“Hera was on her way back here with only Wade when I caught up with her. It seems most of those idiots who followed her around weren’t nearly as devoted as she thought.”
The Warden let out a cruel laugh. “At least that doesn’t surprise me.” Her gaze moved to Wade. “And the fact that it was the touch-starved virgin who didn’t abandon her makes sense as well. Should I worry about Kit showing up to reclaim his toy?”
Deacon shook his head and reached into the bag slung over his shoulder. He tossed a white antler onto the tile beside the Warden. The sight of it twisted my stomach. I recalled the crack when Deacon had snapped it free of Kit’s other form, the subtle tic Kit’s jaw gave, but the way he didn’t show any signs of pain.
The Warden leaned down and picked it up, a chilling smile pulling across her lips. “I have dealt with Kit for as long as I’ve worked here. He has been a pain in my ass for thirty years. I believe I will keep this as a favored memento.”
I swallowed down the bile that churned in my stomach at the idea of her mounting Kit’s antler on the wall like some prize. I told myself that I’d finish this, reassured myself that this wasn’t over, that I’d make her pay for her cruelty.
She met my gaze, going still. “You’re not broken yet, are you? Even after everything, after breaking out, after thinking yourself some sort of savior, after one of your lovers dragged you back here, you still think you have a shot, don’t you? You grew up spoiled, hearing how special you were, how much better than others you were, but do you want to know the truth?”
I really didn’t, but I had a feeling she’d tell me anyway.
“You are distressingly average. The only things special about you were given to you. Your last name, your family’s money, even your status as a Level 1 shade you didn’t earn. Your escape was nothing more than men you spread your legs for showing offtheirskills, and guess what? None of that worked out for you.”
She ran her fingers down my cheek in a touch that made my skin crawl. It felt almost like some twisted form of affection mixed with hatred.
“I made you into what you are, and no matter how much you struggle, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never win against me. So, Hera, welcome back to Larkwood. The North Tower missed you.”
* * * *
Knox
Boy, I never expected to be back here.The thought hit me so hard that I slowed my pace. It had taken so much to escape this place that walking up to it again felt insane.
I’d riskedeverythingto get out. I’d planned to start my life again, to have some semblance of happiness with Hera, and yet that had all changed. I hadn’t just gotten dragged back, either. Instead, I’d walked my ass right back here.
Now I waited outside a back door in the Level 1 area.
We’re all idiots.
And bywe allI meant the seven of us huddling beside a door in the back of Level 1. Brax, Kit, Aaron, Moa, Bowen, Soshi and I waited for Deacon to open that door, to let us into the last place I wanted to be.
Sure, I trusted Hera. I’d agreed that this was the right choice—I still agreed with it. That didn’t make it any easier.
At least Hera hadn’t had to take the steps by herself. She’d had Deacon shoving her forward, had no way to back out. Instead, I had to tell my body to move even as every instinct inside me saidfuck thisto the entire idea.
The door opened, and I exhaled slowly when I met Deacon’s purple eyes. That at least meant everything with Hera must have gone well.
Deacon stepped backward and waved us all in. The door led to a small back room, one not made for the number of people we packed inside. It left me with Brax pressed to my arm on the left and Aaron to my right.
Come to take down Larkwood and end up packed with a bunch of other guys.
I glanced to where Moa stood, with everyone nice enough to at least not crowd her as much.Mostly guys, at least.
“Everything go according to plan?” Kit asked.
Deacon nodded. “Hera and Wade were taken to the North Tower. The Warden took the bait and believes that I killed you.”
Kit let out a snort that said he didn’t think Deacon was capable of such a thing.
Deacon pushed a box to the center of the table. “These radios are already set to a channel not used by Larkwood. We can use them to communicate and make sure we’re in the right place but keep the volume low so no one hears them.”
I nodded before I reached in to take one, the others doing the same. It slid easily into the pocket of my sweats, small enough to not be noticeable.
Deacon pulled out a stack of access cards out next, taking them from his cargo pants. He handed them out, one at a time. “I’ve already programmed these. They should open everything.”
“No one will notice that?” I asked.