Benny wiped blood off the marking with his other thumb. “No. I felt it happen when I touched Karma. It burns like a hot poker. I don’t understand.”

Adare set his head back and caught Ivar’s concerned gaze. It didn’t make any sense. Wasn’t possible.

Grace stirred in his arms, and he held her tighter. She blinked. “Adare?”

“Yeah.” He leaned down and kissed her cute nose.

She swallowed, looking around the craft. “I’m confused. I healed myself, was fine, and then passed out?”

“Yes.” He reminded himself that getting angry at her for jumping in front of a bullet for Benny was counterproductive. They’d have that discussion later, over hot chocolate and a few more kisses. “Your body basically took a kill shot. As a human, that would’ve killed you. So when you were healed, your body still reacted. The response goes away after a while.” Although she wouldn’t be taking kill shots, so it wouldn’t matter. “What the hell were you thinking?” So much for waiting for hot chocolate.

She poked at her healed neck. “I wasn’t thinking. Benny had been hurt, so I was in protection mode. I just reacted.” Lifting herself up, she looked at Benny. “Benny, are you all right?”

“No.” He looked at her. “Tell me everything you can about Karma.”

Grace’s eyes widened, and she looked over her shoulder, relaxing when she spotted the little girl. “Is she okay?”

Ivar nodded. “Falling asleep, believe it or not. Who does she belong to?”

Grace shook her head. “I don’t know. We have to find her parents.”

“We will.” Adare ran his hand down her wet hair, indulging himself. “I’m truly sorry about this, Grace. I never thought I’d leave you in danger.” He might never forgive himself.

She snuggled closer, patting his chest. “Wasn’t your fault. I never did figure out how Yvonne and Brian, I mean Terre, found me.”

“Tracking dust,” Adare said, pausing. “Wait a minute, Logan. We can’t go to our headquarters yet.” How could he have forgotten the tracking dust? Nobody knew the location of the Seven headquarters; not even the king. “Can you get a direct line to Emma?”

“Affirmative. What do you want me to ask her?” Logan yelled back.

“Ask her how long tracking dust stays in the body,” Adare said. There was no way it could be permanent.

Logan communicated with the queen and then made a course correction before answering. “Emma said that the tracking dust is probably already out of Grace’s blood but not her lungs. She said that oxygenated air would help, and she’ll have a room set up for us.”