Page 336 of Commanding Scythe and Sky

“I’m literally backing your claim.” She leveled him with the same fuck-off glare Cali gave me when I was being a dipshit. Valid point.

“Okay. We send shadows to gather intel.”

“Bellpost will have their own in play,” I warned.

“Give me your best.” He’d barely finished when Vesper materialized on the table in a predatory crouch, the inhuman tilt of her head sharpening an already unnerving smile. “Jesus Christ,” August growled. “Stop doing that.”

“I was summoned,” she whispered sweetly, running a hand through her mahogany hair.

“She’s the best,” I said when August’s wary eyes found mine.

“That we’ve got, or period?”

“Period,” she rasped, smirking down at him.

I huffed a breath, shrugging. “I’ve got jack shit on Vesper.”

He lifted his eyes to her gold ones as she twirled a blade between spindly porcelain fingers. “Assemble your team—only your most trusted. Then find them.”

“With pleasure,” she breathed, popping her fingers before misting back into the realm between.

August scrubbed a hand aggressively over the back of his neck, eyes widening at the marble where she’d vanished. “Goddamn, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

“Nobody is used to Vesper,” I offered.

“Facts,” Jo confirmed.

“Mother always said she was part demon, and that’s why she was so good,” Cali joked, keys clacking beneath her fingers. Her typing slowed, and the world seemed to with it. My gaze flicked to Freya and found her jades already trained on me. She wet her lips, quickly averting her eyes with the briefest twitch of a forced smile.

I swallowed the tension building in my body. “Who do you want on extraction?”

“Extraction?” Freya balked. “I didn’t think we were gonna leave a single one of these motherfuckers breathing.”

“We’re not,” August vowed, leaning back as he stretched his neck. “But getting Ally and Blythe out is the priority. After that, it’s open fucking season.” He leaned forward, forearms braced against the marble, hands clasped as though in prayer. “Freya, I want you with me. Cyrus, watch her back.”

I didn’t have time to nod before Freya demanded, “Fine. But I want Gio, too.”

Every pair of eyes flicked to Freya, who shrugged unapologetically. Her gaze fixed on our Wing-lieutenant, looking as bewildered as the rest of us, dark brows dipped low. “Mom and I aren’t the only ones with a score to settle with Marlana.”

His hometown. Understanding hit me at the same moment it flashed across Gio’s face.

“Her death belongs to you too.”

Gio’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he dipped his chin, but when he opened his mouth, no words came. Not that I blamed him. The message was clear: Freya hadn’t forgotten, and her pain didn’t outrank his just because hers was fucking personal.

All debts would be paid, and she’d make sure the people owed were the ones to settle them. Goddamn, she was fucking everything.

Brutal. Brilliant. So fucking beautiful it hurt.

And I spent my nights trying to force her from my mind, only to race her to the kitchen for breakfast. I’d take fucking my fist with her name on my lips over the nightmares we shared.

“Okay,” August agreed easily. “Gio, prepare your falconry.”

“Gio’s great at kicking in doors,” I said bluntly, “but you didn’t answer my question. Who’s on extraction?”

August wet his lips before his eyes shut with the finality of a man who’d just signed his own death warrant. “How’s your relationship with Blaz these days?”

“You can’t be serious,” Cali drawled, slamming the laptop closed with a crack.