I’m just struggling with the delay.

… Which is why I’m now standing here with the bubble-blowing Keeda, the studious Pandora, and the cat-stroking Cami.

It was Dante’s idea—Dante Oberon, the Remnants’ mind reader. This morning he caught Cami and me trying to sneak out of the catacombs, the two of us so desperate for information about Lengard that we were willing to leave in search of our own. He’d intercepted us at the end of the long passage we were creeping down, barring the path with his arms crossed over his massive chest. Eyeing us shrewdly, he’d said, “Between Liana and me, did you really think we wouldn’t know?”

I’d wanted to slap my forehead, having forgotten about Liana’s ability to Speak news of the future into the present, offering warnings of things to come.

“I wasn’t aware that we were prisoners here,” I’d said instead, determined not to sound apologetic—or guilty.

“You’re not,” Dante replied. “But it’d be nice if you didn’t offer yourselves up on a silver platter to Lengard after everything we risked to get you out of there.”

I had deflated at that, as had Cami.

Dante’s stance had relaxed then, compassion overtaking his features. “Look, we’re coming up with a plan, all right? Just sit tight for a little longer. Why don’t you … I don’t know … do some training or something to keep busy, play around with your Speaking abilities?” He flexed his biceps pointedly and added, “It’s like building a muscle—you have to exercise it in order to grow.”

I had wanted to point out that Kael was meant to be helping me in that department, but Dante had started to usher us back down the tunnel, escorting us all the way to our room. After he left, I’d turned to see if Cami wanted to make a break for it again, but she’d sighed and said Dante was right—there was no point in us getting caught.

Frustrated sparks had shot from my fingers with my reply, leaving small fireworks cartwheeling around the enclosed space. For a long moment, the two of us had watched them in stunned silence, the irritation bleeding out of me as the bright lights fizzled and popped.

“You know, I think Dante might be onto something with the training idea,” Cami had said wryly.

Despite the self-reproach I’d felt at having unintentionally lost control, for the first time since awakening in the catacombs, I’d grinned.

It was in that moment that Keeda had entered our room, with Pandora on her heels. They’d stopped dead at the sight of the fireworks display, the utter absurdity of the scene causing them to squawk out demands for an explanation. Cami had filled them in while I’d tried to coax the distressed Schrödinger out from under my bed, where he’d sought refuge at the first pyrotechnic explosion.

When Cami finished by sharing Dante’s suggestion, Keeda and Pandora had offered their company for the afternoon, assuring us that Kael didn’t need them.