Page 107 of Ramshackle
I narrow my eyes. “Bullshit.”
We stare at one another, challenging the other to break first.
Her eyes dart to the side and then widen. “Get in the closet.”
“What?”
Vera sprints to another door in the room and throws it open. “If you want the answer to your question, you’ll get in here and shut the fuck up. He’s coming.”
“Who—?” I start, but she storms past the gun and pushes me from behind toward the closet.
“Hide these.” She shoves something in my hands, but I’m distracted by the air shimmering to my right.
Fuck. A portal? Is it Gordon?
I run the last two steps to the closet and close the door, leaving a crack of space open for me to peek through. Whatever she handed me isn’t sharp from what I can feel, so I tuck it up my back between my shirt and the Kevlar vest to hide it.
A man steps from nowhere into the middle of the room. He’s tall and angular, his joints sharp and narrow like he’s devoid of muscle. His clothing is dark and covers nearly every inch of him. From his turtleneck and gloves down to his slacks and shiny black shoes, I wonder if there’s nothing but bone underneath. His profile reveals a pointed nose and chin beneath an old-style cap.
He stares through the window to the patients being evacuated and clicks his tongue, but ignores them in favor of Vera.
“I thought I told you to leave already,” the man says, his voice chilling and bleak.I’ve heard him before.“Or did you think you could run off with them again?”
Vera scoffs and turns away from him. “I was trying to pack up the last of the samples. Or do you not care about saving all my hard work here?”
She stiffens. Her body jerks forward awkwardly, and she grabs something, lifting it and then slamming it on the counter. Whatever it was shatters. Vera lifts a piece of it and holds it to her eye. “Wait! Don’t—”
Her words cut off, even though I don’t see anything blocking her mouth. Her lips just…close.
The man—Royce, I realize from his voice and Vera’s strange behavior—raises a single finger to his lips. “Shh, shh. No excuses. I’m growing tired of your rebellious streak. I call, you answer. I tell you what needs to be done, and you do it. It’s quite simple.” He moves slowly around the room, his gloved fingers raking over items on the counter and knocking them down. “I never asked you to return here. You’re to find the location of the Guild. That’s the one—and only—task you have. If you can’t manage that, then it’s my turn.”
“Mmmy b-bruh—” she forces out until her lips press shut again.
“You had your chance with him, and you failed. He’s to be killed like the rest of them and brought back to me.” He stops in front of her and pinches the hollows of her cheeks. “You should thank me. I’ll be reuniting you with your brother.” Royce pats her face mockingly. “Don’t look so upset by my gift. It won’t be today, but I’ll bring him to you soon. The president has a specific timeline for these things now.”
The necromancer might be the key to getting to the top if he’s so close to the person in charge of GE.
What should I do?
They’re still busy talking, so I draw my gift to one hand in preparation. My hand heats and tingles, and I leave it hanging at my side while I consider my options.
Royce’s head snaps my way, and I jump back from the opening.
Did he hear or see something?
No, I was quiet. I’m sure of it. What made him look this way, then? I take slow, calming breaths in the dark, waiting for what feels like long enough for him to convince himself that there’s nothing going on over here. I shift forward again, moving back to the light, and freeze when it goes dark.
Chapter thirty-one
Raegan
Royce stands there, hisdark eyes on me and a frown on thin lips.
“What is this?” He whips the door open, and it slams against the wall.
I launch at him. My gift is already active, and I don’t know if I can hurt him just enough without killing him, but it’s better than standing and doing nothing.
He snaps his fingers.
