Page 118
Story: These Shattered Memories
“Get out of here before I do some real damage, man,” he says.
“You and I both know Xander Vasilyev has been under investigation for years. I’m telling you now that the police have something and if you don’t let me speak to him, they will be here in under an hour with a warrant for his arrest.” The guard still looks unconvinced. His friends loom in the background, watching on curiously.
“Bullshit.”
I almost groan.
“It has something to do with a dead guy in one of your warehouses. Sying I believe?”
This time, he visibly flinches, his eyes meeting another guard’s.
Bingo.
Xander is their direct boss, and this guy must have heard the rumours about Key and how he probably ended up under after Xander’s torture.
I decide to press on. “I don’t care if you believe me or not, but if the police come and swarm this building, Xander will kill both of us for not warning him and you and I both know he’ll take his time.”
The guard’s nostrils flare. His friends exchange uneasy glances. They are loyal to him, and they also know what he’s capable of.
“Look, they are both occupied,” he tries feebly.
I know,I think,that’s what I’m trying to stop.
“Fine,” I say. “Then you will explain to them both why Xander ended up in handcuffs tonight.”
“C’mon Roth,” one of the guards standing a little behind says. “He has a badge. If this he’s telling the truth…”
Roth stares at me, jaw clenched. “What did you say your name was?”
“Detective Alexander Kimura. You can look up my badge number if you’d like, but we’re running out of time.”
He nods. “If you’re lying, you won’t make it out of here.”
I nod, tucking my badge away.
“Search him first,” he mutters to his friends. “Make sure he’s not carrying.”
I wasn’t stupid enough to bring my gun. I hold out my arms, opening my legs as one of them comes to pat me down. I spot his snake tattoo on his hand.
“All clear,” the man says.
Roth gives me one last warning look before turning on his heel and walking into The Serpentine. I swallow, letting out a cold breath before following him inside, a guard’s hand tightly gripping my arm. “Let’s go,” he mutters.
Somewhere inside, Rowan is standing among his enemies, and I hope I’m not too late to stop them.
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Rowan
The air in the Sanctum is thick, the heavy expectation of what comes next almost overwhelming. The golden serpent etched into the black granite walls seems to shimmer in the flickering light, a silent witness to everything unfolding.
I keep my eyes trained on my father, but like he can feel me, his eyes land on me and he smiles. There’s something about it that makes me uneasy. Despite the warmth emanating from the candles that litter the room, a cold sweat runs down my back.
He tears his eyes from me and looks through the room. “However, before we can cast our votes, there is something I must bring to your attention.”
A low murmur runs through the Keepers. Across the circle, Hayden meets my eyes. My father waits for silence, but his expression doesn’t shift. I know that look. It’s the same one he wore with a whip in his hand. Coiled, patient. Snake-like.
“Zaina was not just my wife. She was a leader. A mother. The backbone of The Snake. She brokered a peace deal with The Scarlet Ravens. She gave us unimaginable influence in Senna. It is clear that her strength held us all together.” He pauses to take in a shaky breath. “But in her final moments, she was betrayed by someone she loved deeply; someone she trusted above most.”
“Speak plainly, Jonathan,” Cordelia’s cool voice cuts through the room, disturbing protocol. “This is no time for riddles.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118 (Reading here)
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134