The blues in her eyes are gone, replaced with something cold and unearthly.
The earlier tension she held in her shoulders sinks down as she straightens. Like her entire body has melted to reveal the creature that lurks within her.
She winks at me, shifting to stand beside me, the movement causing the diamond necklace around her neck to blink against the low sun’s glow.
I fight the groan working its way up my throat.
My hand grips her tightly as I close the door, and we walk towards the epicentre of the Omnia manor.
It’s gothic, three stories high with the exterior stretching far beyond either side of us as it disappears into the dimming sky. There’s more windows than you would believe a secret society’s family home to have.
The once white-washed stone is darkened from the years this place has stood within these grounds. Either that, or it’s the secrets rotting from the inside out.
Acres and acres of land keep the evil acts that happen within its walls concealed from the outside world.
Ross notices us immediately, and I guide Indie over to him, letting him search her first while another reads our invites, combing through my fake identification documents.
Once he’s done, he checks me, knowing that the bump at my waistband and wrist are knives, but there’s not a flicker of a reaction from him, and he nods to the guy assisting him.
We’re both given black bands around our wrists, and I glance at Indie to see her zoned in on the couple next to us, the woman given a gold one.
Thankfully she isn’t, and we’re allowed through as we step into the grand foyer.
There’s a sea of people scattered around the place, some you’d recognise from the wealth attached to their names in this state, others I’ve never seen before.
A server walks past us with a tray, and I take two flutes off it, handing Indie one.
She hesitates for a beat before taking it out my hand, and I instantly recognise why. “You don’t need to drink it; just use it to keep your hands busy. I’ll swap it out for something later.”
Her gaze fixes on me. “I haven’t drunk alcohol since that night, and I’m wary of anything a stranger gives me.”
That rumbles a fury within my bones.
I rarely drink alcohol, hating the loss of control it gives you. Sure, I enjoyed a beer at university, but never to the point I was inebriated.
I want to grab it off her and throw the liquid out instantly if it’s making her uncomfortable, but there’s too many eyes we need to blend in with.
Instead, I glance up at the tapestry lining the wall, the familiar emblem radiating through gold and black thread; its tagline rests underneath it, the hidden meaning screaming at me.
Sumus Super Omnia.
“What does it mean together?” Indie whispers, glancing sharply from it to me.
“We are above everything.”
The words almost come out as a hiss to match the snake staring back at us.
I bring the glass to my lips, faking a swig before I link my arm with hers, leading us away.
Something catches my eye in my peripheral, and I peer over Indie’s shoulder, and she follows it. “Is that?”
“Yep.”
Holly looks downwards the moment our eyes clash, not out of fear or respect. But because of the behaviours they’ve learned from the rest of the staff here.
We’ve managed to get a small number of Ultio infiltrated within the hospitality. Seven to be exact, but it’s enough paired with the rest of the guys outside.
“So you weren’t going to be alone?” Indie says, following me as we leisurely walk around the manor, and I huff a laugh.
