I drew the hood over my face to protect myself from the light breeze and sprinkles of rain that reawakened the pain in my face. There was a lot of open country out here—no sidewalks or houses near the road. The only things indicative of there being property in the area were iron fences, stone walls, and hedges that marked certain territories. Much of it was untouched—just rolling hills of green, overgrown trees, and wild animals.
I reached the private road on the left and approached the gates. After I pressed the button to request access, the gates opened. I trudged up the paved road, dreading what was to come.
It was late afternoon, and pockets of fog appeared to be lifting. Not that I could see sunlight, but Niko’s comment about the stars always being there reminded me that somewhere high above those dark clouds was a blue sky and warm sun.
I reached the door, and the knob turned easily. With my head down, I made my way through the house toward Viktor’s office. My shoes were quiet against the stone stairwells, but not quiet enough.
“And where do you think you’re going, lass?” Christian asked from below.
I ascended another flight, hearing him catch up with me.
“Are you deaf, woman?”
“You sound drunk.”
“Just a pint or two. We’re celebrating, you know.”
When I reached the second floor, I turned left down a long hall with lanterns hanging from the ceiling. There weren’t any windows, and despite the arched ceiling, the walls closed in on me.
“Going to say your good-byes to Viktor? Well, doesn’t that warm the cockles of my heart,” he said dramatically.
I rapped my knuckles against the door, and Christian eased up beside me, leaning his shoulder against the wall. “You have a peculiar smell about you.”
My hood shielded my face, and I had my arms crossed defensively. “I’m not here to talk to you.”
“Well, that’s a shame.”
“Come in,” Viktor said.
When I entered the room, I felt Christian behind me, so I stopped, blocking him in the doorway. “I need to speak to you alone,” I said to Viktor.
Because of my hood, I couldn’t see Viktor, but it sounded as though he was setting something down on his desk, maybe a book.
“It is unfortunate that you wasted your last day. If you came to ask for an extension, then the answer is no. We had an agreement, and I always stay true to my word.”
“It’s not about that. Tell Christian to leave.”
A quiet exchange passed between the two men—maybe a nod of the head or hand gesture. In any case, Christian left the room and closed the door behind me.
Viktor’s chair creaked as he rose to his feet and crossed the room. I took a few steps forward to meet him in the middle.
“What is this about? If you are asking me not to have Christian scrub your memory—”
“Darius sent me to kill you.”
After a pregnant pause, he quietly chuckled. “And here you are. What kind of joke is this?”
I pulled back my hood and reduced the space between us. His eyes widened when he saw the raw wound across my face. Viktor actually backed up a step, flicking a glance at his desk. He probably kept a weapon in those drawers.
“I’m not here to kill you, Viktor. I came with an opportunity to attack Darius. This might be the only chance you’ll get in the near future.”
He folded his arms. “And how do I know you speak the truth? That scar on your face leads me to believe—”
The door crashed open, and I spun on my heel.
Christian strode toward me, his eyes narrowing. When his brows sloped down, I fell back a step, ready to flash out of his grasp if he tried to deliver a crushing blow with his powerful fists. When he didn’t stop, I gathered up my energy and flashed around him, but he reached out and hooked his arm around me. Christian gripped my chin between two fingers and turned my head to the side.
“Who did this to your face?”
