Page 236 of Unhinged Omega

He opens his mouth to retort, but the radio on my belt crackles to life, saving us both from whatever he was about to say.

"Raven, come in. I've got your scout at the north entrance. Says he has information for you. Urgent." The voice belongs to one of Geo's guards, a beta named Harlow who owes me more than a few favors.

I grab the radio, relieved. "Tell him I'll be right up. Don't let him leave." Turning back to Nikolai, I shove a glass of water into his hand. "Drink. You're still dehydrated. I've got something to take care of."

"We're not done with this conversation," he warns, but there's less heat in his voice now.

"Yes, we are." I grab my jacket from the back of the chair. "I have more pressing matters than rehashing ancient history with you."

I don't even know what the point is. There isn't one. Some things never change, and Nikolai is one of them.

I stride toward the door, pausing only when he calls after me.

"Raven."

I don't turn around. "What?"

"Be careful."

Something in his tone makes my throat tighten. I nod once, sharply, and leave without looking back.

Geo is lounging in the living room, newspaper spread open in front of him, a glass of something amber and expensive in his hand. He glances up as I pass, his single eye assessing me with that unsettling perceptiveness.

"Listen for Nikolai, would you?" I say, trying to sound casual. "His fever broke, but he's still weak."

Geo's mouth quirks up at one corner. "Yeah, sure. I'll record his moans of agony and use them as my away message."

I sigh, too focused on my mission to properly appreciate his sarcasm. "He shouldn't give you any trouble. Just... make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"Like chase after you?" Geo's voice has an edge to it now, something knowing and sharp.

"Like try to kidnap my fucking omega," I counter, heading for the door.

Something tells me it won't go as well for him this time, considering Knight is her constant shadow. And Cosima is hardly helpless. The opposite, in fact.

The tunnels of the black market are busy even at this hour, merchants and mercenaries mingling in the artificial twilight of the underground complex. I weave through the crowd with practiced ease, my mind already racing ahead to what this contact might have found.

The bar near the north entrance is one of the seedier establishments in Geo's domain, which is saying something. The air is thick with smoke and the stench of cheap liquor, bodies pressed too close in the dim light. It's perfect for clandestine meetings. Anonymous, loud enough to mask conversation, with enough exits to make a quick escape if necessary.

I spot my scout immediately. He's leaning against the bar, a nondescript beta with the kind of face you forget the moment you look away. That's why I hired him. He blends in anywhere, becomes part of the background. The perfect spy.

His eyes light up with recognition as I approach, but he doesn't smile. Not a good sign.

"You have something for me?" I ask without preamble.

He glances around, then reaches into his jacket. "Tracked a few leads to a Surhiiran outpost that got hit by someone matching the description of your guy," he says, voice barely audible over the din of the bar. "Took out the courier this was intended for, played dress-up, and paid a visit to the outpost myself to confirm."

He hands me a sealed envelope, yellowed with wear. It feels light in my hands, almost insubstantial. I open it immediately, my eyes scanning over the elegant Surhiiran script. In my line of work, it pays to be a polyglot, even if Surhiiran is the hardest language I've ever had to learn and I certainly won't be winning any spelling bees anytime soon.

I get the gist, though. It's a full report. A soldier who matches Azarel's description perfectly attacked the outpost, and according to the guard who wrote the report, he was looking for an omega.

"Found the kid who wrote that," he says, nodding to the letter. "Talked like he'd seen a ghost. Or a demon straight outta hell. Said it was 'otherworldly' what that guy did to those poor bastards. The guard only survived because he was on the wall. Cut and ran once he saw how it was going to end. Like the guy knew how they fought, and exactly where to go."

For someone so posh, my goddess certainly keeps dangerous company. Maybe I do have a chance, after all.

"Thank you." I slip him a small pouch of gold coins, heavier than our agreed fee. "There's extra for the speedy delivery."

He weighs the pouch in his palm, nodding in satisfaction. "Pleasure doing business with you." He turns to leave, then pauses, his expression turning serious. "Whoever hired you to do this digging... I hope they're trustworthy." His eyes dart to the pocket where I've stored the envelope. "The Surhiiran army isn't to be trifled with. Better be worth it."

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