Page 52 of A Game of Love and Betrayal

Breaking Rules and Guilty Consciences

“Where. Is. She?” Ryker bit out the words and crossed his arms. He channeled his mother and sent a withering glare at the soldier at the door, hoping it would loosen the man’s tongue.

The guard shook his head. “I told you, Captain, I can’t share that information with you. She’s safe; that’s all I’m authorized to say.”

Safe, but not here in the library with the rest of them.

Ryker barely contained the growl rising in his throat. The past few days had been an absolute shit show, the likes of which he hadn’t seen for several years.

After the rebels’ attack, Matron Cassandra briefed the men. Her information had been minimal, at best. There was an attack. No, she didn’t know if there were casualties. Yes, they were safe. No, she couldn’t tell them anything else.

Frustrating.

After the meeting, they were given thirty minutes to gather their belongings. A dozen guards shuffled them onto an enormous blacked-out bus. The women were transported in another vehicle, and armed guards had made up the rest of their entourage. They’d driven through the night, crossing from the Central Region into the Northern one.

When the driver had pulled through looming stone gates and driven up a long circular driveway, red streaked the sky. They’d stopped in front of a brick three-story home that was nothing short of palatial. The estate was large, and at least one other building, barely visible through the pines, was tucked behind the main one.

When the bus had stopped, Matron Cassandra had explained that for security reasons, the Choosing would continue in this more secluded location. Representative Therald, one of the werewolf Alphas, had kindly donated his pack house for the remainder of the Choosing. A team had flown up a few hours earlier and prepared the house for them. They had installed the necessary technology to stream the remainder of the Choosing to the world and covered all the windows with blackout blinds to accommodate the vampires in their group.

“Chancellor Rose is adamant that the Choosing continue,” Cassandra had said. “After all, it’s more important than ever to remind the Republic that we are a united country.”

After the Matron’s speech had concluded, Ryker disembarked the bus with the others. He’d found his room, showered, and then collapsed on the bed. It had been an extremely long night. He had slept most of the day, emerging long enough to eat before returning to the comfort of his sheets.

That was yesterday, though.

This morning, he’d woken up with a strong desire to talk to Brynleigh. He needed to make sure she was alright.

Following the Matron’s directions, he’d located the two-story library, where a hastily erected wall bisected the room.

Everything had been going as expected until he’d slipped on his headphones. The morning had rapidly deteriorated from there.

First, Celeste had connected him with Valentina. He’d explained, in no uncertain terms, that although he had enjoyed their conversations, he would pursue another option.

She hadn’t taken it well.

At.

All.

Ryker endured Valentina’s wrath for the better part of an hour. It was the longest sixty minutes of his life. She yelled, and he spoke to her calmly. She berated him, insisting he would regret this. He knew she was wrong. She swore. He sighed.

At least she confirmed he’d made the right decision.

When Celeste had informed him the meeting was over, relief had coursed through his veins. He couldn’t wait to speak with Brynleigh and tell her he’d broken things off with Valentina.

However, after Celeste had disconnected him from Valentina, the AI informed him that Brynleigh was unavailable. Not talking to someone else.

Unavailable.

The word had echoed around in Ryker’s mind, a battering ram against his senses. If Brynleigh wasn’t there, where was she?

Worry had gnawed at his gut, which led him to this tense conversation with the guard at the entrance.

“Why can’t I speak with her?” He waved the white headphones at the man. “What happened to her? Is she still in Golden City?”

“As I previously stated, all Choosing participants have journeyed to this new location,” the guard said evasively.

Ryker’s worry twisted and grew. What wasn’t the guard telling him? Brynleigh was strong, but even vampires weren’t infallible. He couldn’t shake the idea that the guard was keeping something from him.

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