Page 125 of Deadfall

“Have you heard from Rune?” I asked.

Silence.

“No.”

“Guess I’ll have to learn how to fly then,” I said dryly.

Seven chuckled. “Drugs feeling good, babe?”

“I hate this,” I admitted.

“I know. It’s almost over.”

The next few hours passed , and I sulked in my cage. I slowly waded through a plan for once I made contact with Octavius, but thinking was difficult, and I felt like I went in circles more than linearly. It wasn’t until the party was in full swing, the band going strong, and the guests revelry filled the room, that I finally began to feel the drugs begin to ebb.

I hadn’t heard much from Seven and Griffin. Seven would check in occasionally, but Griffin had remained a silent presence I knew was on the other end, but besides the occasional word or two, he never spoke. I’d just started running through my plan again, when I saw a group of people enter through the large double doors. My heart stopped.

“He’s here.”

Everything else fell away, including whatever Seven or Griffin said in response. The last time I’d seen Octavius was on a screen in Lev’s office—but it wasn’t those memories that surfaced. It was from the times before. The memories that were unreliable, shadowed, ugly—

I knew something had happened with Octavius, and sometimes I thought I knew, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to remember so I never tried very hard. I knew he’d assaulted me when I was a child, and that it had gone on for months in that house in the woods. I knew Vetticus let it happen, and I knew a man in a black wolf mask had stopped it. Those were the facts, and it was more than enough for me to want him dead.

Mahoney shadowed Octavius through the party where they mingled and chatted with guests. I never once took my eyes off them. This went on for about an hour before Mahoney led Octavius to my cage. Octavius looked up while sipping a glass of champagne, and Mahoney whispered in his ear. I was too high to hear anything, but Octavius nodded once to whatever Mahoney said, and the two of them left. Guards came and lowered my cage. It was showtime.

“I’m being taken to Octavius,” I muttered. “Somewhere off the hall.”

“We’re on our way,” Griffin said.

59

EMERSYN

I stepped through the door and it was like I’d been transported back to Vetticus’ study. Except, instead of Vetticus, it was Mahoney. Octavius stood in the middle of the room, and his eyes immediately slid over me from head to toe.

“Happy Birthday, Octavius,” Mahoney said with a chuckle.

“She’s stunning, Greg.”

“That’s not all she is,” Mahoney said smugly.

Octavius tore his attention away to look at Mahoney curiously. Mahoney handed Octavius a glass of whiskey and jerked his head at me.

“That is Theron North’s daughter.”

Octavius’ eyes lit up, and there was a glimmer of something dark that twisted his mouth into a sadistic smile.

“Well now, isn’t that something?” He murmured.

Mahoney chuckled. “I’m sure you’ll find a use for her. Word of caution—she’s incredibly dangerous—I advise—”

Octavius held up his hand and cut him off. Mahoney pressed his lips together but didn’t continue. Instead he handed Octavius a small black device, presumably for the shock chip embedded in my shoulder.

“I will leave you to enjoy your present,” Mahoney said.

When Octavius didn’t say anything further, Mahoney inclined his head and left the room.

“Would you like a drink?” Octavius asked.