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Darien walked through first, taking the corner with caution. His eyes were a shining black, the skin of his cheekbones and temples webbed with black lines from the Venom. Roman and Tanner flanked him, and Jack came up behind Darien, covering his back.

They’d all taken a hit of Venom—all except Tanner—but Darien was the only one who’d doubled his dose. Not by choice, but because he had to. He’d not just developed a dependance on the drug, but a tolerance as well. Now, he had to take a higher dose to experience the same effects everyone else got with only one hit. A much higher dose.

He knew what he was doing was dangerous. But so was walking straight into this minefield without Venom sparking through his blood, waiting to ignite his magic to its fullest potential. Risk over reward, and all that shit.

Together, they walked deeper into Caliginous on Silverway. The sword of adamant was strapped to Darien’s back, the blade faintly rattling as he walked. It felt weird to come in here without a weapon in hand, when the others who were with him had theirs raised, eyes peering through scopes, fingers poised on triggers. Darien’s only weapon tonight would have to be his magic.

The interior of the building was eerily quiet and empty. Only the soft gurgling of the diffusers on the desk and the tinkling of classical music filled the silence. No droning of phones, no clicking of fingers on a keyboard, no hum of an occupied chamber. And no employees or clients in sight.

Darien directed the others with several waves of his hands, mouthing where they should go and what they should do.

They spread out, Tanner and Jack hanging back to check the rooms by the elevators. Darien kept an eye on them as he and Roman walked deeper into the building.

A phone on the desk rang. And rang and rang.

Roman kept his feet light as he approached, walking heel to toe—

He froze in shock, paling. The automatic rifle in his hands drooped as he beheld the scene before him.

Darien ate up the distance to his cousin in three long strides—

And saw Tanya. Slumped in the chair behind the desk.

A bullet in her fucking head.

Part Five

THE LABYRINTH

106

Caliginous on Silverway

YVESWICH, STATE OF KER

Roman stared at Tanya with speechless rage and shock. At the blood leaking from the bullet wound in her forehead, the trickle of crimson streaming down the sides of her dainty nose. The once joyful, flirtatious eyes, now flat with death. Empty.

Darien stepped up to Roman’s side. “Let’s go,” he urged quietly.

“She’s dead,” Roman choked out, unable to draw a full breath. He couldn’t help but feel responsible for this. Maybe the imperator would have killed her anyway, but Roman and the others had asked so much of Tanya, had asked her to break the rules so Loren could use chamber five. If he hadn’t been so blind and selfish, he might’ve looked into Tanya’s recent change in behavior—the attitude she had never given him before. Not just the attitude, but all the overtime as well.

Tanya was not the only employee here at Caliginous. She wasn’t even the owner. And yet, for the past couple of weeks, she was the only person they’d seen working here.

What the actual fuck. They’d all majorly screwed up—

“Roman,” Darien tried.

Roman shook his head to snap out of it, tearing his eyes off that bullet wound deep in Tanya’s skull. Darien, Jack, Tanner—they were all staring at him as he stared at Tanya.

He gripped his firearm tighter. Approached Tanya to get the keys off her arm. Bile rose in his throat as he shimmied the coil down her arm, keys catching in her blouse.

This was a death that hit close to home. Tanya was practically a friend—someone he’d come to know in recent months. Someone who’d struggled financially and worked overtime to support herself. Someone Roman had leant money to.

Someone who was now dead.

Keys in hand, Roman looked at Tanya one last time. Brushed a knuckle against her smooth cheek. Mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

He turned, deliberately not looking at the others as he made for the hallway—the one he’d walked a hundred times. At the end of the hallway was chamber seven, where they’d find the imperator.