His eyes linger on the place where my breasts meet and he pulls his lower lip between his teeth, eyes finally lifting to mine after a few long seconds. “Whispers,” he says. “Some have worries Malakai may strike against priority targets tonight. Remove threats before the Crucible to improve their odds.”

I frown as my thoughts immediately turn to my friends. "Did you tell Beck, Ambrose, and Mireen this? Are they safe?"

"Their names weren't mentioned as priority targets. Yours was. So I'm going to be here with you all night."

"Who else was a priority target besides me?"

Raith hesitates. "Me."

I can't help smiling, even though the idea of students plotting to kill me tonight shouldn't be something to smile about. "Anyone else?"

He shakes his head. "It was just us."

"So you're protecting me by making sure they can find both the people they want to kill in the same room? I thought you were supposed to be a military strategist, Raith."

I sense his frustration. "I'm not leaving you alone tonight. End of discussion."

"I wasn't asking you to. I just like hearing you try to justify it." I step toward the bed, turn my back, and then casually strip out of my clothes, making sure to bend very low and very long to unstrap my shoes. I can feel the heat of his gaze on my ass—the barely controlled temptation throbbing through him and the desire to put his hands on me, to take me.

To fuck me.

I finally steal a look over my shoulder. “Well? Are you going to come to bed with me, or stand in the corner like a gargoyle while I sleep?” I sit on the edge of the bed, crossing my thighs and patting the bed beside me.

He hesitates, then moves to sit, the mattress dipping under his weight. We sit in silence for a moment, the space between us charged with everything we aren't saying.

"I keep thinking about what Serena told us," I admit finally as I work on taking my hair from its braids. "About the magical blackout during the Crucible that'll keep the emissaries from watching. About the windborne. If she's telling the truth, I just don't understand it. Why would Empire sacrifice potential primals just to get rid of Voss?"

"It's not our concern."

"How can you say that? If Empire is sending assassins into a training exercise⁠—"

"Empire does what Empire needs to do," he cuts in, his voice low and controlled. "Our job is to survive. Nothing more."

I turn to face him, frustration building. "Is that really all you care about? Surviving?"

"Tomorrow, all I care about is you surviving."

The simplicity of his answer steals my breath. I shake my head. "That's not true. You care about Cade. The fires. They look up to you like a big brother."