Lucas picked up on it too. “You weren’t sure, were you?”
Cara smiled again. “No. It all hinged on the connection you two have with him.”
“Let’s hope it will be enough.” Lucas avoided Aria’s eyes as he slid off the bed. Cara stared after him as he left the room.
To Aria, his words were like swords through her heart. But she had something to ask Cara. “Lucas isn’t just linked to me, is he? He’s linked to Nikolai, too.”
The Watcher now regarded her with her calm blue eyes. “What do you think?”
Aria took a deep breath. “If this is real, and not just my hormones speaking, I want Lucas.AndNikolai.”
Cara cocked her head. “I haven’t seen Dragons in a triad before Dani, Tyrez and Ash. But that’s not to say you three aren’t forming one.”
Aria stared at her. “Do you really believe that?”
“Are you taking the herbs?”
“Yeah. I’ve been upping the dose, too. But they don’t seem to be doing anything. I am getting worse, not better.”
“Perhaps your hormonal surge has less to do with a reproductive cycle, and more to do with finding your soul mates.”
Aria’s heart leaped. Even the words—soul mates—set her aflame. “Is that what they are?”
“I believe so.”
“But they don’t seem to like each other. They fight all the time.”
Cara laughed. “Just because you are soul mates, doesn’t mean it will all be peace and harmony. Triads can be tricky things until you find the balance. I have good friends that are still struggling with it, but their bond is strong and will see it through.” She swung her feet over the edge of the bed. “We all need to rest for a bit, and recover before we try again. I suggest you take as much crystal dust as you can stomach. I keep a stash of it here, in the cupboard with the tea.”
Aria smiled. Only the Watcher would stash crystal dust with tea. “Why don’t you lie down here? I would really like to stretch my wings. It will help me relax.”
Cara considered and then nodded. “Kick me out when you return, I won’t need to rest for long.”
“Okay.”
There was no sign of Lucas in either his room or the main living area. Aria paused long enough to swallow a healthy dose of crystal dust, taking it dry with a spoon. As the energy tingled through her, she left the cave.
Sunlight danced among foliage that moved in the slight breeze. Lucas sat with his feet dangling over the ledge. Mai was with him, sitting on his knee while she snacked on something crunchy.
Aria winced. “Glad I’m not a bug.”
Lucas didn’t look up at her, just continued staring out across the forest. “She spent the morning in the jungle stuffing herself. Lots of bugs around. Do you think there’s anything out there that might snack on her?”
“Cara doesn’t seem concerned.”
Lucas considered. “Maybe she’s protected by some kind of Watcher mojo here, too.”
“What’s a mojo?”
Lucas’s lips twitched, and he glanced up at her. “Magic.”
“Oh. Well, it’s true I wouldn’t want to mess with Cara.”
“Yeah.” He pulled his legs up and wrapped his arms around them. “Whoever would have guessed that the boys would turn out to be scarier than the girls.”
Scary. Nikolai was scary. But somehow, it didn’t matter. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”
He hesitated. “I won’t know until you ask it.”
