Thorne knew immediately that Kai was about to start another one of his heart-to-hearts. About what, exactly, he wasn't sure. But he could tell by Kai's smirk that it was coming.

"Walk with me, Carswell." Kai took him by the shoulders and pushed him in the opposite direction of Cress and Cinder. "Do you like spicy food?"

"Umm, no? Not rea-"

"Great, me too." Before Thorne could voice his confusion, Kai had steered them to the kitchen.

He addressed the chef, "Your spiciest curry please! Two bowls."

Thorne felt mildly frightened as they sat down at the small chef's table. One of the waiters brought two bowls of steaming red curry and rice. He also brought Thorne an extra-large glass of water.

Thorne had taken about half a sip of water when Kai asked, "So how long have you and Cress been sleeping together?" …And the water was now on Kai's face.

"Way to spring that on me, Kai! What if I had had curry in my mouth?"

"Then I would be fine, because that is the least spicy curry known to man." Kai belly laughed at Thorne's confused expression. "C'mon, you have to admit that was funny!"

Thorne breathed out a small chuckle but didn't really feel like eating anymore.

Kai asked again after a few minutes, if Thorne and Cress were sleeping together.

"You, too?" Cress announced from the kitchen doorway. "What is your obsession with our love life?"

Thorne looked at Cress like she had just saved his life. Cress looked at Thorne like she barely recognized him. And then she lunged at him. No, not at him, at the extra-large glass of water he was holding. She practically chugged the entire glass while Thorne and Kai stared at her in shock.

After she took a second to regain her composure, Cress said, "Kai, could you please excuse Thorne and I. Go talk to your fiancée, about anything other than us. Please."

Kai got up and walked out of the room in silence. Cress took his seat across from Thorne, considering exactly what she wanted to say. But before she could, Thorne broke the silence.

"Cress, are you okay?"

Another flashback to their first night together, something she had planned two months ago but it felt like years had gone by since that night.

"I'm fine, just a little in shock. Cinder called me out on it, too, us sleeping together. I just thought maybe it could be our little secret." She looked like she might cry, her eyes squeezed shut.

Thorne reached across the table and took her hands in his own. "Cress, I feel the same way. It's not really their business."

"But it's not just that. Cinder knew, and I can't lie to her. And then she brought up… babies." Cress whispered that last part so quietly that Thorne could barely hear her. But he did. And it shook him to his core.

"Cress, I am not ready to have babies. Are you ready to have babies?" Thorne let go of her hands and tilted her chin so she could look at him.

She sniffled, shook her head, and smiled. Hearing him say he wasn't ready made her feel 110 pounds lighter.