Page 93 of Of Mercury and Mist

Samuel arched a brow, mildly amused at my gaping. He tugged me closer. “Speak to no one. I’ve already given you too much freedom. I will let you know when you can talk.”

A man in a suit spotted us and strode over. “Long time no see,” the man patted Samuel on the back, before setting his eyes on me. “What do we have here?”

“A candidate, of sorts,” Samuel replied, glancing at me with unbridled want.

“Good luck with that,” he smirked. “She looks tasty.”

“She is. I’m meeting with the board shortly.”

The man’s eyes widened, as if he just understood something. “Huh. As I said...” he cast another glance at me before giving Samuel a loose salute and left.

“Who was that?” I asked.

He squeezed my hand, causing me to cry out. “What did I say?”

His grip was so tight I couldn’t pull away. I almost opened my mouth to speak but wisely nodded my assent instead.

We went over to a counter to sign in where we placed our hands on a scanner before we were both checked for weapons. Samuel was quickly relieved of several, but they were returned. His knives and a gun were declared free of malignant magic, and he tucked them back into his clothing. I wanted to ask him about the reference to bad magic, but I remained silent, choosing to take in as much as I could. I figured I’d learn more by being cooperative rather than testing the levels of his patience.

Behind the counter, a panel in the wall opened and a man walked out to join us where we stood as Samuel smoothed down his jacket. “Welcome, Lord Samuel. Diego is waiting for you.”

My companion nodded and we followed him across the room and down a long corridor while I tried not to gawk like a tourist. As it was, many were eyeing me curiously, and my swiveling head screamed to everyone, “look at me!”

Several times, I considered making a break for it, pictured myself running away from Samuel and crashing through the front doors and into whatever freedom lay beyond the massive palace. But then what? I knew no one and had no idea where I was going to go. I might as well have dropped myself on Mars.

But there was another part of me that was excited. Thrilled, even.

Despite my fear and trepidation, and regardless of Samuel’s dark words, I couldn’t help but be fascinated over this strange new world I’d been plunged into. I felt like an explorer, discovering an entirely new civilization only I didn’t have to dig in the dirt and speculate. It was all in living breathing color and I was an active participant. Sure, I was scared, but there was a distinct competition going on between my urge for self-preservation and my wanderlust for adventure.

We came to a stop where soldiers bearing long, sharpen javelins blocked the way and when they saw our escort they moved to the side with timed precision.

The doors opened and I heard a deep voice call out, “Welcome, Lord Samuel.”

THIRTY-THREE

Micha

“What if she doesn’t want to come back?” Josiah asked.

“Nobody wants to stay there; of course she wants to come back,” Della retorted.

“She probably believes she has nothing to come back to,” Kiam said, helpfully.

Placing my cup down, I said, “If you all would be so kind as to give me some space, I have planning to do.”

Josiah set his empty glass near my own. “I am unable to assist you this time, my friend.” His voice held a tone of regret. “Perhaps if you’d come to me sooner.”

“It was your decision to shut her out; I don’t recall being given a say.”

I would never forget the look on Ashley’s face or the crushing pain that surrounded her when Josiah had made his proclamation. It’d torn me in two and was probably the closest I’d ever come to ending my best friend’s life. Even now, I was furious with him.

On a logical, rational, level his present decision made sense. Things were changing and we did need the support of others. We’d done our best to forge our own way, building Ipomoea into the powerhouse it was today and shunning outside friendship or partnerships, but with recent developments, we’d have to make changes.

With the rumors of the disappearance of other, massive corporation’s CEOs, the whispers of dissention I’d recently heard about with Angels, and powerful people at Fulgere Industries nosing about, we needed allies. Never mind the heir apparent to the Satanic throne was said to have been murdered. The instability just seemed to keep growing and there was no stopping it.

The last thing any of us needed was me interfering with the Collective and speeding up whatever retribution may have been planned. There was no way to know how they’d come at us, and we needed to be ready. The most likely scenario was they’d use our peers against us, but I suspected Ashley was the route they had decided to take.

It’d be easy enough to build another company. We had the money, connections, and the added bonus of magic should the other avenues fail. What I couldn’t replace was the woman I loved. They knew I would spiral and that would not only provide them with fuel, but eventually, it would rid them of me forever and if luck was on their side, Josiah as well when he sought vengeance.

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