlocks and demons and anyone else who might lead us to Madeline?” Working together meant he’d have to stop trying to protect me from anyone who looked at me funny. It meant us being equals. I didn’t have his fighting abilities, but I’d proven that I had my own strengths.

“We’ll work something out.”

I heard clicking in the background, and it took me a few seconds to realize he was using a computer. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was doing. I should have been angry he was trying to trace the call, but I would have expected nothing less from him.

“You can’t trace me. I made sure of it.”

The clicking stopped. “So I see. You picked up a few tricks.”

“Yes, and some new friends.” It was strange thinking of a demon as a friend, but that was what Kelvan was becoming to me. “Listen, I have to go.” I wanted nothing more than to lie there all night talking to him, but I didn’t know how good Mohiri technology was or how long it would take them to trace my call. It was foolish to risk them finding me just because it made me feel better to hear Nikolas’s voice.

Nikolas surprised me when he didn’t try to keep me on the phone. “Call me tomorrow.”

“I will,” I promised. My heart felt lighter now that we’d actually talked. “Good night.”

“Good night,” he said huskily. “And, Sara, happy birthday.”

* * *

“Are you going to stay in bed all day?”

“Mmm.”

“Sara, wake up.” Jordan pulled the covers off me, and I shivered as cold air touched my arms and legs. I opened my eyes to glare at her, and my head began to pound with a fierce headache.

I reached for the blankets and pulled them back up to my chin, burrowing beneath them until only my eyes were visible. “Go away,” I moaned. “I don’t feel well.”