Page 112 of Beloved Sacrifice

Devon didn’t seem content to wait for their third. Her secret agent husband might specialize in cultivating assets and gathering information, but he had no problem getting his hands dirty. And since she’d become Grand Master, he’d pulled away from his position at the agency. Being her counselor and chief fixer was a full-time job.

Sometime she wondered if he resented her for the things he’d had to do. The memory of the night Christian had shot Caden Anderson popped to the forefront of her mind.

He headed toward the previously secret door that allowed entrance to the tunnels.

Juliette placed her hand on his arm. “We need to wait.”

Rose sighed heavily. “What are we waiting for again?”

They were crouched together at the mouth of the narrow tunnel the chimney climb had dumped them into. Weston must have an incredible mental map of the place. She’d been holder of the map for years, but she hadn’t committee the thing to memory. Weston’s knowledge came from actual exploration, which was probably more memorable.

“Patrol pattern,” Marek replied.

“What patrol?” she asked. She tried not to sound exasperated, but she was. Highly. “We haven’t seen anyone. Maybe there’s a camera system or something.”

“We’d be able to see the cameras, or at least the wires. There’s no way they could get wireless cameras to work in here, and wired cameras don’t come so small that we wouldn’t be able to see them.”

Rose looked around the shadowy stone hall doubtfully. There were plenty of dark crevices where something could have been hidden. The hair on her forearms and the back of her neck was standing on end. If she were cynical, and she was, she’d say this was going too well. Way too easy.

At least she hadn’t had to go marching into the library with Marek to serve as a distraction. A stay of execution.

It was really all about life’s little pleasures.

Rose waited patiently for another thirty seconds, then accidentally gave Marek a small shove so he tumbled into the hall. “Oops.”

Marek looked at her, shocked.

Weston snickered. “Patience is a virtue.”

“I have no virtues. We need to hurry up. Speed might be better than caution at this point.”

“She pushed me,” Marek sputtered.

“Aww, I’ll kiss it better.” She gave Marek’s ass a little pat and she stepped over him into the larger hall.

Marek was still standing there gawking at her when Weston, chuckling at the byplay, turned left and started walking.

Devon led the way, gun drawn as the three of them carefully made their way through the narrowest tunnel.

Juliette was starting to think she could travel through this godforsaken labyrinth with her eyes closed. It was a spider’s web, but at least with the alarm system, they knew what direction to head. In the past, the three of them, as well as other members of the Trinity Masters, had attempted to follow a convoluted map, feeling their way through the place. More than once, that willy-nilly exploration had left someone in danger. Irina had fallen through rotten flooring, while Sebastian’s brother had been involved in a cave-in.

Of course, that cave-in had been caused by Rose.

Devon’s steps slowed and Juliette ran into the back of him.

“What’s wro—”

“Shh,” Devon whispered. “I hear voices.”

“This is it. This is where they kept most of it.” Weston gestured to the middling-size chamber. It was just off one of the larger main halls, and one of the only “rooms” in the labyrinth.

Rose nodded, unable to speak. She stared at the exposed wooden support beams, her jaw aching and legs trembling at the memory. She turned away.

“Rose?” Marek asked.

“Memories,” she said quietly. She cleared her throat. “This is where Caden found it. He took it and ran…” She had to close her eyes and replay the memory. “He took it out, but I don’t know where.” Her voiced echoed against the stones of the empty chamber.

Juliette stilled, listening. It was hard to hear anything over the sudden thudding of her heart. She’d convinced herself it was the rats again.

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