Page 88 of Of Daggers and Deceit

She watched me carefully, somewhat uncertain.

“I cannot help you beyond our shield Raya. But here, I can. Please trust that I can.”

She drew her hands to her lap, her fingers fumbling against each other.

“What will you do?” she asked curiously, her voice soft and quiet.

I exhaled, knowing I couldn’t tell her about my deal, knowing I would have to shield her from it somehow.

“In a few days’ time, when the shield thins, I will meet you at the compound.”

Her eyes widened. “What, no! Riley, you are an Omega. It’s too dangerous.”

I scowled. I hated that she had absorbed the distinction, as if a Gifted or Alpha’s life was worth sacrificing but those of us who occupied the Inner Ring were not.

“I will bring someone I trust to help me get it done.”

I could see she didn’t believe me, that she knew how dangerous it was for me, but she didn’t know much about Sly at all, let alone his gifts. I couldn’t tell her, not without risking her or him.

“Draw them out, Raya, and I will find you myself. Together, we will get her back.”

She nodded her head absently, her fumbling fingers squeezing mine. I didn’t feel confident, not at all, but someone had to step forward and lead now.

Nausea sloshed in my gut, and I decided to shift the subject to shove it away. I would get my mother back, and I had to make Raya believe that. Her gift was nothing without confidence. The last thinning would be the last shot we had, and I very much intended to seize it.

“Where is Bodhi, Raya?”

Her tears clumped her lashes together, her face puffy and red.

“He hates me.”

“He would never hate you.” I reached across to wipe the tears from her cheeks with my thumb.

A disbelieving laugh spluttered from her, ending with a hiccup.

“I thought we had a future together. He chose me and I him, and it was the best thing that had happened to me…” She trailed off, wistful.

I tipped my head back to rest on the lounge with a smile lifting my lips. I’d always known they would end up together. Always. Since he’d been found in the desert and he came to live with us, they just gravitated towards each other. To me, it was simply a matter of time.

I was happy for her because I believed they would work it out eventually, and I was desperate to protect that small sense of joy they would experience when they sorted it out. I wanted Raya to have everything I couldn’t, because money or power couldn’t buy love like that.

“He is hurting, Raya, just as we all are. But I will fix it, and then everything will be okay.” The words came out quickly, and I was shocked by how easily lies could spill from my lips these days. I would fix it, but I didn’t know if everything would be okay, not with how much was stacked against us. But for them, I would fight.

She smiled weakly and leaned back against the lounge, mirroring my own position with her hand still clasped in mine.

“You’ve always fixed everything for me, Riley,” she whispered. “I wish I could give half as much as what you give.”

I squished her fingers tight in an effort to cut off her thinking. She didn’t know how much she gave to this family.

“That’s what family does, Raya. No matter what happens, we will always have each other’s backs. It’s for that same reason I know we will survive.”

RAYA

Horns blasted and shouts rang out as I blinked my eyes open drowsily, threw my covers off, and jumped out of bed. Not this again.

Wake-ups like this were never pleasant, even more so when I’d already had little sleep, having stayed up for as long as Riley was around, talking more about our mother and how we would get her back. Today, I was determined.

I’d allowed myself to feel down last night for my failures, but today, it was time to get angry and push forward. If Riley could do it, then so could I.

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