“At least wear something to cover your face,” Ri says.
“Where’s this coming from, Ri? Has the old age made you sentimental?” Vera’s voice is playful. She waves Ri off. “I’ll be fine. And if I’m taken or killed, well. You’re in charge, old friend.”
Ri mutters a number of curses under her breath. The only thing I can catch is “youth and arrogance in this one will be the death of me.”
Besides Ri, three of her girls are going with us. Gwen, the one I met the other night, is here, too. Jax wastes no time getting himself comfortable amongst the girls.
Every giggle, every laugh, every flirty twirl of their hair while they bat their eyelashes at him irk me to no end.
He’s such a player. How can they not see it? Or do they simply not care? I could never be with a man who has a wandering e?—
“Phoenix, are you alright?” Vera’s voice startles me. I blink and look at her at my side. “You look like you want to murder someone.”
She’s smirking, her steel-colored eyes dancing with amusement as she looks between me and Jax with the girls.
I clear my throat. “I’m good. Peachy. Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mm-hmm,” she murmurs, clearly not convinced.
Thankfully, Ri’s studio door opens and Vera’s crew enters. Everyone’s here tonight. We have Bart, Hel, Hojo, and Tanaka. The latter looks nervous. I completely understand. I’d be nervous too going into today’s mission if I weren’t a highly trained Decarios.
Actually…even though I am a highly trained Decarios, I still worry.
“Now that we’re all here, we can start,” Vera says. The chatter dies down, everyone’s attention on Vera. “Tonight’s mission is simple and straightforward. We split up and take the carriages to the warehouse in Kozem. Jax secured us a safe passage in and out.”
Vera pauses and looks pointedly at Jax, who grins and nods. I can’t believe Vera trusted him to secure us an entrance in and out of Kozem.
“Once we’re there, I want Bart and Hel scouting the perimeter to see how many Caligos are safeguarding the kids.Phoenix, we’ll lean on you to help us take them out.” She looks at me and I nod. “Once Caligos are out, we’ll get the kids into carriages and Ri’s girls will take them to our safe house. Any questions?”
“No, boss,” Bart says, puffing out his chest. “Let’s go get these motherfuckers.”
Vera nods. “Great.”
We split up into pairs and take the carriages to Kozem. I’m with Vera, and Ri takes Jax before he can even suggest going with one of her girls. Literally, she drags him by his pointy ear to her carriage.
I can’t say I don’t enjoy the sight.
Vera’s quiet all the way to the warehouse. Such an enigma. I find myself wishing I could read her emotions just like the rest of the normal folk so I’d know what’s happening in that head.
She looks calm and collected. At peace. But something tells me it’s only a mask.
All of us take different routes to the warehouse to not raise the suspicion. So many carriages riding in a line towards a specific location in Kozem is bound to draw attention.
We arrive first, Ri and Jax’s carriage right after us.
The streets are gloomy and quiet at this time of the night. Air’s crispy. I can see my breath in front of me when I exhale.
“No problem getting in,” Vera says to Jax. “Let’s hope this Madame Mercy is a woman of her word.”
“She is,” Jax assures her.
He also looks calm and confident. But unlike with Vera, I can read his emotions. Deep inside, he’s a ball of anxiety.
At least I’m not alone.
Part of me thinks I’m wasting my time here. What if the invitation to the Trial of Strength arrives while we’re in themiddle of this rescue mission? What if something happens to Vera and it sabotages my win?
What if something happens to me?
