a's

riumph seemed hollow. As I stood next to Jake, the man who had turned into my lighthouse on th

arly in a whisper. "What is happening right now?

s a crushing weight I could no longer ignore, I prayed I could wipe the h

ught I would meet someone like you when I set out on this path. For at least me, what

amage. "You ought to have told Nadia. I could have unders

d unattainable. I touched his arm, but he withdrew;

ave to go. Venessa's collapse leaves a power vacuum that will not b

t about Nadia? Now, what happens to her? Is she simply go

-maybe regret or guilt. "Nadia's goal is no longer clea

er see Jake again, could I be away from him? Alternatively,

e you need to know," as if he sensed

for a moment. "

ething far more harmful than just something. She was not working by herself. Though I mistakenly thought

"Are you implying that there is more to t

s well. They will regard you as a threat, someone ove

pressed in. I hadn't given any thought to the potential of a more serious threat since I had

voice was hardly audible

-off. But first, we must vanish-at least temporarily do it. We must reorgan

s, his attitude grew stiff. "Are y

ast indefinitely. Whoever they are, we wi

ion to fight and his need to guard me. He turned to

I'll be right by you. But I have to ask: can I cou

ir, and I knew my response

ith you, Jake. But a lot is at risk here. Should I stay, I

o concern about the risk. You matter to me. We

a healing agent for my broken heart. How could

r, getting louder with every second before I could

and dragging me toward the

the air obvious. I turned back when we arrived at the stairwa

face veiled in the darkness. He was towering, broad-sh

polished, even sarcastic quality. "I w

his body coiled like a spring just about

harp, sculpted face and piercing blue ey

said, "My name is Victor. An

face darkened as well. Sam snarled, "

l, you do, though. You see, Venessa owed me a lot;

elerated. This involved more than simply Venessa'

for?" With a tremb

r of something terrible and dark in them. "I want what Nadia owes me. And should you

uggesting, terror flooded me.

me defensively, Jake added

want. Nevertheless, relax; I am a sensible man. Let's say twenty-24 hours; you have some time to decide. I

in stillness. The three of us stood motionle

am. "We have to depart right n

et. "Let's leave. We will work

ushed out of the estate into the evening. Our risk was more than anything I could have an

, I knew one thing for sure: whatever occurred next, we would face it

rning loomed large in the air, and I couldn't help but wonder whether we

hough it was far from done. A