That was when I knew something was wrong. Calix’s systemsneverfailed. He tested everything to the brink. It wasn’t the machine. It wasn’t the magic. It had to be something else.
“Did anyone see Natalie come in today?” I called out to the room.
A small fairy with big, nervous eyes hesitantly raised her hand. “I-I saw her. Gina took her to the third floor. She looked like she was crying.”
The third floor. Again. And crying?Did she already find out? But how? Only Alic, Maso, and I knew about it at that point.
“I’ll go down there myself.” I turned away, lost in my thoughts.
Something didn't seem right. Things weren't adding up, and I still had to talk to her about Glen and see if he’d told her anything about what happened that night.
Ryan’s voice stopped me just as I got to the door. “Do you want backup?”
I looked over my shoulder, one brow raised. “You think I can’t handle one grieving girl?” What was up with all these men thinking I can’t do my damn job?
He stepped back instantly. I gave him a look that said to never question me again, but I softened it with a smile.
“I’ll call you if I need anything,” I said, heading for the elevator.
Walking down the hallway, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. I was missing something that felt just outside my line of sight.
I pressed the button, and the elevator doors slid open instantly. I hit the one for the third floor.
As the elevator moved, I tried to pull up everything I knew about Natalie, which wasn’t much. She’d only started recently. A fairy with tiny wings and weak illusion magic, she was pretty enough that I put her on host duty on the main floor. She blended in well, made friends fast, and helped the other girls. Meek, quiet. Easy for others to want to protect.
The doors opened, and my phone buzzed. I stepped out, glancing down at the screen.
Van:No. I never got any paperwork.
Van:Glen and her were dating?
I stopped mid-step.He didn’t know?
Van didn’t miss things. He kneweverything. How the hell did employees know, yet he didn’t?
Looking up, the space in front of me was pitch black. This floor ran mostly on a blend of tech and magic, so it shut down when we closed and automatically booted up when the first scheduled shift started. So, when I saw a soft glow under a far-off door, I knew where I was going to get my answers.
I unfurled my wings and silently floated down the hallway, every instinct on high alert. Even if Natalie was a weak little fairy, I wasn’t taking chances.
The door swung open to a dreamscape. Deep navy skies, stars twinkling from above and below, the hum of wind and water, owl calls echoing in the distance. The faint fresh air scent breezed by. Somehow, I was standing between time and space outdoors. It was beautiful, hauntingly so.
Then I heard it, a small, broken chuckle from the corner.
Natalie was curled up on the floor, cradling something in her arms, but the girl who looked up at me wasn’t the sweet, timid thing I remembered. No, this Natalie’s eyes burned with madness, her glare hot enough to blister.
“Natalie,” I said carefully. Even though my instincts were going haywire, I tried to keep a calm tone. “I’m guessing you heard about Glen.” Her head tilted at an odd angle, so I tried to assure her, “It wasn’t me. I didn’t put a hit out on him.”
She laughed, harsh and hollow, and when she spoke, her voice was gravelly, laced with a faint accent. Russian, I thought.
“No. No. Of course, you didn’t, you dumb bitch.Idid.”
Ice slid down my spine, and I straightened, my brain kicking into full gear. The traitor hadn’t been Glen.
?*It washer.
Natalie used the wall to push herself up, shaking with laughter. “You think you’resosmart. That your family is untouchable. But you’re not. You’ve got weaknesses. That’s why it was so easy to crash this disgusting house of sin.” Her voice lowered, almost like she was speaking to herself. “We just didn’t know about the failsafe. Glen didn’t tell us that. But now… now, we’re ready.”
We? Who is this we?Noticing her clutching something, I nodded toward the object in her arms. “What’s that?”
