There was a chance I had the wrong people entirely, which meant I’d need to widen my net if this failed.
Laurel frowned at my scrawlings next to each person on the list.
She traced the sentence next to Angelica’s name. Will be in white car, not SUV.
Next, she traced the sentence next to Conrad’s name—Kyros’s disapproving second who constantly glowered at me in the cafeteria. Will enter through east door.
He’d been particularly annoyed when I’d followed him to Sister Sushi and mentioned I’d be going to Yellow Otter on Friday night with a few friends. I always liked to enter the side door because it led to a hidden section that was much more intimate.
Over the last several days, I’d told fifteen different people fifteen different variations on my trip to Yellow Otter.
Because I was certain of one thing.
The members of Clan Fyrlia’s royal family wanted me dead. I’d killed their youngest brother in self-defence. The fight between us was ruled as closed by an impartial clan, but unofficially, the Tonyi triplets—who I’d gathered did most of the dirty work for the other clan—would come for me.
They’d intended to burn me alive in the basement.
Laurel finished reading my list and scribbled a single word on the notepad.
Smart
I lifted a shoulder to shrug off her comment before recalling Laurel knew who I really was.
I picked up the pen.
It’s how I used to test which friends I could trust
She raised her brows in question, and I smiled wryly, jotting down a name.
Only Tommy passed
I set my attention to the street below, adjusting my binoculars. I swept my gaze over the various entrances I’d given to five of the suspects. Yellow Otter’s many doors were part of the reason I’d picked it.
I couldn’t see anyone lurking outside.
My usual black SUV rolled in, not stopping. I zoomed in on Kelsea in the driver’s seat to make sure. Less than ten seconds later, the white car I used to practice driving pulled up to the front of the bar.
I couldn’t see anyone loitering at the front entrance. No one approached the white car, and no one lurked outside the other four entrances. Heart thumping, I swept the binoculars to an alley directly opposite Kyros Sky.
I squinted through the lenses, and quickly adjusted the magnification.
Three figures stood half in the shadows.
Bingo.
One person on my list believed that two vehicles would be sent out as decoys and I’d go by foot instead, sneaking down Robbers Alley to circle the wine bar and enter from the back.
Adjusting my binoculars again, I focused on the three hulking figures. They were male from their outlines, but I couldn’t make out their features. If I was going to accuse someone of spying, I needed to confirm the Tonyi triplets were below, waiting to attack.
The minutes ticked by, and one of the three men threw his hands in the air, finally stepping away from the wall. I tensed as the meagre city lights blanketed the Vissimo, highlighting his almond-shaped hazel eyes and cruel expression.
I lowered the binoculars and glanced at Laurel, who nodded.
It was them.
Wow. Suspecting there was a spy and knowing there was a spy were different things. Someone had endangered my life, Kyros’s life, and killed twelve people. And they hadn’t stopped reporting to the triplets since.
Kelsea stopped circling the bar in the black SUV. She’d be heading back to the tower. Moments later, Josie did the same in the white car.
The moment of truth.
I ran my finger down the list of suspects, stopping on the second to last name. One I’d only jotted down to dot my i’s and cross my t’s.
Fernando.
The male Indebted who I’d tucked into bed and given a fucking pinecone.
Raising my head, I stared at Laurel. Her throat was working, blue eyes riveted on the name and the note next to it.
Heart plummeting into my heeled boots, I picked up the notebook, flipping to an empty page.
I wrote:
We need to go to garage
If Fernando was keeping tabs on the cars, we had to complete the subterfuge or he’d know something was up. He was probably shitting bricks because I hadn’t gone down the alley.
Packing my stuff, I let Laurel swing me into her arms.
She almost flew us down the stairs—though noticeably slower than Kyros—and set me upright just inside the garage as the others parked.
I groaned loudly as they joined us at the lift. “I thought the ache would go away. The sushi I ate at lunch must’ve been bad.”
“It’s okay,” Laurel said. “We can go another time when you’re feeling better.”
What was passing through her head now she knew one of her brethren was the culprit?
Beforehand, I’d envisioned taking the evidence to Kyros without delay. Mainly to smoosh my success in his one-hundred-and-fifty-year-old face. Then again, I’d really hoped the spy wasn’t an Indebted, even though they had the biggest motives here.
Ding!
“A rain check for sure.” I stepped onto the lift. “How about you guys keep the clothes in the meantime?”
Kelsea and Josie glanced at their leader. A tension rested upon their shoulders, and I was certain Laurel would fill them in if she felt they were worthy of the information.
“We’ll do that,” Laurel replied, her eyes glittering.
I pressed the button for Level 61, leaving them to take the rickety lift down to Lower Level 4, but Laurel whipped out a hand, stopping the lift doors just before they closed.
I didn’t say a word as she beckoned for the notepad and pen, handing both over.
The Vissimo’s blue eyes blazed, and she took an audible breath, her hand blurring as she wrote.
She handed the pad back and stepped clear without meeting my gaze.
The elevator slid closed, and I lowered my gaze to her message.
Look in his fridge
5
Beast blared to life as the doors opened on Level 61.
“Yello,” I said.
“Miss Tetley,” Kyros said.
I ignored the ugly emotion that accompanied the two words. “Yeah?”
“You’re not feeling well. Please come to my quarters.”
His quarters? Such a vampire prince thing to say.
“Uh, I’d prefer to be alone.” I didn’t want to see Kyros until I decided how to handle Fernando.
“I will care for you, true mate.”
That was a crock of shit! Though his emotions didn’t negate the comment… However, the rod of steel beneath the warmth made it clear he’d issued an order.
Fucknuts.
“That’d be nice,” I said flatly, spinning on my heel to return to the elevator. Damn it all, part of me meant the words.
Kyros knowing my location forevermore may cramp my long-term style, but this emotional bullshit was twice as bad. Yes, I got to listen in on his feelings, but to have someone to have the means of deciphering what I meant all the time? Humans didn’t do that. I spoke a quarter of what I thought—or less. I’d be more comfortable with my legs wide open, and Kyros in the front row sketching a likeness than this bullshit.
I jabbed Level 65 and waited for the inevitable ding that I love-hated.