I didn’t want to step in as a father figure, and he wouldn’t want that if he knew what I’d done. I could at least make sure he was provided for from a distance. If I was giving up the pub for Vivian, I couldn’t guarantee his continued employment. I needed to offer him the opportunity to move to Drifael as a final effort to make up for the past. There wasn’t any undoing what I’d done, and forgiveness was out of the question… but it was better than nothing.
“Theo, you don’t owe him anything.”
“I owe a lot of people more than I can repay,” I growled. I hated the way he deflected blame now just as much as I did a decade ago.
“His father was a bad person! He was helping people kidnap females and use them as batteries!”
“He was a fuckingmailman!” I screamed, slamming my hands down on the table. “A messenger! Do you believe for a single fucking moment that he knew what was in those envelopes?! What percent of the people you’re killing do you think actually know they’re doing anything wrong?!”
I’d known when I saw the look in that male’s eyes that night that he wasn’t just scared but…confused. I’d seen the same expression from other people I’d killed and disregarded it. It wasn’t my job to question.
In an attempt to rectify my shame over traumatizing a young and innocent Mitus, I’d done some digging once I got back to headquarters. What I found was devastating. In all the files I’d been given about my victims, only one item was left out; their titles. It was hard to know who truly understood the evil of the corporation they worked for when the jobs included shit like recruiter, accountant, research scientist, management, driver, supplier, med tech, officer, and fuckingmailman.
“This conversation is starting to feel familiar.” His posture shifted. A threat. I would lose this fight a second time if I tried to start it. And he would be less inclined to agree to my terms if I rocked his shit in the process of negotiating.
I could hear his original response in my head. “They’re all cogs in a machine that need to be broken.” I couldn’t convince him otherwise, and I didn’t come here to debate. This wasn’t something we’d ever agree on. But wecouldat least agree there was something sacred to be protected, and I needed his help with that mission. To protect Vivian.
“Erith and Mitus. In exchange for everything I’ve learned exploring the wilderness for a decade. Seventeen undiscovered fields. Thoroughly detailed.”
“Wouldn’t therightthing to do be just giving me that information? It’d help the cause without all the violence you’ve grown to hate.”
I don’t hate violence. I hate murdering the innocent.I scowled and forced my lips to remain closed. Swallowing that retort was painful.
“Seems you aren’t as righteous as you like to think,” he tsked. “Fine. I’ll have our administrative team figure out the logistics. Erith will reach out to Mitus. I assume he doesn’t know a single fucking thing about the energy war?”
I shook my head.
He snorted. “Erith has his work cut out for him then. Naja will escort you out. Don’t need you getting lost and finding your way to the restricted storage again.” The confidential files in that room had cost them their best hitman.
“Thank you.”
He turned back before leaving, black eyes peering down under his thorny browbone. The scales hadn’t grown back properly where I’d struck him. “Oh, and Theo?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t mention any of this to Mykie right now, or the deal is off. She’s in a bit of a provisional suspension period, and I don’t need her getting all riled up.”
“Suspension? Is she okay?” She couldn’t be if he was suspending his new favorite weapon.
“She stole some company resources and went rogue. Which would’ve been fine with me, had she not been so careless that everybody in the damn office knew. I had to set an example. You understand. Turns out she’s also been doing a lot of research on her own time. Between the two of you, we might get a leg up on brains for once.”
“I won’t tell her about Vivian for now.” I didn’t have the heart to swear offevertelling my friends. I wanted to be out and proud about having a mate. Not that I knew when I’d see any of them again.
“‘For now’ is all I ask.” He shrugged. “She’s had a little too much personal investment in the goddesses recently. It clouds her judgement.”
Maybe it was for the best Erith would be coming with me instead of Mykie. I’d seen what protecting Faeryn for Graysen had done to her drinking habit. Were they the reason she went “rogue”?
“Understood,” I nodded.
“Should things ever change with that mate of yours, you’re always welcome back,” he called out as he closed the door behind himself.
The implication hung in the air. “Should things change.” If Vivian becomes a victim, like his mate did, he’s offering me my old job back. An outlet for my rage and vengeance and need for justice. Just like this was for him.
I wouldn’t let that happen.
Theo
The pub wasn’t open yet. It wouldn’t be for a few hours. So it was that much stranger when I heard pounding on the door of the back office. I’d gone in early to start sorting through things. My top bartender, Stella, had maintained everything perfectly since I left. I’d be leaving almost everything in here behind, but was sure I had some scattered personal belongings that I’d want to bring with me. So far, that looked like a handwritten note from Graysen thanking me for his job, some napkin origami from a beloved customer, and my first coin ever made that wasn’t paid for by blood.
