Page 34 of A City of Hearts and Feathers (The Order of Anubis #1)

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

T hey landed in the street outside of the Kartal bookstore. Zoe stumbled backward, and Kahil caught her around the waist as her knees gave out.

"Go and help Arslan!" Kahil said, and Cyrus blipped out again. Kahil turned on Zoe. "Get inside the shop, love. I need to scout about and get some of the other Order members to act as lookouts around the street. I don't trust Lydia not to come and attack us the first chance she gets."

"Kahil, I'm sorry about the book. I know you wanted it for Arslan, but there's something?—"

Kahil clasped her face in his big hands. "It changes nothing between us, Zoe. Nothing . I just need to get the area safe, and we can talk about it. Okay?"

Zoe nodded. "Okay. I'll be in baba's office."

Kahil gave her one of his hard, searing kisses before letting her go.

"I won't be long," he assured her, pulling out his phone. "Kerem! Get Cyrus to sift you home. We need backup."

Zoe went inside the bookstore, her hands shaking so much, it took her three tries to get the key into the lock.

"It's over. It's over," she chanted to herself. She went over to an incense burner and lit some sandlewood, the familiar smell calming her.

She needed to speak with Kerem, Arslan, and Kahil as soon as they all returned. She had to explain why she had refused to sell the book and ask Arslan the hardest question of all.

After spending her days at the Order, she wanted to know if it was possible to do what Oman hadn't and join them. She didn't know if a book binder could be much help, but a rare book dealer might…

Zoe froze in the doorway of Oman's office.

It had been completely trashed. The bookshelves and desk had been gutted, the carpets shifted, and floorboards broken in places.

"Ah, Zoe, I'm so glad you're here," a voice said from the shadows.

"Uncle?" Zoe switched on the lamp. Ahmet was leaning against a ruined bookshelf, a silver scalpel in his hand. "What's going on? H-How did you get in here?"

"The wards weren't going to keep out family once you took possession of the shop. I waited for you to come and visit me at my lab, but you never did. I like you, Zoe. I really do, but you need to tell me where the codex is," Ahmet said. His voice was calm, but his eyes had a gleam in them that was similar to Lydia's. It was cold madness.

"I burned it at the auction," Zoe said, the air knocked out of her. "Everyone saw. They can tell you I did."

Ahmet stepped forward and pinned her against one of the shelves before she could run. It was a fast, well-trained move. She struggled against his hold, but he pressed the scalpel to her throat.

"Don't make me do it, niece. No one else has to suffer for that codex," Ahmet snarled softly.

Zoe went dead still, Akamos's words at the club coming back to her in a rush.

I know that he died by being stabbed by someone who knew how to wield a blade and had knowledge of exactly where to strike to cause the most damage.

No, no, no. It couldn't have been Ahmet.

"Where is the book, Zoe?" he demanded. "I know it's in the shop somewhere. Just tell me, and this can all be over."

"I'm telling you the truth. I burned it tonight at the library, Ahmet. It's gone."

"Don't fucking lie to me! Zeki told me you had him do preservation spells on two covers, not one. I'm also not dumb enough to believe you would destroy something so precious."

Zoe swallowed hard, trying to think of a way to distract him long enough for Kahil to come back. "You don't like magic, uncle. Why would you want the codex anyway?"

"It's not about the magic. It's about the science," Ahmet said, his eyes shining. "That book could hold the secrets of resurrection. It could be the key to understanding the bridge between life and death. It could save lives and make our family millions. I tried to tell Oman this, but he wouldn't listen to reason. He'd already been infected by this battle between light and dark bullshit."

"Is that why you killed him?" Zoe asked, her eyes filling with tears. She thought she had found the family she had always needed to get over the loss of her father. She never thought they would have been the ones to take him from her.

Ahmet shook his head. "That was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. I wanted to scare him, get him to let the codex go. I dressed up and covered my face so it would look like a robbery, but he tried to fight me, and it just happened!"

Her gripped her arm tight and shook her roughly. "And then your fucking mother took you from Istanbul and kept this shit hole locked up for twenty years. She didn't trust anyone who tried to get her to stay. Oman should've just listened to me, and we wouldn't have wasted twenty years of research. We could have stopped death itself by now!"

Zoe shook her head. "Living forever is a curse. Arslan would be the first to tell you that."

"Do not speak to me of that selfish bastard. He has so many things that he could use to help humanity, and he hordes them away! He doesn't care about humans or you. He wants the codex just as much as the rest?—"

Zoe kicked Ahmet hard in the knee, and he swore, dropping his arm from her shoulder. Zoe tried to run for the door, but Ahmet grabbed her around the legs, tackling her to the ground.

"Where is the book, you stupid bitch!" he shouted. Zoe struck out blindly with her arms and legs. Sharp pain pierced her gut, and she cried out. Blood was staining her shirt, and she tried to cover it with her hands.

"Look what you made me do!" Ahmet's hand still held the bloody scalpel. "Tell me where it is, and I will save you." He moved to press the blade back to her throat. "Last chance, or I will cut your throat."

Something silver flickered through the air, and Ahmet stopped shouting. A silver dagger was lodged in his eye. He crumpled to the carpet, and Kerem stepped through the door to rip Ahmet's body away from her.

Kahil was beside her in a second. "Zoe! Zoe, you're okay, love. Look at me. You're okay."

"Kahil… Kahil…" Zoe reached for him and touched a bloody hand to his face. He was saying something, but she didn't know what. The last thing she saw was his beautiful, strange eyes, and she knew that she was dying.