Page 60 of Thrown to the Wolves

She’s here. Lyssa’s here.

I wasted a lot of time with Mrs. Graves in the warehouse, long enough for the Syndicate to notice her missing…and long enough for them to find Grandmother’s house, the high-rise.

Grandmother, though, seems almost irritated by the interruption. “Then take care of the problem,” she snaps at the guard.

Part of me wants to run down all those flights of stairs, to fall down in front of Lyssa and beg for forgiveness. But another part, the part that still fears death, is just on the edge of panic.

But my parents are the only thing that matter to me now. Mrs. Graves and I agreed before we came here—whatever we needed to do to save them, we would do it.

Grandmother’s eyes narrow into slits. She turns to me. “I hope you understand that your parents’ lives are at stake.”

“I do,” I tell her, completely truthfully.

“Then take this housekeeper to one of the safe rooms below. Lock her in and guard the door. I want her in complete isolation, understood? No one is to have access. No one. Not even Ariadne. When this little mess is dealt with, I will come and see you, Scarlett.”

For a moment, I stare dumbly at her. Does she not see how much peril she’s in, right now? This isn’t some little mess, like the wrong delivery truck turning up.

This is the wolf howling at her door.

But I just nod, my stomach twisting. “Yes, Grandmother.”

“Then get out of here,” she says, motioning at the elevator.

I’m torn. I know my parents are here, in the penthouse, in the torture room hidden behind a door at the end of her walkthrough wardrobe. I could run through right now, unlock the door, and free them?—

It’s too risky. The guard has a semi-automatic rifle and I know he won’t hesitate to use it if ordered. Better to play the part I agreed on with Mrs. Graves. I grab her arm and pull her back into the elevator, stabbing at the button to take us down one floor.

The doors close and I sag against the wall, glancing over at Mrs. Graves. “Why isn’t she more concerned about the Syndicate?” I ask her, bewildered. “About Lyssa?”

I don’t really expect Mrs. Graves to know the answer, but I’m even more surprised when she laughs. “Her reaction is quite usual, you know. So many people underestimate my girls. So many regret it afterward. This Grandmother has quite a shock coming her way.”

I’m still perplexed. “But Grandmother trained Lyssa. Surely she?—”

“What?” The doors open on the floor below just as Mrs. Graves grabs my arm, and I realize I’ve said the wrong thing. “What did you just say?” I try to exit the elevator, but she pulls me back. “Scarlett, do you mean to say?—”

“Mrs. Graves, please,” I say desperately. “I think…if anyone is going to tell you about all that, shouldn’t it be Lyssa? You can ask her yourself when she comes for you.”

Because I have no doubt now, like Mrs. Graves herself, that Lyssa will come.

She seems to accept that, but she keeps trying to pull me back into the elevator. “Your parents. Shouldn’t we?—”

I shake my head. “They’re up in the penthouse, where we just came from. I didn’t want to endanger you by starting something with that guard around. Besides…” I try to keep my voice even, hold back the fear. “There’s no guarantee they’re still alive. But if they are, the penthouse is probably the safest place for them right now, if the Syndicate is attacking. Don’t you think?”

My answer finally seems to assuage her, and I pull her out with me, checking the hallway for anyone. Grandmother ordered our isolation, but I’m in no hurry either to have anyone see Mrs. Graves. Strangers are very noticeable here in Grandmother’s house, and they cause a lot of suspicion.

I’ve only come down one floor, and this is not the floor my room is on. But I certainly don’t plan to be sitting pretty in my own room if Grandmother decides Mrs. Graves will be more use as a physical shield to keep the Syndicate back.

No. I need to focus on keeping Mrs. Graves safe now, and trust that my parents are still alive. So I pick one of the doors along the hallway at random and pull Mrs. Graves in with me. It’s the exact same set out as my own place a few floors below, and offers about the same amount of protection.

Zero.

But it has the advantage of being completely random, and empty of any occupants.

I sometimes wondered why there were so many empty rooms in this high-rise, but now I think I’m starting to understand. Grandmother planned to fill it one day. A high-rise stuffed full of trained killers who would follow her commands.

It’s sick. And my own selfish plans for vengeance completely blinded me to what I was supporting.

I take Mrs. Graves’ hands. “Listen to me. When Lyssa gets here—or Hadria—after they…” I swallow. “If I don’t make it out of here, promise me that you’ll tell them about my parents. Ask them to free my parents, and make sure that they do. Will you promise me?”

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