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She nodded, and I went back to examining the files. Conii was highly protective of her information, even her personal files. Everything had code names, and some even had password protection, especially the file called ‘Deathgate.’
Emma informed me of the general password to her computer, which made me chuckle. What a crazy bitch Conii had to be to have Alkard’s name as her password.
Unfortunately, the password didn’t work on the folders that required a password, and I wasn’t going to waste time trying to guess every single one. I made my way to her ledger. The general password worked for that one.
“Come on,” I whispered, my eyes scanning every column. “There has to be something.”
“Taz…” Emma murmured from behind me.
“Yes?” I spun around in the chair and looked at her.
She shook her head, leaning against the kitchen island. “You know I can’t go back there, right? What good am I to the mission now?”
“Emma,” I responded as I stood from the chair and walked over to her. “Everything will be taken care of. Makar is amazing at what he does. The whole family is. Anyone that saw anything will be disposed of. We’ll have a cover story ready to go by tomorrow. You just have to go along with it. You won’t be faulted foranything.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I brushed her hair behind her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “Do you want to go back? You don’t have to.”
“If everything is taken care of. We don’t know what else we’ll need from Conii.” She raised her chin. “I’m absolutely going back.”
EMMA
“Stay here tonight,” Tazhr murmured into my hair, setting my body on fire.
Exhaustion of both body and mind weighed me down, turning my thoughts to lead. But despite everything, I still craved his touch.
Reluctantly, I pushed away.
“If everything is really taken care of, I should make sure to be back in place for the dinner service tonight,” I insisted. “Unless you don’t think Makar finished the job?”
Tazhr scowled. “He’s good. It’ll be done.”
His hand cupped my cheek, and he gazed at me. “Be careful. Lay low. Don’t try to get any more information, just pretend you’re as scared as everyone else.”
That would be easy. I might sound tough, but I was terrified.
As we headed back towards Conii’s compound, I circled through every worst-case scenario.
I would be killed at the front door, or maybe the guards would wait until I wasn’t looking. Maybe they would string me up in front of everyone in the marketplace by her home and speak of my misdoings before slicing my head off.
In the darkened passageway where Tazhr first embraced me, he took me in his arms. I barely hugged him back. I didn’t know what to do. My nerves exploded in all directions, and I felt myself shaking beneath his grip.
“You’re going to be all right. Makar took care of everything.”
“Okay,” I muttered into his chest. “I have a day off in five days. I’ll be back at Realta then.”
“I’ll be waiting for you,” he promised.
Pulling myself from his arms, I turned away.
I couldn’t look back. I didn’t want to. I trusted that hethoughtMakar took care of everything, but as far as it being true, that remained to be seen.
My heart thundered as I approached the side entrance to Conii’s compound. I kept my gaze low, avoiding the penetrating stares of the guards. Their faces betrayed nothing, giving no hint if they knew of the grim events that unfolded here mere hours before.
One nodded curtly for me to enter. Taking a shaky breath, I stepped through the door into the wide foyer, braced for confrontation. Yet no one accosted me. The space was eerily still, with no signs of alarm or suspicion.
Cautiously, I made my way toward the kitchen, ears straining for any indication the chef’s absence had been noted. But the usual clamor of dinner preparations echoed ahead, the staff gossiping and laughing as they worked. How could they not know?
