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It’s well past dawn by the time I’m hauled out of my cage and brought up the stairs. The guards surround me—at least twelve of them—and they keep their weapons ready in case I try to flee. They’re overestimating me; I couldn’t brute force my way out of this level of security, no matter how much experience I have. They probably still don’t realize how pitiful my Gift is.
I’m just starting to wonder where they’re going to take me when we step into a large sunroom, a breakfast table at the opposite side. There are three people at the table, all with their eyes on me.
Atlas, facing me from the head of the table, well-dressed and coiffed.
Penn at his right hand—holdingher hand, in fact.
Keon at his left, with a crooked smile on his lips.
There’s an empty seat at the table between Penn and Keon, set with a decadent meal. I look at the guards in surprise when my magnetic cuffs are released, and I take a hesitant step forward.
“Come sit down, lover,” Keon purrs.
My step gets more confident as I make the last few strides toward them, taking a seat right across from Atlas. It’s hard to make out his features with the way he’s wreathed in sunlight, but I can tell he’s glaring at me. Penn has much the same expression on her face.
Keon is the only one smiling.
“Why am I here?” I ask, looking at him.
“I want you to offer them your proposition,” Keon says. “I’ve heard some of it, Penn has heard others…but dear Atlas wants to see the whole picture.”
I lick my lips. “Where do I even start?”
“With your proposal,” Atlas says, crossing his arms. He hasn’t so much as touched his food. “What do you want, Corvus en’Diavolo?”
I don’t touch my meal either.
“I want a place in your operation,” I say. “Amnesty in the Ganivet Valley.”
“And what are you offering in exchange?” Penn says.
“Layla Dara,” I say. “I’ll pull her out of the Diavolo Compound myself.”
I know there’s part of this that she wants to hear and part of it that she doesn’t. The part where her friend is alive is great, I’m sure. The fact that I knew where she was this whole time? Not so much.
“You know her exact location?” Atlas says.
I nod. “Plus, I could get in and out,” I say. “Especially if I tell them I’m delivering your head.”
Atlas stiffens.
I just barely see Penn’s fingers curl around the knife beside her plate.
“It doesn’t have to literally be a head,” Keon chuckles. “We aren’t barbarians.”
Penn doesn’t seem set at ease by that.
“Your shield generator should do the trick,” I say to Atlas. “No one has ever seen you without it…except us, of course.”
Atlas grimaces, but nods his head. “And you can get Layla Dara out of the Diavolo Compound with this?”
I meet Penn’s eyes. “I can guarantee it.”
Penn squeezes Atlas’ hand, and something in my chest twists. I wonder what he’s done to show her he’s a good man.
I wonder if I could do the same thing.
He reaches up to the nape of his neck and winces slightly, his brow furrowing. A gentle click sounds, then he pulls his hand away with a shiny silver disc in it, marked with a decorative Aelyd “G” for Ganivet.
