Page 59 of The High Priestess

I take a step backward while realizing this is really bad.

I wasn’t sure that Michail was the traitor.

God. What did Knight do?

I didn’t give the order.

What if Michail is innocent?

“This is madness, Cassia,” Savvas says, his tone trembling with emotion. “None of us would be here if we betrayed you.”

He’s right. Why would the traitor be hiding here when he could be in Athens taking over the organization?

Oh fuck.

A sickening feeling washes over me as I look at Michail’s body again.

Michail was always at my father’s side. He was at every birthday party. Every Christmas, and every barbeque.

If he didn’t betray us, which I’m starting to doubt he did, it means I just lost my most trusted man.

Turning around, I walk out of the living room and down a hallway. I enter the first bedroom I find and drop the machine gun on the bed.

My breaths burst over my lips and I place my hand on my stomach. My mind keeps racing, my emotions violently alternating between anger, disbelief, uncertainty, and grief.

When Knight comes to stand in the doorway, I can only stare at him and shake my head.

He doesn’t even bother to explain his actions, and it has my anger winning.

“I didn’t approve the kill,” I hiss. “You had no fucking right to kill Michail!”

Knight looks way too calm as he mutters, “He grabbed your weapon and was a threat. I didn’t need your approval.”

Jesus.

I shake my head again while giving him an incredulous look. “Michail was my father’s right-hand man! I’ve known him all my life, and I’m pretty sure he’s not the traitor.”

“He grabbed your weapon,” Knight mutters again.

Rage hits me so hard it blinds me, and I lunge at Knight. Before I can even swing my fist at him, he grabs hold of me, and in a flash, I hit the carpet. A growl escapes, and when I try to dart up, Knight restrains my arms with one of his hands while his other grips my jaw.

He forces me to look at him and calmly says, “It’s my fucking job to protect you. I don’t care who the person is. If they threaten your life, they’re dead. I’m not going to wait around for anyone to hurt you before I pull the trigger. Got it?”

I’m so angry and heartbroken a soft sob bursts from me, which only stokes my anger more.

Knight leans closer. “Take a deep breath, Cassia. You can’t break down now.”

I suck in desperate breaths and focus on calming myself so I can think clearly.

“You killed one of my people,” I hiss.

“I fucking protected you and made a statement that if anyone touches you, they die. They will all think twice about disobeying you from now on. Now get your shit together because they’re waiting in the living room.”

Along with Michail’s body.

Realizing this is not the time or place to fight with Knight, I order, “Get away from me.”

When he frees my wrists and moves off me, I quickly climb to my feet and walk to the bed. Grabbing the machine gun, Iturn around and shove it against his chest. “We’ll talk about this later.”

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