Page 103 of Caged By the Ruthless Thief

I open a new document and begin filling it with some rudimentary ideas. They’re a big change in what we do as a populous today. Open forums and input from all citizens.

I’m lost in thought when the ping from the driver comes through. I shake off the fog I’m in, shuffle my things together, and head to the awaiting car. My muscles ache. Everything is off, but I can’t help but feel that I’m close. I’m close to making things click in the back of my brain. We’re halfway to the office when another text from Hagen Brackenridge comes in.

I read it. My hands shake. I lower the glass between the driver and me. “Change of plans. Take me to the airport, please.”

I text Katerina, my assistant in Athens, to clear my schedule and get the plane ready. Even though it’s early, I know she’ll see it. She does, and I’m in the general aviation area of the airport and sitting on a jet before the sun has risen. Telling Annabelle where I’m going briefly crosses my mind. But keeping her safe in the Veiled City is more important.

45

HOLTER

The Zaffiro dome is like so many of the others. It’s fine, but it’s not home. The lower level of Zaffiro smells of the ocean, unlike Glyden. But Glyden has a different standard. We like new things. Zaffiro likes to cling to traditions. The old style of smaller garden domes is juxtaposed with their newer towers.

“Put your hand on the biometrics, Belle. Let’s see what happens.”

Belle reaches toward the door, and it opens without her having to do a full scan. “Is it supposed to do that?” She turns and asks me.

“I don’t know. Has it done that before?”

“We weren’t exactly going out on the town nightly. I came in and I left.”

“Right,” Nico growls and pushes past her.

Nico and I clear the apartment. He takes point and I follow. The place is a mess, with bedding and clothes flung about everywhere. Every kitchen cabinet is open, and there’s broken glass on the floor. Eros is a slob, but not the kind who leaves broken dishes lying about. Nico’s gone into the bedroom while I’m poking about at the mess in the living room.

“Does it look like anything is missing, Belle?”

“I don’t think so.” Her arms cross over her belly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well?” She crosses the room to a series of decorative shelves. She touches something, and a door opens. “This is what I was talking about.”

Whoever ransacked Eros’s place didn’t have any idea about the secret room to the side. It’s completely intact. Shelves containing thousands of books line the entire space, and in the middle is a piece of tech I’ve never seen before. “This is what can read Richeal’s book?”

“I think it might be able to. But who did this to Eros’s place?” She scrunches up her face in worry. But even in her worry, she’s picking things up. Righting cushions and folding tunics.

I shake my head. Anyone could have done this. He spent years as a thief, and now? An assassin? And he mated a human. So there’s no end to the list of people who might want to toss Eros’s apartment. “That depends on what they might be looking for. This is quite the private dome.”

“He inherited it from his uncle. Apparently, it’s tradition for the males who will not mate. They take this place.”

“Well, maybe it’s the next unmated male who thinks Eros shouldn’t have it.” Even as I say it, I don’t believe it. Belle raises a single eyebrow at me. “Yeah, probably not. They were looking for something.”

“Do you think they found it?” Belle moves to the other side of the room and picks up a book.

“I don’t think so. Eros is many things, but a fool isn’t one of them. He wouldn’t leave something of value out in the open.”

“He would leave it hidden,” says Nico.

“Like in here?” Belle holds up a book.

“Yes. Or he would destroy it all together.”

Nico pulls a book from the shelf and shakes the spine, pages flapping at the floor. Nothing falls from them. Unlike the males who tossed this place, Nico places the book back on the shelf before taking the next one and repeating the process. “I can do this while you look at Mom’s book.” Nico points at the machine with his free hand.

“Right.” Belle turns it on with authority. She’s definitely used the machine before, and going by the stack of books beside it...

That’s when I realize it. “He locked you in here while we were searching for you.”

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