Clearly fighting a smile, Vale squared her shoulders. “Yeah. Respect.”

Nola had to subdue a grin, too. Looked like the two had made up. Not surprising. Vale was just so...at ease with Knox. Most of the men she’d dated had considered her too brash and too edgy, with good reason. She was brash and edgy. However, few people dug past the surface to see the vulnerable girl underneath the bravado. A girl whose father abandoned her after the tragic death of her mother. No one deserved a supportive partner more.

Bane arched a brow, the Adwaewethian equivalent of rolling his eyes. “Did she call you innocent?” he asked Nola. “That’s like calling a dragon a bird.”

Dragon. Ha! Nola elbowed him in the stomach. “I’m not that bad.”

“You’re right.” His eyes glittered with unexpected merriment and a hint of lust. “You’re worse.”

Mmm. Lust. He looked at her lips and licked his own. Heat sizzled between them.

“You know, if everyone walks away from this expedition with only minor injuries, I’ll consider it a win,” Vale said. “Who am I kidding? If everyone crawls away, it’ll be a win.”

Nola picked up the reins of conversation, backtracking to her sister’s original query. “Yes, I’m sure I want to stay with these nutjobs. I like having strapping immortal eye candy at my beck and call.”

“Well, you’re the only reason my immortal eye candy offered up his guest home.” Vale grinned at Bane and Zion. “Your companions owe us. Big-time.”

Knox nodded. “As payment, you’ll help us end Erik—but you will not make the kill. Vale will. That is nonnegotiable.”

Zion popped his jaw but he, too, nodded. Bane gritted out, “Very well.”

“So, we’re doing this, then?” Vale grinned and clapped. “We’re forming a kick-A alliance?”

“I would like that. I’ve never before had true allies.” With his head high and his broad shoulders squared, pride stamped into every inch of Knox’s bearing. “If you keep your word, I’ll keep mine. I will fight to save you rather than destroy you. When Erik and his allies have been taken out, we can reevaluate the alliance. With warriors from the other two wars joining ours, we might have to band together longer than anticipated.”

Zion filled his lungs and said, “I’ll stand with you.”

“I’ll stand with you, as well.” Bane clasped and squeezed Nola’s hand.

She all but melted. My darling man.

“Let’s get you ensconced in your new safe house.” Knox opened a rift, then motioned the others to enter.

Zion stepped through first, followed by Nola and Bane. Knox and Vale claimed the rear. Once they were all through, Bane and Zion moved to Knox’s side to act as lookouts, guarding the rift until it closed.