Page 34 of Cruel Devotion

Actually, I appreciated Banks for letting me know about all of this.

I was an outsider. To me, the color of a shirt was an inconsequential choice but apparently to those in the Syndicate, every hue carried its own weight of meaning and significance.

Now, I know. I’ll move properly from now on.

Already, this difficult dance of politics and power within the Syndicate was getting exhausting.

Only seven days. Then, it’s back to normal life.

I must have rummaged through my clothes for at least half an hour.

Finally, my fingers brushed against the cool silken material of a pale blue top.

Perfect. That’s whitish looking compared to all my other stuff.

I quickly paired it with matching pants hoping the ensemble would convey a message of neutrality and peace to Banks until I received the white clothes.

Okay. Now I need to let Chen know that they’re coming.

As I dressed, my thoughts raced.

Banks’s unexpected early arrival would probably be alarming. While his protective nature over family was something I had grown up with, it also came with a side of extreme violence when he perceived any threat.

And I was slowly learning that in this new world of the Syndicate, threats were everywhere.

It was ironic, really. Here I was, on this sacred mountain, surrounded by a sense of peace and ancient wisdom, yet the violent politics of the outside world were never too far behind.

It’ll be fine. They come. They drop off stuff. All done. No worries.

I took a moment to center myself, drawing in a deep breath to calm my racing heart.

Lei had his plate full already. The responsibilities of being the Mountain Master were vast, but even more. . .he had to kill his father. The last thing he needed was to deal with the chaos Banks and Marcy could bring.

Guilt hit me.

I had hoped my stay here would be peaceful for him, a brief respite from the madness. Yet it seemed I may have inadvertently brought a storm to Lei’s doorstep.

A green one.

Pushing my worries aside, I took one last glance at my reflection, adjusting my sky blue top and smoothing out any wrinkles.

Alright. Now find Chen.

Determined, I headed out of the ten and immediately bumped right into a solid figure.

What the hell?

Stumbling back, I found myself gazing directly into Chen’s intense eyes. His usually composed, almost unreadable face now held traces of deep worry, etched lines on his forehead that I’d never noticed before. The rigid set of his jaw and the stiffness in his posture further unsettled me.

Okay. Well. . .I don’t need to search him out.

Chen wore a tailored blue suit that hugged his physique just right. His tie, a slightly darker hue of blue, was impeccably knotted at his collar. It looked like he was about to go on a date to a high-end restaurant.

As my eyes adjusted, I glanced past Chen and my heart boomed in my ears.

Ummm. . .

Lined up behind him, like an impenetrable wall, were at least forty men. Their matching blue athletic gear gave them a haunting uniformity, making them appear more like an organized militia than a random gathering of men.

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