Page 58 of Breaking Isolde

Julian lounges, legs splayed. “The real show is what comes after. Last year they said you’d never Hunt again. Now they’re practically crowning you already.”

Bam grins, all teeth. “They just want to see if he’ll kill this one, too.”

I don’t flinch. I earned every rumor they circulate about me.

The room falls quiet. The only noise is the clink of glass and the faint echo of the girls’ laughter from the hall, filtered and distant. The whole world feels like it’s holding its breath.

I drain the whiskey, let it fill the hollow inside. Then I set the glass down, just so, and check my phone.

One missed call. No message. The number is international.

The others see the shift in my face. Bam’s voice drops, “That Cai?”

I nod.

Julian perks up. “Put him on. I want to hear his voice. I miss his bullshit.”

I thumb the callback and hit speaker. After two rings, he answers.

“Rhett.” His voice is older, happier.

“Caius. Nice to hear from you,brother.It’s my turn tonight.”

A pause. Then, “So I hear. The Greenwood girl.”

Julian leans in, all anticipation. “The one with the dead sister. She’s fun. Not quite as fun as O, but she will put up a good fight.”

Caius snorts. “Is that my Greek chorus?”

“They’re here,” I say. “We’re all here.”

Colton waves at the phone like an idiot.

Bam grunts, “Hey, Montgomery. Still alive?”

“Barely.” Caius’s humor is dry. “But let’s talk about you. The Board’s running out of fire trying to get to us, so they’re going to be frothing at the mouth tonight.”

I cut to it. “What do you want?”

He doesn’t answer directly. “When do you start?”

“Sixty minutes.” I check the clock again.

Another pause. “Don’t fail, Rhett. I’m counting on you to finish what I started.”

Julian chimes in, “You mean steal your girl and run to some compound like a coward?”

A laugh, brief and clipped. “No, Jules. I mean burn the fucking Academy down. They don’t deserve us. You know that better than anyone.”

Bam takes the phone from the table and growls into it. “You sound mad, Montgomery.”

“I am mad. But I’m also free.” His tone turns grave. “Listen. There’s news. O’s pregnant.”

Colton’s mouth drops. Julian actually sits up straight. I blink.

“What?”

Caius presses on. “O’s pregnant. We’re in hiding here for another month, then we’ll move. Out to Pineridge. You tell anyone, I’ll gut you personally.”