Page 30 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

"Is everything ready?" he called out in the direction of the kitchen.

"I am almost done, master," Ogidu replied.

He'd tasked the Odu with a lot, so even the cyborg's speed and efficiency might not be enough to have everything on time.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Kian offered, although he wasn't sure what he could actually do.

As someone who had enjoyed the services of Okidu since the day he was born, Kian hadn't had the need to develop any domestic skills. He knew how to make coffee, but given the aroma wafting from the kitchen, that had already been taken care of.

Ogidu appeared in the kitchen entrance, his expression mildly scandalized. "I assure Master that I have everything well in hand. The welcome luncheon is prepared, the rooms are ready, and fresh linens have been placed in all bathrooms."

"Of course." Kian smiled apologetically. "Thank you."

Ogidu bowed his head. "Master's offer of assistance is still appreciated, if unnecessary."

Kian had briefly considered leaving Ogidu here in the penthouse to care for their guests, but his mother would not have liked that and besides, Jasmine would want to stay close to her mother,making up for lost time, and naturally Ell-rom would want to stay with her. The two could help the women adjust.

There was a pleasing symmetry to it. Not long ago, Ell-rom had been the one being cared for in these very apartments, recuperating from a seven-thousand-year stasis. Now he could pay that kindness forward, helping others find their footing after their world had collapsed, plunging them into the pit of darkness.

Pulling out his phone, Kian checked his emails and messages, but nothing new had landed in either inbox since ten minutes ago when he had last checked. He returned the phone to his suit pocket and headed down the hallway to inspect the bedrooms, for no other reason than to settle his restlessness.

He had no doubt that Ogidu had followed his instructions to the letter and that he had made sure that each bedroom had clean linens and towels, and that the rest of the clothing Mey and Syssi had gotten for the women had been put in the closets.

His old office at the end of the hallway was still outfitted as such, but there was no computer or phone on the desk. In fact, there were no landlines in either one of the penthouses, and he hadn't asked William to provide any of the women with cell phones yet. Until they were sure the women could be trusted, they couldn't allow them to communicate with the outside world.

He was well aware that he was replacing their old prison with a new one, albeit much more luxurious and devoid of abuse, but one that still restricted their freedom.

Security concerns demanded that.

Yamanu had updated him after Julian had completed the scans that none of the women had trackers embedded in their bodies,and that they were doing relatively well considering what they'd been through. But the piece of information that had disturbed Kian most was how young the four other girls were, the youngest being sixteen and the oldest nineteen.

They were also all related. Three sisters and their cousin.

Bridget would arrive later in the afternoon to assess their health and begin whatever treatment they required.

His phone buzzed with a text from Syssi:Entering parking garage now.

Tucking the phone away, he made for the door, stepping out into the round vestibule with its high ceiling and colorful mural. A fresh bouquet of flowers had replaced the previous one on the round table, filling the small space with sweet smells.

Kian pressed the elevator button, and when the doors opened, he rode it down to the underground parking level. The hush of the elevator ride did little to calm the tension in his gut, and by the time he reached the bottom floor, his shoulders felt like coiled springs.

Perhaps he shouldn't have come.

Syssi and Mey had been enough of a welcoming party, and he could have postponed this until the six women were in a better state. That had been his intention when he'd driven to the keep, but it felt cowardly to wait in the dungeon for the arrival of the Doomer. It also didn't sit well with him that the brutal interrogation was his comfort zone, something he was looking forward to, but he felt completely out of his element welcoming six traumatized females.

He stepped off into the subterranean garage and waited for the bus.

Finally, the bright glare of oncoming headlights lit the wall, and the bus rumbled into view, stopping momentarily to wait for the gate to roll aside and then turning cautiously into the designated space.

21

KYRA

As the bus glided through the streets of Los Angeles, its large windows offered glimpses of towering skyscrapers and palm trees swaying in the gentle breeze. Kyra absorbed every detail, marking every turn and committing it to memory more out of habit than for any escape plans.

She was going home because home was with her daughter, so why would she want to escape it?

"Do you know if I ever visited Los Angeles?" she asked Jasmine.

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