23. Sasha

Chapter 23

Sasha

W e're at the gates of Billie's mansion, and a cool breeze blows through my hair, making it flutter around my face as I hug Billie tight. Chowder is already in a town car with the driver at the front, and Kaden is off saying goodbye to Billie's mates. He had been gone half the day, spending more time with the king than intended, then Khaos gave him a tour of Lapland. Now, we're rushing as our flight is scheduled to leave in less than two hours.

"I'm going to miss you so much," Billie murmurs, squeezing me tightly. "I loved seeing you. We really need to do this more often."

"We will," I promise her, returning the hug with equal fervor. "Especially now that I'm working out of Norway. Last night's catch-up was amazing."

We hug again, and as Kaden reaches my side, Billie hugs him, too. Then Kaden and I head into the car where Chowder waits.

"What took so long?" Chowder asks, waving out of the open window. Then he's suddenly calling out, "Bye, Eryx!"

"He's obsessed with him," Kaden mutters as he leans into his seat as the car takes off.

Kaden's reclined, legs spreading, taking up most of the back seat, glancing at me silently. I shift in my seat, still buzzing from the morning's rush.

"So, how did it go with the king?" I ask, breaking the silence. "You came back so late, and I need to know if it's all sorted."

"It couldn't have been easier," he admits, smirking. "The king is admirable and someone I highly respect. I would happily serve under his reign while living in the House of Gold and Garnet. I mean, I also have an agreement with the Siren Goddess permitting me to use the seas for now. Her insistence that I relocate to the House of Sea and Serpentine is something I'll deal with later."

I swallow hard at how blasé he is about such matters, but Kaden isn't someone to be pushed into doing something he doesn't want to.

"And what happened?" I ask as Chowder continues to stare out the back window at the mansion disappearing behind us, while I'm curious about how Kaden handled meeting a king.

"Well, with Khaos, who is evidently very close with King Kaspian, he arranged for me to meet with him as a favor to Khaos. All I had to give him was a few drops of my blood—the currency in this House." He's smirking, and I can't recall the last time he spoke so much in one breath. "Through Khaos, he was able to affirm that I spoke the truth along with confirming your identity, and that took all but ten minutes. The king's passing through Finland, so I didn't spend as long with him as I'd hoped, but he welcomed me back anytime. I'm the first kraken in his House, and he's proud of it. Seems everyone wants me in their Houses." He grins, chest sticking out. "And he'll ensure that I'll be left alone by all mercenaries. He put out orders to spread the word when I was there."

He's talking rather excitedly and proudly—cocky, too—but I guess it's not every day one gets to meet a king. Regardless, I'm smiling at the thought that he'll have those mercenaries off his back.

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted and no more attacks. Though you should have woken me up when you got up."

He grins, reaching over to squeeze my thigh gently. "Do you know how beautiful and innocent you looked, all curled up? It broke my heart to wake you."

With Chowder curled up near the rear window of the car, Kaden wraps an arm around my back, drawing me closer to him.

"I'm contemplating swimming back to Finland," he says with no amusement in his voice.

I laugh. "Are you crazy? How long is that going to take you? And we'll be there so fast on the plane."

The corners of his lips pinch, and he sighs. "I don't think I'm made for flying. I sweated so much on the way here."

"I promise it'll be all right, and you can hold my hand the whole time. What do you say?"

He's not teasing me or anything, and I can tell he's dead serious and scared. I like this more vulnerable side of him.

I press in against his side, and we enjoy the ride, me holding his hand. "It's going to be all right," I murmur.

"You really are incredible," he whispers in my ear, then holds me tighter.

I find myself lost in the moment, wrapped up in the warmth and safety of his presence. But beneath the surface, a flicker of fear stirs. Everything is moving so fast—what if things go wrong, like they did with my parents? The thought nags at me, a shadow on the edge of my happiness, reminding me that nothing is ever truly certain.

As we drive toward the airport, a comfortable silence settles between us. I'm trying to plan what we need to do once we're back when suddenly, Kaden stiffens beside me, his eyes rolling back into his head.

"Kaden, are you okay?" Panic lurches in my chest. "What's going on?"

He slumps against the door, his body trembling. Fear slams into me, tears springing to my eyes as my stomach turns to ice. I've never felt so scared before, and just as I thought maybe things were finally perfect, he passes out for no reason. Has he been drugged?

"Wake up, please," I plead, my voice trembling. Chowder senses my panic and scrambles onto Kaden's lap, his tiny paws pressing against Kaden's chest.

"Kaden, Kaden… What's wrong?" Chowder calls, his voice high-pitched.

My mind races with possibilities, fear clawing at my insides. Has he been poisoned? Is it some kind of attack?

"Please, Kaden, wake up," I murmur, tears slipping down my cheeks. The fear grips me so tightly it's hard to breathe.

I knock frantically on the tinted glass divider between us and the driver, desperation clawing at me. Just as the driver lowers the glass, his concerned eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror, Kaden starts to groan.

"Is everything all right?" the driver asks.

But I'm focusing on Kaden as he opens his eyes, staring at me, his breaths coming fast and shallow.

"It's okay, I think," I reply to the driver. "He's just… not feeling well."

The driver nods, watching us through the mirror. "I can pull over if he's going to be sick."

Kaden expels a gasping breath, as if he's been holding it. He looks confused for a few moments, as though he's unsure where he is.

"Kaden, are you all right? What just happened? Are you okay?" I ask urgently.

Chowder is still there, peering into his face. "Why did you pass out?" he asks.

Kaden rubs his face and breathes heavily. "I'm fine," he finally says.

"No, you're not. People don't just pass out like that," I say, tears stinging my eyes. I'm shaken to my core, imagining the worst.

He smiles, reaching for my hand. "This is why I know you want me as much as I do you. You're crying for me. Do you know how much that means to me?"

"Kaden," I say louder, trying to keep my voice steady. "Tell me what just happened. If you're pulling some stunt, I swear to the gods that I'm going to throw you out of this moving car. You really scared Chowder and me."

"I-I have visions," he finally admits.

The admission catches me off guard. It's not what I expected him to say at all.

"Like seeing the future?" I ask, trying to wrap my head around it. I've never heard of anyone having visions, so I'm not sure what it really means.

"I have what's called genetic memory," he explains calmly. "It's a gift that runs in my family line, where random snippets of my ancestors' experiences are passed down to each new generation. I mostly get visions from my grandfather's life, like he wants me to know something."

He rubs his face again, his brow furrowing as I absorb what he's saying.

"So, it's like you get a glimpse into his past? Do you think it's related to you trying to discover who got him put into Tartarus?"

He shrugs. "It might be," he admits, a hint of uncertainty in his words.

"So, what did you see?" I ask, my heart still pounding from the scare.

Chowder curls up in his lap, and Kaden rests a hand on him, a gesture that makes my heart warm with tenderness.

"It's hard to make sense of it," Kaden admits. "I see him either with his business partner or his lover. And I feel like I'm missing a major clue. His business partner is the woman you spoke to at the wharf, so I really need to find her again and discover what's going on."

I blink at him, noticing the slight tremble in his hands, worried about what all of this means.

"I feel like she's the key," he continues. "Like she might know what happened to my grandfather. So, once we're back, I need to concentrate on finding her."

"I'll help you," I say, determined. "There have to be records of her somewhere."

Pressed up against him, I can't believe how quickly I reacted, how much he means to me.

We fall silent. I remain glued to him.

The road stretches out ahead of us, but I'm worried about him—about us.

For now, though, I squeeze his hand tighter, grounding myself in the moment, and hope that he's right… and that I'm nothing like my mother.

We step out of the airport into the late afternoon sun, which casts golden hues dancing on the horizon. Norway looks stunning in this light. The more time I spend here, the more it feels like home.

Kaden is back to his friendly, jovial self, dragging me close to his side, stealing kisses, bantering with Chowder. He sneers at any man daring to look at me as we walk toward the parking area where we're getting picked up by a driver.

He leans in to whisper in my ear, "I'm going to cut their eyeballs out for daring to stare at you."

"You need to calm down," I answer, secretly amused by his protective nature.

We move toward the sign indicating the pickup area, and I notice how quiet the underground parking area is. There aren't many cars or people around, which is strange so late in the day. Suddenly, I spot two men in black hoods heading straight for us with purpose, and my heart skips a beat.

Kaden's posture changes instantly, his muscles tensing as he sees them.

"You gotta be kidding me," he mutters, mostly to himself. "They better not be mercenaries."

The men charge at us with menacing intent, and Kaden steps forward. The first man swings a fist at Kaden's jaw, but Kaden ducks beneath it with fluid ease, responding with a quick jab to the man's ribs that makes him grunt in pain. Kaden charges after him, slamming those powerful punches into his face and chest, and once the guy falls, he doesn't get back up.

I'm recoiling, my body on high alert, scanning our surroundings… we're still alone.

The second man lunges with a knife. Kaden twists aside, grabbing the man's wrist and using his momentum against him. The man stumbles, and Kaden drives an elbow into his back, sending him sprawling onto the pavement.

"Stay back," Kaden snarls at me, glancing over his shoulder to ensure I'm out of the way. I clutch the straps of my backpack with Chowder sitting over my shoulder. Fear courses through me as I watch the fight unfold. I hate seeing him continuously being attacked, but then again, he is disposing of them quickly.

The first man recovers, dragging himself up, and charges at Kaden again with a wild swing.

"Fuck!" Kaden growls and catches the man's arm, twisting it sharply until I hear the sickening crack of bone. The man cries out, dropping to his knees.

The second man rolls to his feet, brandishing the knife with renewed determination. He slashes at Kaden, but Kaden sidesteps, grabbing the man's arm and slamming his knee into his midsection. The air rushes from his lungs in a wheeze as he collapses, clutching his stomach. Kaden doesn't let up, grabbing the man by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

"Who the fuck are you?" Kaden demands, throttling the man like a rag doll before tossing him into a stone pillar. Seeing he's still moaning, Kaden goes after him and lifts him to his feet by his fisted shirt.

"Didn't you get the message, asshole? King Kaspian's called all hits off me. I'm a damn citizen of the House of Gold and Garnet now. And you're getting your asses kicked for being stupid."

"We were hired, man," the man gasps, his words choked as he claws at Kaden's grip, gasping for breath, looking pale as a sheet.

Kaden's grip tightens, and the man's thrashing for release. "Who sent you?" Kaden barks, his voice as hard as steel.

The man coughs, a strangled noise, and Kaden drops him, letting him collapse to the ground. "I don't know," the man croaks, clutching his throat.

Kaden looms over him, snatching him by his dark hair. "You're going to regret that," he promises just as the guy's eyes roll up into his head, and he passes out, just like his buddy.

"What the hell's going on?" I ask, unsure why anyone would be coming for us.

Kaden's gaze turns to me, concern flashing across his features. "Are you hurt?" he asks, his voice softer now.

I shake my head, though my heart is still racing, and my grip on the backpack straps is white-knuckled. "I think," I reply.

From behind a parked car to my right, movement catches my attention. I swing around to a third hooded man darting toward me with alarming speed.

"Watch out!" Kaden is already bolting forward, but the man reaches me first. I twist around, shoving my fist into his face and kicking his knee. But the bastard already has his hand on my backpack, yanking it off my shoulder with such force that I stumble sideways.

Then he's gone like lightning.

"Chowder!" I scream, darting after him. The bag's clutched in his arms. Panic surges through me as I dash after him, Kaden hot on my heels.

Kaden sprints past me and reaches the man in a flash, tackling him to the ground. They roll across the stone floor, the bag tumbling free and skidding to a stop a few feet away. I scramble to it, my heart pounding in my chest as I rip it open.

"Chowder!" I call, relief flooding me as I find him inside, frightened but unharmed. "It's going to be fine," I murmur, trying to soothe him.

Chowder doesn't respond, just curls up tighter, and my heart breaks at his fear.

"No one's going to hurt you. I promise." My throat croaks.

Turning back, I find Kaden pinning the man to a stone pillar near a parked car, growling in his face. "What the fuck do you want? Are you after me? Why did you steal her bag?"

The man spits blood at Kaden. "Fuck, I don't want you, you idiot." He glances over at me, and a shiver runs down my spine at his stare.

Kaden's gaze flicks to me, then back to him. "Who sent you?"

"Fuck you," the man snarls, his response dripping with venom.

Kaden grips his wrist harder, then bends it backward instantly, the snap loud, and the man howls in agony. "Every time you don't answer my question, I'll break another bone. Now, who sent you?"

The man's cheeks blanch, and he mumbles, "Fuck… It's the otter she wants and for the girl to leave town."

Kaden cracks the man's fingers back, and the man screams. "You didn't answer my question. Who the fuck sent you?"

Shaking, I hold the bag with Chowder tighter. My mind races, starting to suspect the worst. They're here for Chowder. My mind flashes back to the asshole, Zane, who traffics and experiments on animals. And who I didn't catch on my last mission… the one who got me relocated to Norway. Did he track me down?

"I asked a damn question," Kaden roars in the man's face.

"Lilia," he cries out, literally sobbing as Kaden holds him by the throat. "Lilia sent us to get the otter and to scare her out of town."

"What the fuck?" I mumble, my mind spinning with confusion. Who's Lilia, and why does she want me out of town? Is she working for Zane?

"Keep talking," Kaden demands. "What does she want with Sasha and the otter? Where can I find her?"

The man chokes for breath as Kaden releases his grip slightly.

"Someone hired her to retrieve the otter, and Lilia said to deliver you a message… that Sasha is being watched, and she wants her out of town, or she'll get rid of her. And you won't like how she does it."

I'm trembling, trying to piece together what this means, but I'm left just as perplexed.

"Where do I find her?" Kaden commands.

"Man, I don't know that. She found me at a bar and hired me. That's all I know, honest to God."

Kaden drags the guy farther from my sight, and I hear the dull thuds and groans as he interrogates him further, I assume. When he returns alone, he appears grim, shoulders bunched up, shadows dancing across his face.

"Did you get anything else from him?" I ask, my voice trembling.

He shakes his head, darkness clouding his features.

"I think I know who's after Chowder, but I have no idea who Lilia is. Maybe a local mercenary Zane hired?"

"I know who she is." Kaden's lips pinch tight. "She's my grandfather's business partner. The woman you met on the wharf and who's been in my visions."