Page 98 of Power of Shadow

The glass clinks against the tabletop. Finally, he blurts out, “Word is that there’s a new pawn in the game between the Pact and Veirix. A woman. A young and beautiful woman who has found refuge in the ranks of Veirix.”

“A woman? All this fuss over one woman?” Eli asks.

Just then, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I pull it out, but seeing that it’s an unknown number, I reject the call.

“It’s not that she’s a woman. It’s who she might be.”

The chat with Timothy is getting on my nerves. I don’t have time for games. If he wants to tell me something, he can just say it.

“Get to the point, Timothy,” I growl.

He nods. “The rumor is that this woman’s home is the Pact, that she escaped the Pact and found refuge in Veirix.”

My heart stops. One thought cuts through all the others so brutally it makes me sick.

No, impossible! It can’t be true. It can’t be her!

“Do they say who she is?” I ask with a lump in my throat.

Timothy shakes his head. “Not on this side of town. At least nothing official is being said, just whispers and rumors. I just want to let you know that something’s going on.”

“And why do you think we’d be interested in that?” I don’t conceal my annoyance, which covers up my bad feelings.

“I’m afraid it would be better if you took an interest sooner than your father does.”

Where the fuck is Theo? The underground is his playing field.

My phone buzzes again. An unknown number for the second time.

What a fucked-up day.

Getting up from the bar, I add, “Thanks, Timothy, for taking the trouble. You’re risking more than just a few bucks for a drink when you show up here. Do us both a favor and don’t do it again. Now, excuse me, I have to take this.”

I hurry to the side and answer the call. “Yes?”

At first, there’s silence on the other end. I’m about to hang up when a man finally speaks. “Ryker Elliot?”

“Yes, who’s this?” I’m exhausted after today. All I want to do is sneak into Ash’s bedroom and get between her thighs.

“I hear they’re looking for me, and you’re leading the hunt, right?” says a low voice I don’t recognize.

This is too much for one fucking day. If another bomb drops, I might really lose it.

Understanding slowly dawns on me, and a malicious smile appears on my face. “Senator Charles Baker. Nice to meet you.”

“Not true. None of this is nice. I have an offer for you…”

Chapter 23

Ashley

The moment I open my eyes in the morning, I sense that something’s going to happen. I have a bad feeling that today will be a disaster, and everything that can fail, will.

I’m a person who takes my instincts very seriously. This time, however, I ignore it completely, and it’s a huge mistake.

“We need to meet,” Alex says over the phone.

“Okay. I’ll call you as soon as I can—”