Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

41 Bently

Colton~~

Percy catches up with me and Vienna on our way to Jonas's and his . . . his wife's room. Why is that so unsettling?

As Percy rolls up the cuff of his blue silk shirt, he says, "This all seems a bit like a Bently move."

Vienna scowls, the whites of her eyes a bit red. "Bently's on another planet so that's not a helpful comment, Iota."

"I see someone doesn't appreciate being woken up in the middle of the night."

"And you do?" She sounds as if she's the one who's about to point a knife to his throat.

At least their kiss didn't make them magically start liking each other.

"I tend to appreciate some excitement every now and again."

Vienna flicks him off.

Percy ignores that gesture, running his hand through his hair. "As I was saying . . . Bently. Maybe he followed us here. Decided to finally kill her."

I stop walking. "You can't be serious."

Percy lifts one shoulder in a shrug.

Before France, maybe Percy's idea wouldn't sound so farfetched, but things have changed. "They're friends now, cousin, if you hadn't noticed." I smooth out my shirt, making sure I'm presentable and continue down the hall.

Ahead, the door to Jonas's and Iris's room is open. A group of Veil stand outside of it.

"Maybe that's what he wanted her to think."

"That's ridiculous. He—" I bite down on my tongue before I can reveal Bently's feeling. He loves her. He may hate that fact but he does.

"He what?"

"He's fond of her now, that's all."

The Veil let us pass through the doors, and we find my brother and Iris standing near one of the walls, their attention on the Veil.

"Khaleedi?"

Jonas looks up before angling himself toward Iris. A silk robe is pulled tight around her waist, and I can't stop the thoughts that run through my mind about what the would-be assassin might have walked in on.

Vienna steps past me. "Are you both all right? Are you hurt? At all?

"We're fine," Iris says quickly, her hand brushing her lower arm where there's the smallest indentation that there's something there beneath the silk. I narrow my eyes.

Percy doesn't look at Jonas or Iris when he asks, "And the Veil have found nothing?"

Jonas shakes his head.

There's three Veil out on the balcony. One leans over the railing. Two other Veil examine the bed, and four more the space between it and the balcony doors.

I bite back my grimace, certain they're not going to find anything that way. "They are actually searching for the assassin, right?"

Jonas nods, his expression grim. "They're checking all the rooms and the grounds."

"The roof?"

"Yes."

Percy studies his nails. "I was telling the Beta and Vienna that this seems like a move Bently would make."