I nodded against his hand, and he leaned into me, brushing his lips across mine.
Once we were back at the Academy, Reese and I split up. I had no way of contacting Lana to find out where they were, so I decided to try the basement first.
As I strode down the cement stairs, my heart quickened at Jace’s deep and angry tone. “I’m telling you, they’re initiating an attack. This is the first step of their plan. They want the humans out so they can bring on a blood bath as they slaughter us.”
I edged around the corner, peeking. Nick threw his hands into the air. “Even so, that doesn’t make sense. Why bother declaring we’re uniting with the Narcos?” He rais
ed his eyebrows. “Why not just throw up the barrier, send all the humans away, then attack the hell out of us? Why go through the charade?”
Jace stood and began pacing. “I don’t know.” He stopped abruptly when his eyes met mine. He turned toward Nick and Lana. “I’ll be back later. You guys keep trying to figure it out. I have something to do.” He rushed past me and stomped up the stairs.
My heart sank, and I bowed my head as I entered the room. “So, I take it you guys don’t know any more, either.” I sat down on Jace’s bucket.
Nick patted my shoulder. “Hey, sorry about you and Jace.” He awkwardly rubbed my shoulder.
I nodded, smiling weakly at him. “Thanks.” Then I glanced at Lana. Her eyes were heavy. “Do we know anything at all?”
Nick shrugged, sinking back onto his bucket.
Lana sighed. “I spoke with Devon. He said he’d noticed the club getting slower this past week.” She wrung her hands. “He thinks it’s best to remain calm, go along with things until the Councils reveal their intentions.”
I bit down on my lip. We really didn’t have any other choice. “Okay.” My next words I weighed heavily before speaking. “And what about your dad?” I studied Lana’s face. “Have you spoken to him at all since the announcement?”
“No.” She shook her head. “None of us have. Jace is furious. Well, that’s an understatement. He knows Dad won’t answer our questions, anyway. And he wants us to have nothing to do with him until he will.”
“The silent treatment?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Nick mock laughed. “Yeah, eventually Mom will get tired of it and she’ll crack, forcing Dad to give in. Works every time.”
Lana brushed her pink dreads from her shoulder. “Being part of a political family sucks.”
I smiled faintly. “Hope it works.”
Nick stood. “I’m tired. Since nothing’s getting accomplished, and it seems we’re in no immediate danger, I’m taking a nap.” He looked at me. “I know my brother’s rough. Are you okay?”
Guilt washed over me. He’d assumed Jace was the reason for our falling out. “Nick, it’s not Jace. We…” I trailed off, looking for the right words. “We just didn’t work like that. But he didn’t do anything.”
“Cool,” he said. “Good to hear. I’m out. Wake me when the drama’s over.” He headed up the stairs.
“How come he gets to do that?” I asked Lana, shaking my head lightly.
She shrugged. “He’s Nick.”
We laughed, releasing the tension from the room. Then I hopped to my feet. “Come on. Let’s get out of here. The disinfectant is starting to hurt my head.”
“Agreed.” Lana laced her arm through mine. “Want to binge out in the unit? We could stop off at the cafeteria and grab loads of chocolate.”
“Yes. I think I’m overdue for a good chocolate binge.”
We left. There was nothing more we could do. We had tried to discover information by breaking into the Narcolym airship and failed. We’d spent all afternoon wracking our brains, but came up with nothing. We were at a standstill until the Councils wanted to reveal their intentions, just as Devon had said. The best thing I could do was lay low until I met with Reese. I hoped he’d find something—anything—out. And without getting himself into trouble. My stomach churned. Maybe chocolate wasn’t such a hot idea.
By eight thirty I was becoming restless. Lana and I had spent the evening talking and vegging out. But I wouldn’t last the next half hour without going crazy. I needed to find out what Reese had learned.
“Stop fidgeting,” Lana said. “You’ll see him soon.” She pulled on her boots, then reapplied her lipstick.
“You think going out tonight is a good idea?”
She shrugged. “I’m going to see Devon, regardless. Let them try and stop me.” She turned toward me. “Besides, I think I need to get Jace out for a while. I don’t want him festering in his funk.”