Page 83 of Unholy Masks

She handed it over slowly, her expression uncertain. “Here.”

I took it and walked toward the bench and sat down. My legs were too weak. I peeled back the tape, ignoring the way my fingers trembled.

My breath froze.

Inside was her phone.

“Fucking bitch,” I whispered. My throat was tight, my chest constricting. I stared at the screen—black, lifeless—but my reflection swam on the screen. Mocking me. Mocking me. She was always mocking me.

I fucking hate her.

I gripped the phone tighter, knuckles white.

I turned just as headlights cut across the glass windows, and Ryden’s car pulled up outside. He parked the car and walked out, eyes sweeping the street before locking on me.

“Yara!” He walked toward the bench outside the ME office.

I held the phone up before he could speak.

“She was here. She left this.”

Ryden looked at the box, then at me. “She left it? Why?”

I shook my head once. “Because she knew we were tracking her.”

“She’s playing with you.”

“Not just playing,” I said. “She’s leading me. Toward her.”

And I was scared now. Not for myself.

About everyone she would eliminate from this game until it was…

Just her and me.

19

CIRCLE OF DARKNESS

YARA

Icouldn’t stop reeling. The rage was a loud roar inside my head.

“Fuck it. She was so close,” I said for the thousandth time, kicking the table with a curse.

“It’s not your fault. Stop hurting yourself,” Ryden said, sliding the egg toward me. “And eat.”

“Did Reah find a way to unlock the phone?” I asked.

“She’ll let us know as soon as she does,” Ryden said, biting into his toast.

“There won’t be anything inside,” I muttered, turning the phone over in my hands. “Nothing she doesn’t want us to find. She’s always careful.”

He let out a soft sigh, the kind that said he agreed but hated it. “Did Jack find anything on the Bible note?”

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

Chasing Patty was like chasing smoke in the dark. I knew she was there, but I couldn’t see.