Page 141 of Villainous Rise

“I would never⁠—”

“You already did! You already chose something else over me. And if I give up everything now, what happens the next time? When I have nothing left to fall back on? When I’m completely at your mercy?”

His hands curled into fists at his sides. “Is that what you think of me? That I’d abandon you?”

“I think you do what benefits you. And right now, having me serves your purposes. But what about when it doesn’t?”

His eyes flashed. “You think I’m just marking time with you? That I’ve got one foot out the door waiting for a better opportunity?”

“I think you want what you can’t have. And once you have me completely, you’ll get bored and move on to the next challenge.”

Cipher moved so fast I barely saw him. Suddenly he was right in front of me, his face inches from mine.

“You want to talk about trust?” he snarled. “How about you trusting that when I say I love you, I fucking mean it? How about you trusting that I’m not playing some elaborate game?”

“Trust is earned,” I whispered. “And you haven’t earned it back yet.”

His eyes searched mine, looking for something I wasn’t sure I could give.

A sharp chime sounded and Cipher glared at the monitor on his workbench.

“The Syndicate,” he muttered, his expression darkening further. He stalked over to his workbench and jabbed at the screen. I quickly stepped out of the camera’s view, wrapping my arms around myself as if I could physically hold my emotions in check.

The screen revealed a shadowy figure, their features obscured by digital distortion.

“Cipher,” the modulated voice greeted coldly. “We’ve received concerning information.”

“Have you?” Cipher’s tone was dangerously casual. “Do enlighten me.”

“The Alliance has informed us of Keeper Bishop’s engagement to Valor. They’ve expressed concerns about potential... interference from you.”

I hugged myself tighter, my nails digging into my arms. Of course the Alliance had contacted the Syndicate. They were covering all their bases.

“Interference?”

“You are expressly forbidden from engaging with Valor or interfering with Alliance business regarding him and Keeper Bishop.”

“Forbidden?” The word dripped with contempt. “Since when does the Syndicate dictate my personal affairs?”

“This is not a negotiation,” the distorted voice replied, colder than before. “This directive comes from the highest level.”

“The Council,” Cipher said flatly.

“Your perceptiveness serves you well.” The figure leaned closer to the camera. “Let me be perfectly clear about the consequences should you disregard these instructions. Your Nemesis contract will be terminated immediately. Your rank will be reduced to Novice. Your assets will be frozen. And should Valor suffer any... accidents, regardless of whether they can be traced to you, you will be placed in containment indefinitely.”

My blood ran cold. Containment was the polite term for the specialized prisons designed to neutralize powers. No one who entered containment ever truly came out the same.

“Is that all?” Cipher’s voice was eerily calm.

“For now.” The figure paused. “We trust you understand the gravity of your situation.”

“Yes.” Cipher’s fingers drummed once on the workbench—the only outward sign of his rage.

“Excellent. The Syndicate expects your full compliance.” The screen went black.

The silence that followed was deafening. Cipher stood motionless, his back still to me.

“Cipher?” I ventured cautiously.