I’d only moved back there because it was the one place in a hundred miles that fell outside of Zeus’ omniscient eye. But now, I knew the red-headed reason that the noose of corporate surveillance was slowly tightening around us.
Or at least part of it. I still couldn’t figure out what she had on them that lit such a fire under Isaac’s ass. Was it blackmail on Gabriel?
“Even so, we don’t need the girl. Get rid of her.” I growled back
“The girl is of importance.” The pigeon swallowed hard, a secret in her words.
But as I stared at her, I knew what was being said. “She has the shares? Maura has to have them.”
The pigeon tried to press past me toward the door, but I quickly stepped into their path. My blood boiled as I tried to control my shock. She couldn’t have the shares. Isaac and Gabriel had been chasing Maura down for years, trying to secure Zeus’ future from anyone who dared stand in their way.
“Won’t answer? How about I make you?” My blood boiled as the pieces clicked into place. Kiera having the voting shares would be enough to make Isaac violent. With them, he could finally cut me out and let the malignant cancer that had grown just before Brennan died take hold of it all.
If Isaac knew I’d been harboring her, all of my shares would dissolve.
There was only one way to protect Kiera.
“I have shared all I can.” Standing firm in front of me, the pigeon’s blue eyes stayed steady under the mask.
Darting my hand out, I grabbed the collar of her brown suit. “Fucking monks. Then get her out of here. Extract her. Now.”
“That request is above my station.” The pigeon took a calm breath, not caving under the firm grip I had on her clothes.
My knuckles whitened as I hissed at her. “Then bring me someone who can manage to do their goddamn job.”
A slight shake of her head told me everything I needed to know. “The pigeon only carries messages one way.”
Anger swelled in my chest, the desire to throw a punch overwhelming me. I could get away with it here, at least until The Oracle saw their bloodied bird. Then there would be consequences.
Maybe.
The truth was, I was The Oracle’s most valuable asset in their fight against Zeus Industries. As hesitant as they were to admit it, I knew that they would be in the dark without me.
Before I could press her into the wall, she slipped from my grasp, releasing my grip on the collar of the dull suit. The pigeon reached for the door handle and disappeared into the crowd — the pulsing music of The Station pouring back into the room.
Leaning against the arm of the leather sofa, I forced a deep breath. I’d always needed to coerce air into my lungs. But all of this — Kiera, The Oracle, Isaac — it was dizzying.
There was only one way for all of this to end.
But it meant that I’d have to get my message to The Oracle myself. And with my father moving armies to find Kiera, I’d have to do it fast.
36
KIERA
The floorboards creakedunder my bare feet, echoing through the quiet mansion.
I’d been trying to fall asleep for hours, after being put to bed by my two saviors. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get my mind to quiet.
The room was spinning, the familiarity of the house becoming too much.
So I decided a walk would be better than staring up at the ceiling and cursing my brain for not shutting off. I’d tried reading and counting sheep, but none of it had helped. So instead, I closed my book and slipped out of my room.
Not wanting to wake the sleeping beauties, I inched my way down to the kitchen. It was quiet outside too, only the sound of strong wind smacking into the old glass windows disrupting my silent vigil.
The soft, warm light of the range lit the path to the fridge. Grabbing my favorite glass from the cupboard, I held it beneath the water dispenser, watching as the liquid lapped closer and closer to the brim.
As I stood, I could feel the aching in my body starting to set in. A rough night's sleep always left me feeling like each of my joints might just slip out of their sockets and fall to the floor.
