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He closed his fingers around it, keeping it for himself rather than passing it to Eilidh as I’d expected he would. “It does. ”
“Then it’s not to be trifled with. Don’t make me regret giving it to you. ”
“You have my assurances it will be used wisely. You and your people may go. I’ll ensure the signed documents you requested are ready for you upstairs, and I will be in contact with Sig in regards to the…security problem you claim we have. ”
“I know you have. ”
“Indeed. ”
“Thank you, Galen. ”
“A pleasure, Secret. Though you can understand why I hope to never see you again. ”
“Likewise. ”
We left the room, Holden hot on my heels with Sutherland dawdling behind. Once we were back in the elevator, Holden could no longer restrain himself. Evidence of his curiosity had been written all over his face since we’d left the chamber.
“What was it?” he asked.
“The pendant?”
He gave me his patented are you stupid look.
“Remember how Maxime said Eilidh believed the Tiffany window had magical properties? He was half right. The window itself wasn’t special, but the crystal Sutherland had on him was one of the thirteen prisms set into the window, and it is magical. Very magical. ”
“What does it do?”
“Worn as a pendant, the way it’s set now? It will allow a vampire to walk in sunlight. ”
The three of us went quiet, only the rattle and buzz of the elevator filling the silence. Sutherland was still beaming. His expression hadn’t wavered once.
“You gave it up? For him?”
I shook my head. “No. I gave it up because it wasn’t mine. And I gave it up because it might help me find Peyton. And anything that will help me find him is worth the sacrifice to me. ”
Holden leaned against the back wall of the elevator, crossing his arms over his chest. “You think Peyton was responsible for our kidnapping, don’t you?”
“Yes. ”
The elevator pinged, and we exited. A warden was standing with Ingrid, holding a sheaf of papers as Galen had promised. Before we got off, Holden grabbed me by the arm and tugged me back, holding me in place in front of him.
“This need you have to get vengeance, you can’t let it consume you. I want Peyton dead as much as you do, but you can’t let him be your sole purpose for getting out of bed every night. Otherwise he’s won. ”
I pulled free from his hands and met his eyes, trying not to look as lost as I felt.
“There are other things that get me out of bed,” I promised.
“Secret…this is a dark path you’re going down. ”
I touched his cheek and smiled faintly. “The path is long gone. There’s no turning back now. ”
Chapter Forty
When I’d made Major Logan van Buren promise to leave me alone in a small room with The Doctor, I hadn’t dreamed of what he’d do for me. But a week following my arrival home from California I got a visit from Tyler, letting me know it was time for the government to make good on one of their promises to me.
A black SUV picked me up outside my apartment and took me to an abandoned building in the Meatpacking District.
No one questioned me for bringing a sword.
