"Yes, but when faced with extinction, coffee breaks lose their importance. And yes, I realize I need to do more for our cause. I will. After."

Paris shrugged. "I'm doing what I can. The U.S. is a huge damn place and studying it from afar is almost as difficult as navigating its lands amidst all those people." Each of the warriors had traveled to different countries to ferret out clues about the box, had no success and had quickly returned to learn what they could from here. Without switching his attention from Reyes, Paris asked Lucien, "Did he tell you where Aeron is or what?"

One of Lucien's black brows arched toward his hairline. "No. He didn't."

"Told you he'd be difficult." Paris frowned. "He hasn't been himself for weeks."

Reyes could say the same about Paris, he realized as he noticed lines of fatigue and stress around the usually optimistic man's eyes. Perhaps he should press Paris for answers. Clearly, something had happened to his friend. Something major.

"We're running out of time, Reyes." Accusation coated Paris's words. "Cooperate. Help us."

"Hunters are more determined than ever to end us," Lucien added. "Humans have discovered the Unspoken Ones' temple, limiting our access yet increasing that of the Hunters. We've only found one artifact out of four, but all are supposedly needed to locate the box."

Reyes arched a brow, mimicking Lucien's earlier expression. "You think Aeron can help with any of that?"

"No, but we do not need discord among us. Nor do we need the distraction of worrying about him."