I stared at him.
“What? It’s the kind that has Oreo cookies included,” he replied. “That shit is banging.”
“God, you had so much potential,” Nancy muttered under her breath.
Luc turned violet eyes on her and spoke in a voice that was barely audible to those around us. “And you are really wearing on my last nerve. I don’t think you want that, do you?”
Holy crap if that woman didn’t turn as white as a sheet of brand-spanking-new paper. I glanced back at Kat, seeing if she’d noticed, and her wide eyes told me she had.
I still hesitated.
“The Lunchables also comes with a Capri Sun,” Luc added. “Fruit punch. That Lunchables of Awesome isn’t joking around.”
Man, no matter what I did or decided from here on out, there was a risk, and I never knew where I stood with Luc. I don’t think anyone did. The fact was that we really didn’t have much of a choice.
My gaze settled on Luc. “If you’re screwing with us, I swear to—”
“God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost that you’re going to kill me or whatever,” he cut in. “Got it. And although I might not appear appropriately threatened, I am. So, kids, can we move this group along?”
Drawing in a shallow breath, I let go of Dawson’s shoulder. The soldier waited until Dawson joined him. Nancy stepped aside, allowing them both to pass through. I didn’t like it, but he had one focus—Bethany. He didn’t look back, not once.
Just like Dee hadn’t looked back.
Thinking of my sister slammed weight down on my shoulders, and I let out another breath as I reached for Kat’s hand. She was already there, threading her fingers through mine.
“All right,” I said. “Let’s do this.”
Luc clapped his hands together as he pivoted on his heel. We headed down the tunnel, veering off to the right, when Dawson had gone in the other direction. The place reminded me of Area 51. Wide halls. A lot of closed doors. Strange antiseptic smell.
In some ways, it was better than being with the other Luxen. At least this was the enemy we knew and all that jazz.
Luc kneed open a set of double doors and caught one side with his hand. Nancy followed him in, and like he’d claimed, at one side of a long table was a Lunchables. Archer sat at the other side, his legs kicked up, arms folded behind his neck.
When the door shut behind us and only Nancy had come in, I knew something really strange was up. Before, the woman had traveled with an entourage.
“You’re okay,” Kat breathed out as she broke free, limping around the side of the table. “I’ve been so worried.”
Archer pulled his long legs off the table and rose. A second later, he enveloped Kat in a hug. “I told you to stay where you were. But oh no, you didn’t listen.” He looked over her head at me. “I totally told her to stay.”
Luc scowled. “Why didn’t I get a hug?”
He was ignored.
“Sorry.” Kat’s voice was muffled. “I had to, you know?”
“I get it. But damn, girl, it might not have worked out so well,” Archer replied. “Could’ve all gone to shit, and then who would take me to Olive Garden so I can try out the endless breadsticks?”
Kat laughed, but the sound was thick and choked.
I stood where I was, telling myself that the ugly heat invading my veins was indigestion and not jealousy. Totally not that, because Archer had nothing on me.
But did he need to hug her that long? And that hard? Come the hell on.
Archer’s purple gaze met mine over her shoulder. Yeah. Yeah, I kind of do.
My eyes narrowed. I still don’t like you.
Grinning, he pulled back, relinquishing his embrace, and then reached for a chair. “You look like you’re about to fall down. Why don’t you grab a seat?”
Kat did look worn out as she eased into one of the metal folding chairs. “What’s going on, guys? Why are you all here and with her?”
Archer glanced at me again as he sat. “Where’s Dee?”
The pressure increased as I moved to the seat beside Kat. As I sat, tension flickered across Archer’s face, gathering around his eyes. “She . . .” I shook my head, at a loss as to how to explain what was up with her.
His hands clenched together atop the table. “She’s not . . . she’s not gone, is she?”
“No,” Kat spoke up. “She’s not the same. She’s kind of batting for the other team right now.”
Archer opened his mouth, but as he sat back, he snapped it shut. I wasn’t sure how much they knew about everything, but I couldn’t get into that stuff until I knew what the hell was going on here.
I turned to Luc, arching a brow as I watched him stack slices of cheese and ham on a cracker. “What’s going on?”
“Nancy’s going to play nice,” he said, nudging the cheese onto the center.
She had sat next to Luc and looked like she wanted to start breaking things. Her gaze met mine. “Trust me, if I had a choice right now, you’d all be dead.”
Luc tsked softly. “Now, that isn’t very nice.”
I didn’t understand. As Luc chomped down on his snack, I leaned forward. “What’s stopping you from taking us out?”
“Let’s just say everyone has an Achilles’ heel, and I found hers.” Luc set about making another cracker. “It’s not pretty. Not something even I wanted to stoop to. But oh wells.”
That didn’t tell us jack.
Kat shifted closer. “How did you all end up together?”