Page 111 of A Sin So Pure

He huffs, shaking his head in disbelief. His lips move, murmuring something under his breath that I can’t hear.

“What you are doing is not easy. It should take youmonths, if not longer, to do this,” he says.

“How would you know? Is there another soul-stealer you’re training that I should know about?” I say, hands on my hips.

“Certainly not one like you.”

My lips part at the strange answer, but before I can reply, there’s a knock at the door. Wrath steps inside, quickly shutting the door behind him, drawing both my and Silas’s attention.

He doesn’t often interrupt our training.

“What is it?” Silas asks.

“There’s been a wire,” he says.

“Okay,” Silas drawls.

There’s a beat of silence where Wrath’s jaw ticks. Finally, he looks at me, and there’s pity in his eyes. Instantly, gooseflesh rises on my neck.

“Your Second sent a message. There was another attack.”

28

IMOGEN

“I’m not a gun person, but I have to admit this is awesome, Sal.”

“Can I see?” Josie tries to peek over my shoulder, but I shove her away.

“Nope. Not allowed.”

The old man chuckles as he closes the small wooden boxes holding Nora and Josie’s presents.

“Thank you, that’s kind to say,” Sal says. “Let me get your paperwork from the back, and we can get you on your way.”

Sal shuffles through to the back room, leaving Josie and me alone. Wes is stationed out front like last time, keeping watch.

“You’re in a good mood today,” Josie observes, leaning back against a glass display case.

I play with the ends of my scarf. “I don’t know. Life is looking up lately.”

“I’m glad, Mo.”

“Now, if only Nora would hurry up and come home…”

“I’m sure she’ll be back soon.”

“She hasn’t sent any word yet?”

“No, not a peep,” Josie says. “But she promised she’d tell us if it was going to be longer than?—”

Josie’s head whips to the front of the store, only a second before the glass explodes.

“Get down!”

Josie throws herself at me, but not before bullets and glass rain down on us. Pain erupts in my side as Josie tackles me to the ground, covering my body with hers.

“Shit,” she growls. “We need to get out of here.”

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