Page 41 of A Mastery of Crows

My muscles lock into place at the screaming that rings out.

Agony. There is nothing but sheer, unrelenting agony in those sounds, barely even human, and as I stare at Luc, I understand.

“Amie,” I breathe raggedly. “That’s Amie.”

He nods. “A message was sent. To me.”

Because he betrayed Matteo – made him think they were allies, friends even, and then he tricked him by stealing Alessia from under his nose with Amie’s help.

And Amie has paid the price.

My hand presses against my ribcage. We waited too long. Waited, torest, and all the while—

“We have to go,” I whisper. “We have to go now.”

“She’s already dead.” Luc’s voice is harsh, and next to me, Gio flinches. “He doesn’t fuck around, Cat. He doesn’t need her. Amie isdead.”

I shake my head. That’s not right, can’t be right, but as I look to Dom, he nods. His eyes are dark. “I’m sorry, Cat. But I agree with him.”

I try to clear my head of the buzzing, to think around the pain in my heart. “Was there a video? Photos?”

Luc shakes his head. “The screaming wasn’t enough?”

“Then she’s not dead,” I insist, my throat tight. “He wouldn’t miss an opportunity to show us, Luc. She’s still alive.”

Even if she might wish it otherwise. My heart twists, convulses inside my chest. “We have to go.”

“We don’t have a plan.” Gio turns to me. “We need one.”

My voice is short. “What if I have one already?”

They all turn in my direction.

“What?” Dante’s voice is tight. “What plan?”

Sudden understanding hits me like a punch to the abdomen. “I…,”

I force myself to meet Luc’s eyes. “I cut him off. Matteo. I have a hacker – a talented one. He broke in and transferredeverything out of the Corvo accounts. Locked them down, so Matteo can’t even get in. He no longer has access to any of the Corvo funds.”

If he has no funds, he can’t pay the men he’s hired to kill us. There is no loyalty among the mercenaries of our filthy underworld.

Not all battles are fought with guns and knives.

Gio whistles. “Seems to be the day for it.”

“When?” Luc swipes a hand down his face. “When did this happen?”

“This morning,” I say quietly. I meet his shadowed eyes. “So you can save some of that guilt for me.”

A retaliation. Payment in kind.

“He is cut off,” I continue slowly. “He won’t be able to sustain the numbers he currently has when he has no money to pay them. As they fall off, it gives us an opportunity, if we can get him out in the open. We push him toward that and hit him with everything we have.”

“And Amie?” Luc says quietly.

“Perhaps we can make a deal.” I consider options, flicking through them in my head. “He will be getting desperate. Desperation leads to sloppiness. But storming the Corvo estate is not a battle we will win, Luc. We did it once. He’ll be expecting it, will prepare for it. Better to meet him on ground he doesn’t know as well.”

“And where will that be?” Dante asks sharply. “Have you planned that yet?”