Page 55 of Reign By Wrath

“You go that way. I’ll go this way.”

Nodding, Cato backed away and blended into the shadows like they were his playthings. I made for that open window, moving as slowly and quietly as my bumbling feet allowed. The lights we saw through the trees were from hanging fairy lights dotting the roof and a single light on inside the house. Someone was in there, or they forgot to turn that light off when they left.

I pressed against the wall under the window, listening intently.Nothing.

Chancing it, I rose on tiptoe and peeked inside.

The fuzzy black outline of a small library awaited me. I fixed on something placed next to the window. After a second, I realized it was a chaise lounge. Everleigh must’ve kicked back, reading books and enjoying the breeze while outside in the real world, the fire she started blazed out of control. Must be nice to be that carefree.

I would happily put a stop to that for her.

Continuing on, I skirted past the back doors. I rounded the bend and looked right at Everleigh.

I jumped back—heart slamming out of my chest. The hazel-eyed figure poured hot water from the kettle with one hand and scrolled through her phone with the other. She didn’t look up as I used the L-shaped wall to duck behind.

All doubt erased before me. This was Everleigh’s cabin. All I needed to do was get inside, find her laptop, and make sure I took down the T.O.D. Club along with her. The get-inside part is where it got tricky.

I worried my lip, backing farther away to the open window. Simple enough to pop out the screen and climb in. Not so simple to wander around searching while Everleigh kicked back with her tea.

Should I wait until she goes to sleep?

That could be hours,another voice answered.Wilder, Rafael, and Lucien will have caught my lying ass out by then. I should call them now. Tell them the truth and that we found Everleigh. Then we can—

A tap landed on my shoulder, sending me three feet in the air. I whirled around on Cato and held a finger to my lips for no good reason.

“She’s in there,” I whispered. “If you give me a boost, I can climb in, then pull you up. But how do we make sure she doesn’t catch us while we’re searching for the laptop?”

Cato held up his bag. “Distraction.”

I shook my head. “We used the same kind of distraction on Giovanni and Gabriella—which Everleigh knows all about. If her trash can explodes out of nowhere, she won’t come out. She’ll go into lockdown.” I tipped my head, thinking. “It’s good for us that Everton hated stairs. This place is massive, but there’s only one floor. She’s in the kitchen right now, but she’s in pajamas. She’s probably taking her tea back to her room.”

“Room where the laptop is.”

I rocked back on my heels, knowing he was right. Who didn’t keep their laptops in their bedroom? No one. We’d have to tiptoe right past her.

“That just means she’ll lead us right to it,” I tried to say confidently. “Let’s go in. Help me up.”

Cato bent, grabbed me around the knees, and lifted me up with barely a flex of his muscles. I popped out the screen and carefully dropped it on the soft chaise. This was it. Now or never.

Taking a breath, I widened the window opening and wiggled through. I dropped flat on my cushioned landing pad—hardly believing it was that easy. I was in.

I spun and reached out for Cato. My phone buzzed against my hip. I helped him in, then pulled it out.

An email? I read the address twice and no familiarity bells rang. Who was this? Why didn’t spam eat this up?

Time’s almost up. Meet me at the Bluffs.

I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.

-Wolf

My lips peeled back from my teeth. Everything in me wanted to write a thirty-page reply on what a low-down piece of trash he was, but my not showing up to his little blackmail meeting would get the message across clear enough.

“Let’s go,” I whispered.

Cato and I padded out of the library. I didn’t know what was on his mind. Likely, excitement about how he’d get to commit his favorite crime: arson.

We came out and followed the same bend in the walls leading to the kitchen. Cato left his pack behind. The clanging torch cans would give us away in an instant.

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