Page 45 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

Alfie nodded. "Don't worry about it. We won't start anything until Kian gets here, and I don't expect him before ten. You know how the traffic is in the morning. He will want to avoid it."

"True. Do you know if he's bringing Toven?" Max asked.

The god's compulsion ability made interrogations easy—just ask a question, and the prisoner physically couldn't refuse to answer or lie—but where was the fun in that?

"I wasn't told, but probably." Alfie shrugged. "Things go much smoother with Toven doing the questioning."

"Yeah," Max agreed. "But I don't want easy. I want to beat that scumbag to a pulp and get him to sing the old-fashioned way."

A savage grin spread across Alfie's face. "I'm with you there." He clapped Max on the back. "Better get going."

After Alfie left, Max walked over to the couch, pulled out his phone, and sat down to call the chief.

"Good morning, Max," Onegus answered. "All rested and ready for your next assignment?"

Max had no doubt that the chief had already gotten detailed updates from Yamanu and Jade, so he didn't need to bother with a repeat unless Onegus had specific questions for him.

"I'd like to stay at the keep and resume my dungeon duty here if you don't mind."

"I don't. But it surprises me that you wish to stay. You didn't like being cooped up with the vermin in the dungeon."

"I don't, but I want to interrogate the scumbag we brought back with us, and I want to stay close to Kyra. She might be the one for me."

Honesty was the best approach. Besides, with how fast rumors traveled through the clan, by tomorrow at the latest everyone would know that he and Kyra were an item.

For once, he was thankful for the rumor machine. He didn't want any of the single males getting ideas.

Kyra was taken.

"Congratulations, Max. I'm happy for you. You can resume your post and keep Alfie as your second so you can leave the dungeon whenever Kyra needs you."

That was unexpected and extremely generous of the chief, especially given how short they were on Guardians lately.

"I appreciate that," Max said. "I know how stretched thin we are these days."

"Kyra is the priority. She might hold the key to finding Khiann, and every member of the clan owes it to Annani to do their best to help that happen. Just try not to screw things up."

Max winced. "Thanks, chief."

"You are welcome. Good luck." Onegus ended the call.

Max pocketed his phone and headed for the elevator that would take him down to the dungeon level.

As the doors slid open, revealing the corridor that led to the secure cells, Max strode straight toward the cell he had left the so-called doctor at, his boots echoing against the polished concrete floor.

He'd put the monster in stasis, so unless there had been flooding in the cell, the guy was still in the same state he'd left him in. Max peeked through the small window at the top of the door anyway.

"You're going to tell us everything," he murmured, his breath fogging the reinforced glass. "Every last detail about what you did to those women, how you found them, and what you were looking for. And when I'm done with you, there won't be enough of you left to bury."

There was no response, of course, but saying the words aloud felt cathartic in a small way. Acting on them would feel so much better.

This wasn't just about revenge, though that was certainly a big part of it. It was about understanding what the Brotherhood was planning, how they were identifying Dormants, and what threat that posed to the clan.

And it was about justice for Kyra, for the years stolen from her, for the trauma inflicted on her mind and body.

Max's phone buzzed in his pocket, and as he pulled it out, he saw a text from Alfie.

Kian's ETA 9:00 AM. Bringing Toven.

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