Seth didn’t turn around, and I stared at him, totally unbelieving of what was happening. A hole opened up in my chest, split wide open, because I knew—oh God, I knew deep down—this wasn’t just about training. Seth wasn’t just pulling back on that.

He was pulling back on us.

“Solos is going to take over with Luke’s help,” Marcus stated, folding his hands on the desk. “He is an amazing Sentinel, and his experience will be invaluable.”

I bet Solos was a badass ninja. I mean, he knew how to use nunchucks, so he had to be awesome, but he wasn’t Seth. And before, Seth hadn’t wanted Solos training me. What had changed?

“He will be . . . perfect for you,” Seth said in the same flat voice.

I inhaled, but the air got stuck in my lungs and my chest seized. “Why?” I whispered.

Seth continued to stare face forward. “It’s just for the best. That’s all you need to know.”

All I needed to know?

“Laadan will be able to help you with the elements. She cannot control all of them, but it’s the best we have right now,” Marcus continued. “At least until Apollo returns. If he comes through with what Seth has informed me, then another demigod can surely help you.”

“But we don’t know when Apollo is returning or who he’s bringing,” I argued. “Am I supposed to not work on akasha until then?”

“Yes,” Seth replied coolly. “That would be it.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“It makes perfect sense to—”

“How about you actually look at me when you talk to me?” I snapped as anger shot through my system like an out of control arrow. Papers on Marcus’s desk rattled. “I don’t like talking to the back of a head.”

“Well,” Seth said, drawing the word out as he slowly twisted sideways in his chair. Cool amber eyes met mine. “I also don’t like talking to the wall.”

My eyes narrowed as I stepped forward. “I can totally sympathize with that, especially right now.”

“This,” Marcus said quietly, almost to himself. “This is so entirely familiar to me.”

I didn’t get what Marcus had meant, but Seth closed his eyes briefly, squeezing so hard that the skin puckered at the corners. “Exactly,” he muttered.

“What is that even supposed to mean?” I threw my hands up. “Everything was fine yesterday and now it’s not? I don’t get what—”

“Don’t make this difficult, Josie.” A heartbeat passed, and his lean body tensed in the chair. “Don’t embarrass yourself.”

Sucking in a shallow, messy breath, I drew back as if I’d been slapped right across the face. “Don’t embarrass myself?”

He said nothing, but the muscle along his jaw began to tick.