Sweet Reckoning (The Sweet Trilogy #3)(90)

The way Zania watched him was endearing.

“Let’s all go back to the room,” Kaidan suggested, and we all agreed.

As we made our way through the lobby, we stopped to thank other Nephilim who’d fought with us. It was weird to see everyone’s badges turned white. I met Kopano’s brothers and gave them hugs.

I found Marek watching out the window with his hands in his pockets, and I punched him in the arm. He turned, surprised when he saw me standing there with my hands on my hips.

“You scared me!”

Marek laughed. “I was working for your papa!”

Dad had been there all along, playing a hand in the events.

I smiled and put a hand on my hip. “Well, did you have to be such a good actor?”

“My plan was to tell you when we met, but that did not work out.” His eyes lifted to someone behind me and he leaned closer to my ear. “So, you and the son of Pharzuph, eh? Good choice.” He gave his eyebrows a playful lift.

“Um, thanks. . . .” I glanced over my shoulder at Kai, who turned away from us with an amused smile. Yeah, it was too bad Kaidan didn’t have a twin brother to appease the masses, because I wasn’t sharing my man.

“You have my admiration in more ways than one, Daughter of Belial. Enjoy your life with that gorgeous husband. You deserve it.” He winked.

I reached up and hugged Marek now, and he hugged me back.

“Keep in touch,” I told him.

As he walked away, the back of a young girl caught my eye. She was watching out the window, her arms wrapped around herself. Her dark hair hung limp. Just a child. Was she separated from her parents? I had to find out.

“Excuse me,” I said to her.

When she turned, I sucked in a breath. Caterina. Her eyes were bloodshot and distant. Her hair had come out of its neat bun.

“Where is she?” Caterina asked.

“Who? Oh . . . Jezebet?”

Caterina nodded.

I spoke with care. “She’s in heaven.”

The poor girl looked pitiful. Baffled. I actually felt sorry for her. Jezebet had been working for the opposite side for who knew how long, and Caterina had to feel betrayed.

“She couldn’t tell you,” I started to explain, but Caterina cut me off with a curt nod.

“She did not trust me.”

I bit my lip. What could I say to that?

Caterina stared at my badge. “Is mine . . . ?”

“Yours is white now, too,” I said.

“And what does that mean?”

I thought about it. “It means you’re not automatically going to hell when you die. You’re not cursed anymore just because of who your father was. You can choose how you want to live your life now. You’re free.”

She looked more frightened and childlike now. The girl had had no guidance except in evil.

“Caterina . . . where will you go now?”

She looked around, lost.

“You’ll come with me,” I heard, and turned to see Ginger eyeing Caterina.

The girl’s eyes got big and she shook her head. “No. Nu. I will care for myself.”

“Bollocks.” Ginger stepped closer. She pushed the hair off Caterina’s shoulder, and the girl flinched away. “I’ll never hit you. But I’ll also not put up with any lying or attitude.”

Caterina shook her head, staring down at the floor. Ginger didn’t bother with gentleness when she spoke to her. She was as frank as always, which made me think they were a good match for each other.

“How old are you?” Ginger asked.

“Thirteen.”

“I know some of the things you’ve done,” Ginger told her. “I’ve done a lot, too. But that’s all going to change now. Come on.” She held out her hand.

Caterina stared at her outstretched offering. Based on everything I’d witnessed from the girl, I couldn’t imagine her taking it. But people were full of surprises. Caterina took her hand.

“Right then,” Ginger said. She marched through our group, pulling Caterina behind her and leaving us all gaping in her wake.

“Unbelievable,” Marna whispered.

Blake grinned. “I freaking love her.” He jogged to catch up to Ginger.

I smiled up at Kaidan, who still seemed dumbstruck, and I twined my fingers with his.

I’d always considered myself a forgiving person, but when it came to Caterina it was hard to see past the evil things she’d done, and to remember she was young and badly nurtured. It was humbling to see Ginger being more open-minded than me in this matter. I thought she understood the girl’s attitude in a way the rest of us couldn’t.

It was nearly six in the morning when we made it to the room. We were dragging, and covered in a layer of dust. I couldn’t believe we’d been in this room just five short hours ago, wondering if we’d live or die.

Caterina sat in a chair with her ankles crossed and her head down, looking nervous. Ginger tapped her shoulder and handed her a cola with ice.

“No need to be scared of anyone here. They know I’ll kick their arses if they mess with you. Got it?”

Caterina nodded and stared down at her drink.

Kaidan dug a T-shirt from his bag and tossed it to Kopano. When he came out of the bathroom, he seemed uncomfortable. The shirt was tighter than anything he usually wore. I peeked at Zania, who was sitting on the floor cross-legged and staring hard at Kope. When she met my eye she tried to hold back a smile, because yeah . . . he looked really good.