Marcus found Isi rearranging things in her bag when he got to her room. “Where did you head off to so early?” she asked.

  “I had things to do.”

  Isi gave him a look that said, Did you finish those things?

  He came up behind her and pressed a kiss to her neck, using it as an excuse to whisper into her ear. “I talked to Kara. Had to disable bugs to cover it up.”

  Siera didn’t trust anyone. Speaking openly in their rooms was a risk; they’d even found a camera once. Isi had gone off on Siera about that, but they’d been careful ever since. He preferred to be anywhere but where Siera was.

  “And?” Isi asked.

  “And I love you,” Marcus said aloud. He kissed her collarbone, then murmured, “Gave Kara the copy. Hid it where you suggested. She has a request. Wrote it down,” he added, slipping Kara’s notes and one of his own explaining Kara’s request into Isi’s jacket pocket as he wrapped an arm around her.

  “Good,” Isi said.

  They were good at these secret conversations. They had plenty of practice.

  “Packing?” Marcus asked louder.

  Isi plucked a note off the dresser. “Someone slipped this under the door.”

  Marcus tensed. If someone had seen him leave—

  Isi ran a hand along the arm he had wrapped around her. It’s fine, she seemed to say, it was after you left.

  Marcus relaxed and took the note from Isi, reading it over: orders from Siera to monitor the Vazari Clan. Likely just an excuse to send Isi away. And Siera wanted her out by noon.

  “Really?” he muttered. “She couldn’t wait one day?”

  He tried to hold back the tremor that ran through him. Anger, fear—he wasn’t sure he could tell anymore. Isi twisted to see his eyes. He looked away. The anger and hurt there were real. Emotions he couldn’t afford. He knew this was necessary, but he still hated it.

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  He felt her fingers at his jaw, forcing him to look at her.

  “I’m sorry,” Isi whispered.

  Marcus sighed. “I know. It’s fine,” he said, pulling her into his chest. She let him, her own arms snaking around his waist.

  It wasn’t fine. Isi was going to go off and probably do something reckless to get Novem’s half of the encryption key, but there was nothing that he could do about it, not without endangering her.

  Isi’s door opened then. Siera stood silhouetted in the door frame. She clicked her tongue. “I’m glad to see you made it back, Marcus.”

  Marcus’ only response was a nod. He had every right to be angry right now, and Siera knew it. She knew that he and Isi hadn’t really seen each other in almost a month. She knew this would hurt. Marcus wouldn’t hide his annoyance. He released Isi but didn’t step away.

  Isi didn’t pull back immediately. She gave it a few seconds before she straightened and crossed her arms, turning to face Siera. “Tia, is there a reason that you’re interrupting?”

  “I just wanted to make sure you got my note,” Siera said.

  Isi just held the note up and gestured to the bags that she had been packing.

  “Good,” Siera said.

  Marcus wanted to roll his eyes. Siera was here to interrupt what time they did have together. It was petty, but it meant they had gotten under her skin. Normally, she wasn’t this controlling.

  “Anything else, Tia?” Isi asked.

  “Clean this place up before you go,” Siera said. The room was hardly messy, just a couple things here and there.

  Isi didn’t hold back the eyeroll, and Siera stiffened. Isi just smiled back at her, slow and deliberate, like she was daring her aunt to say something more.

  Siera turned to go, but before she made it out the door she turned back. “Oh, and Marcus?”

  “Yes?” Marcus said.

  “You have patrol duty. Get your schedule after breakfast.”

  Marcus grimaced. He knew exactly what this was—a slap on the wrist, a reminder that he wasn’t above punishment. She was still angry about Trevor’s drive. But then again… patrol meant freedom. An excuse to explore the forest. Easier to find a way to get Kara out.

  Siera disappeared down the hall, and Marcus let himself breathe deeply again.

  Isi chuckled. “Immediate patrol duty. Payment for the eyeroll, I guess.”

  Marcus snorted. “Yes. You notice how I get to pay for your eyeroll?”

  “I’m pretty sure the real price is being deprived of your company,” Isi said with a wink. “You don’t really mind guard duty anyway.”

  Marcus huffed a laugh. It was true. He didn’t mind.

  Isi surveyed her bag. “If you’re off on patrol, I don’t need to wait till noon. Let’s eat. Then I’ll go see what the world’s hiding.”

  Marcus’ stomach twisted. Alone. Both of them.

  He just had to ignore that. And ignore the itch to run to the only place he still felt safe, where he could just bring dessert and things were somehow right. He took a deep breath. He couldn’t do that. Because if someone was watching him… that was the last person he wanted to lead them to.

  “To breakfast, then,” Marcus said, holding out a hand. Isi took it, and they made their way to the kitchen.

  [Lev] For rent this week, I've been reading this one. Very different than the Archive, but it has that thing where you have to earn the people, piece by piece. Archival energy. Some of you might be interested, so… check it out.

  [Archivist] Lev.

  [Lev] I’ll shut up now.