Page 61 of Descent

“Ready.”

“There.” I press the print to the panel.

Upload. Download. Mission complete.

Sometimes it feels way too simple. Experience tells me that sometimes it really is. Superstition tells me that I should never, ever even entertain the thought.

We’re halfway to our exit route when a loud voice calls the gathering to attention. Ero and I turn back under the partial cover of the stairs. I can’t see the speaker from our position, but we both wait to hear what he has to say.

“Brat’ya!Druz’ya! Thank you all for coming. I will not keep you from business or from pleasure for long. We are here to renew alliances. Discuss the future. A future that many of you seem to think would be profitable under new leadership.”

A murmur of voices swells, fades. Silence grips the gathering.

“Some of you have dealt outside the brotherhood. Met with a foreign power. Invited rot into our midst. So I invited you all here tonight to clear the slate.”

Suddenly, every exit is blocked.

Men and women move into position from the crowd, all dressed as elegant partygoers. Each one targets a guest, forcing them to their knees.

“We will not negotiate with this Pantheon. And we will not tolerate your treachery.Do svidaniya uvidimsya v adu.”

See you in hell…

My eyes widen as knives are raised, throats torn out. It’s a fucking bloodbath.

I grab Ero’s hand, pulling him toward the top of the stairs and our way out. “We need to go.”

But our way is blocked. Two guards turn the corner, eyeing us.

Heading back down, I tug at Ero’s sleeve. He follows after me through the chaos, as many of the guests rush to leave, the staff panicking. Clearly, this was planned, but many of the guests are bystanders and don’t want any part of the massacre.

The balcony door hangs open, swinging in the cold night breeze. Just gotta get to?—

Ero’s arm rips from my grip.

Bodies clog the ballroom entrances. But his eyes are locked on the front of the room, the small stage. Following his gaze, I frown, missing whatever he’s looking at.

“Ero! Snap out of it. We need to go!”

I reach for him again?—

His hand takes me at the throat, driving me through the doorway. I try to break his grip, but I’m shaken and completely off balance. We struggle, Ero overpowering me and slamming me up against the stone wall outside. In the darkness I can’t make out his expression other than the twist of rage and fear.

“Er-Er!” I gasp, bashing at his forearm with my own. “It’s me!”

Instinct takes over, my fingers swiping through the folds of my gown. The dagger jabs him twice, once in the arm, then the ear. It takes every bit of self-control not to slash his tendons and disable the hand choking me.

Ero spasms, his eyes clearing. “Circe?”

“Yes…” I rasp, ducking out of his grasp. “What happened?”

“You…you don’t look like you.” He’s still foggy.

“I know. I’ll explain later. Come on.” Because there are shouts from inside. They’re checking everyone leaving to make sure no one on their kill list escaped.

Ero’s training takes over. We snatch the bag stashed in the hedges, loop the harnesses around our waist. He wraps his arm around me.

I fire the zipline gun. We clip in.

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