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Chapter 141: how do we get her
"So, how do we get her?" Rhea asked the obvious question, her voice sharp, cutting through the silence. "Tila’s not gonna just walk into the Haven with a smile."
Kael’s hazel eyes flicked to her, his grin confident but measured.
"I talked to Lila about that. She gave me the location where they’re staying. We go in, snatch Tila, and Lila will play along—act like she’s knocked out after she takes on your attacks to avoid suspicion. Tila’s the stronger one, so we need to be quick and get this on her." He reached into his pocket, pulling out two power-suppressing collars, their sleek metal surfaces glinting ominously.
He handed one to each of them.
"Whoever gets the chance, snap it on her. Doesn’t matter who, unless you want to make it a competition." Kael looked at them excited but they didn’t return the emotion.
Rhea turned the collar over in her hands, her amber eyes narrowing. "Why not hit them at night? Sneak in while she’s sleeping, less chance of a fight. No one around to mess things up."
Kael shook his head, his voice firm. "Tila’s powers are shadow-based. Shadows are weakest at noon—less for her to manipulate. We need to move fast, hit them today when the sun’s high."
Freya’s lips pressed into a thin line, her blue eyes flashing with disapproval.
"I don’t like how you’re making all these calls without us, Kael," she said, her voice calm but pointed, her sapphire necklace swaying as she leaned forward.
"We’re a team now. You can’t just go off, talk to Lila, and plan everything without a word. I know you make snap decisions, but you’re gonna get yourself hurt one day. At least tell us so we can cover you or come searching for you if it’s a trap."
Kael’s hazel eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
Freya’s concern for him, raw and unguarded, hit like a warm wave.
A smile spread across his cheeks, softening his features.
"Okay, Freya," he said, his voice gentle, sincere. "I’ll loop you in from now on. Promise."
Rhea’s amber eyes glinted with mischief, her ruby necklace catching the light as she leaned back, a sly grin spreading.
"Speaking of getting hurt... aren’t you tired, Kael? Last night was a marathon, and you sure had worked up a lot of sweat, heavy-lifting." Her voice dripped with teasing, her grin widening as Freya’s cheeks flushed.
Kael chuckled, his hazel eyes twinkling.
"Heavy lifting? I barely broke a sweat. You two were the ones putting on a show." His grin turned playful, but his tone softened. "Seriously, though, I forgot to ask—how are you both feeling? We only go if you’re ready."
Rhea threw her head back, laughing, her crimson hair bouncing.
"Oh, I’m born ready," she said, flexing her arms, her black tank top stretching. "Bring on Tila. I’ll burn her shadows to ash this time."
Freya’s expression was more reserved, her blue eyes steady.
"I’m tired," she said, her voice firm, though her face showed no trace of fatigue. "I need a day’s rest."
Kael studied her, his hazel eyes narrowing slightly.
She didn’t look tired—her posture was strong, her gaze sharp—but her seriousness was unmistakable.
He nodded slowly. "Alright, fine. Let’s take a break today. We’ll go tomorrow."
Rhea’s amber eyes flicked to Freya, a curious tilt to her head, but she shrugged. "Fine by me."
Freya nodded, her sapphire necklace glinting as she relaxed against the couch. "Good."
"I’ll let Lila know," Kael said, standing and heading toward the kitchen to grab his phone, his footsteps fading down the hall.
With Kael gone, Rhea turned to Freya, her amber eyes narrowing. "You’re not really tired, are you? You look like you could freeze a city block right now."
Freya’s lips twitched, her blue eyes drifting to the blank TV before meeting Rhea’s gaze. "I’m not," she admitted, her voice low, a faint blush creeping up her neck.
Rhea’s grin widened, her ruby necklace swaying as she leaned closer. "Then why’d you pull the ’tired’ card? Spill it."
Freya paused, her fingers tracing the edge of the couch, her gaze softening.
"I want to spend time with Kael," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "Just us, no missions, no fights. We were in that rat-infested sewer yesterday, and tomorrow we’ll be chasing Tila. After that, he’ll be focused on her, rehabbing her. I just... I want a day where we’re not bleeding or worrying, just together, enjoying each other’s company."
Rhea’s amber eyes softened, a warmth breaking through her usual bravado. She hummed, nodding slowly.
"Sounds too damn good," she said, her grin returning. "You did the right thing, Freya. Let’s make it a lazy day—binge some movies, stuff our faces. No fighting crap."
Freya’s smile was bright, her blue eyes sparkling. "Deal."
Rhea snatched the remote, flipping through channels with a gleeful smirk, settling on an animated movie, Melted.
The vibrant colors filled the screen, a fiery-haired girl blasting flames at a shadowy sorcerer.
Freya leaned back, her sapphire necklace catching the TV’s glow, as Kael returned, sliding back onto the couch between them.
"Oh, you like Melted?" Kael asked, his hazel eyes lighting up as he caught the screen, the little fire-powered girl dodging a magical trap.
"Hell yeah," Rhea said, her amber eyes gleaming with excitement. "It’s about this badass girl with fire powers taking down a sorcerer. You’ll love it, Kael."
"Never seen it," Kael admitted, his grin boyish. "Looks fun."
"It’s awesome," Rhea said, practically bouncing. "You’re in for a treat." no𝚟𝚙u𝚋.c𝚘m
Kael started to stand, his hazel eyes glinting. "I’ll make popcorn—"
"Nope!" Rhea yanked him back down, her hand firm on his arm, her ruby necklace swinging. "You’re watching. I’ll handle the popcorn. Don’t you dare miss this scene, this is where the girl realizes that she can use her fire to fly."
She darted to the kitchen, her footsteps quick, leaving Kael chuckling.
"Sometimes she’s such a kid," Kael mumbled to Freya, who was still nestled against him, her head on his shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent—sweat and faint cologne.
Freya’s blue eyes flicked up, meeting his, a soft smile curving her lips.
She nodded, then shifted, sliding down to rest her head on his lap, her platinum-cyan hair spilling across his thighs.
Kael adjusted his arms, one hand resting on her head, stroking her silky smooth hair subtly; the other inadvertently brushing her chest as he settled.
"Are you squeezing my boobs?" Freya asked, her voice teasing, her blue eyes glinting as she caught his hand mid-squeeze, his fingers curled like he was testing a stress ball.
Kael’s grin was shameless, his hazel eyes twinkling. "This is the armrest I like."
