Page 90 of Heir of Ashes

I thought about it. I’d get a job, a place to stay, transportation, and most important of all, my freedom. What else could one ask for? “How long will I have to serve? A lifetime?”

“Nothing so dramatic. This first contract is for twenty years. After that, you can either choose to renew or walk away.”

Almost as long as I’d been alive. “Five. Five years, and after that, the contract is open for negotiation.”

“Twenty years of your life is just a blink in the grand scheme of things.”

“Five or nothing,” I said. “The PSS only has a claim on me for a few more years. I have less than five years to endure before I can walk free and do as I please.” Surprise flickered on his face. He didn’t know I knew about that. I continued, “I’m willing to exchange the PSS’s shackles for yours, but the timeframe will be the same. If I find that I have an affinity for the job, we can renegotiate after the initial five years.”

Roland gave me a look I could only call calculating. “Very well, five years and the contract is open for negotiation.”

“I’m not done. I want Logan, Archer, and Rafael to walk out with me.”

His lips thinned into a straight line, and a crease appeared between his brows.

Had I gone too far? The truth was, I would have signed a contract for twenty years for the benefits he mentioned, and bargaining for Rafael and Archer was not a priority. But Logan would keep coming back for them and would keep getting caught no matter how many times he got bailed out.

Roland turned to Vincent, and a silent conversation took place between them. Then he shook his head and looked at me with an unreadable expression. “I’m afraid that’s not within my power. They have broken the law.”

“So have I,” I said before I could think better of it. Taking a deep breath, I tried again. “Sir, this will only require a couple more signatures on your end.”

He considered me thoughtfully. “Do you have any idea how many strings I’ll have to pull, how many rungs I’ll have to climb?”

“No, but I know you can do it.”

He took a few measured steps closer, his hands clasped behind his back, his dark gaze boring into mine. “What are you willing to exchange for my trouble?”

An image of Lee flashed in my mind. My heart skipped a beat before I reminded myself that this situation was different. “What do you have in mind?”

“Fifteen years. Five for each of them.”

I narrowed my eyes. Had he been counting on this? Maybe I could leave Rafael and Archer behind. After all, I owed them nothing. “Five—for all three.”

“Done,” he readily agreed, flashing me a genuine smile. “Welcome to my team, Miss Fosch.”

And just like that, I was no longer a captive.

“You can read the contract now. Vincent will answer any questions you have while I go file a petition to secure your release.” He spoke as though he was arranging my bail. In a way, he was doing exactly that. At the door, he paused beside Vincent and said, “Vincent will oversee your training. I believe once he’s done, you’ll be among my best.”

He left after that, and no sooner had he gone than the humming of the bars on my cell ceased. I eyed Vincent warily for a moment. The last time I’d seen him, he had six legs and was bigger than a bear. I’d bitten him, and he’d left me in a back alley.

I had a million questions but was smart enough to consider the possibility of listening devices. If I was going to work with him, I would have plenty of time to satisfy my curiosity.

I stepped out of the cell, and Vincent handed me a stack of papers he produced from the inside pocket of his suede jacket. We moved over to an empty desk in the corner, but neither of us pulled out the chairs.

“What’s with the shadow?” he asked, his voice a deep baritone.

“Huh?” I looked down, searching for what he meant, but I was standing almost under the bright neon lights and couldn’tsee any shadows. I looked at his; it wouldn’t have surprised me to find it stretching long behind him and discover that my shadow was not a normal one. But he didn’t have one either.

I frowned at him. “What do you mean?”

He masked the flicker of surprise quickly, shaking his head. “Never mind.”

I picked up the contract and began reading it. There was a lot of legal jargon, so I read it twice, then once more. I goggled at the salary and was surprised to find that the “accommodation” referred to a fixed address of a furnished apartment near the Hunters’ base in New York, not a small bunk in a room filled with snoring people. Since the original contract had a twenty-year obligatory period, we agreed I would sign the revised contract once we reached the base.

We left immediately on the Hunters’ private jet. I couldn’t put enough distance between me and the PSS. My only regret was not getting to see Logan before we left. Roland had explained during the drive to the airport that there were papers to be signed by higher-ups and that it could take a few hours before Logan, Rafael, and Archer could be released. He couldn’t stay to oversee it all, but Vincent had made arrangements to ensure they weren’t mistreated in any way.

Chapter 27

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