“We’re standing right here,” Cami interjects. “There’s no need to talk about us like we’re not.”

I bite my lip, wondering about this turn in the conversation. Wondering if I should jump in or back away. Wondering so many things—like how Cami feels about Kael. I know he feels irrational guilt for the deaths of her parents, but the question remains as to whether she agrees. I can’t imagine that she would, but there’s no denying the tension I still feel between them. How much of it is from Kael alone, I can’t tell.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Kael says, glancing at Cami quickly and offering a small, apologetic smile. “I think we’re all a bit tired today. Still, it’s no excuse for my behavior.”

That’s more like the Kael I know, and something in me eases slightly.

He looks between the three of us before his eyes rest on me. I can’t read his expression, but what he says next has my stomach jumping and then plummeting.

“I was actually thinking we might start training together this morning.”

No, I think despairingly. Not now. Not when—

“I have a few hours before any intel will start coming in,” he continues, still focused on me. “I thought you might be interested in playing around with your power, seeing what you can do when you don’t have someone like Ward trying so hard to keep you safe that you don’t learn anything.”

The comment prickles me, since I learned a lot from Ward. I have control now, thanks to him and his nonsensical, repetitive tasks. As Dante said yesterday, Speaking is like a muscle—and Ward helped me develop mine.

Kael smiles wryly at the look on my face, and I realize he was just trying to get a rise out of me, as if fully aware of my confusing feelings toward Ward. I shoot him a glare and his smile only widens, his midnight eyes laughing at me.

I want to kick him.

Instead, I remain still and hope no one else caught my reaction.

“Especially after last night,” Kael goes on, as if our byplay never happened. “I figured you’d want to get in some practice. Stretch that creative mind of yours.”

I desperately want to take him up on his offer, longing to train with him. Not only because this is a clear attempt at an olive branch—his fulfillment of one of his promises—and not just because of his vast experience with Speakers and Speaking. It’s more than that. Kael’s dad was a Creator, and that means Kael grew up witnessing the scope of Jeremiah Roscave’s power. If anyone could help me begin to understand what I can do, it would be Kael.

But … his timing is awful.

I have to weigh it quickly in my mind. Training with Kael, or infiltrating Lengard.

There’s no choice.

Kael’s offer will hopefully come again, but this might be the only time Arryn is willing to help us. I can’t risk that she’ll change her mind.