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"Maybe," Bradley says. "But not yet. You did good."

"Good?" I narrow my eyes and glare up at him. "How was that good?"

"Because we're tracking Sabina now. And Boris thinks he's able to walk all over us, which means he won't question when we turn up at the gala."

"Come on," Valentina says and she jerks her thumb toward the cars. "I want out of this rain."

On the drive back to the Empire State Building, everything reminds me of Sabina. The seat she was in retains some lingering warmth and the air around me smells of her natural scent and the peach blossom shampoo she used that morning. I close my eyes and breath in, trying to imagine she's right beside me as we drive.

Over and over, people have told me this is the best plan. They need Sabina alive and healthy so they won't harm her.

But what about after?

If I'm not fast enough, if I'm not strong enough, what happens after?

Countless haunting scenarios filled with failure follow me up the elevator to our headquarters as Bradley and Valentina's conversation washes over me. We reach the top and are greeted by Raven, who holds up her tablet.

"Guess where they are," she says.

"I don't have the heart to guess," I reply.

"Right here." She hands over the tablet, which shows a zoomed-in map of New York City with one large building highlighted. "It’s an old auction house. I thought this place was condemned but it seems Boris’s team has been working to restore it. A lot of his old family pieces came from here so it might be a personal attachment kind of thing. Assuming they don't move from that spot, that's where they're keeping her. I don't think they'll move, though."

"Why not?" Bradley asks as he peers over my shoulder.

"Because that's where they're holding the gala in two days."

No fucking way.

"I'm going." I lift my head and lock eyes with Bradley. "I'm going to that gala and I'm bringing them both home."

30

SABINA

Itold myself I could handle it.

I told myself that it would be easy, like playing some kind of game until the moment I somehow made it back to Cassian.

Boris is quick to deliver a harsh slap of reality.

When we arrive at his destination, I'm ushered from the SUV with barely a second to get my bearings. We travel swiftly up some steps, through a hallway of orange, gold, and white, then into an elevator that sweeps up swiftly and silently until I'm deposited in a small lounge all by myself.

But not for long.

Within minutes of the door being slammed closed, it reopens and a woman walks in with black hair and a pinched smile.

Mandy, I think her name was. We met briefly in the garden when Mario introduced me to Illyana for the first time.

"Strip," Mandy demands, standing in front of me with her arms crossed and her hips cocked.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you deaf?" Her eyes flick up and down me. "Strip." When I don't move, she raises her voice and barks at me. "Take your damn clothes off!"

My eyes widen as I wrap my arms around my middle. "You're kidding."

"You want to see Illyana, right? I'm not letting you near her until we're sure you haven't snuck in any wires, recording devices, or weapons that could be used on her.”