Page 97 of First Offense

Auric

Freedom.

At least for a brief moment.

I inhaled the outside air, allowing it to fill my lungs in an effort to replace the sweet cherry scent. It was futile, of course. Layla’s essence swirled all around me, her natural perfume a permanent feature in my life.

She stood several feet away, and still she consumed me.

Novak flashed me a knowing look, his nostrils flaring as he tried to calm his inner desires.

We were entirely lost to the woman. Claimed by her presence. Possessed by her existence.

He and Zian were having some sort of mental conversation, one that only seemed to exist between their gazes. Sorin stood nearby, his arm around Raven. And Layla just tilted her head back, her porcelain features bathed in sunlight.

She smiled in quiet delight.

Novak glanced at her, his own lips curling in approval. As did mine.

“Are you listening to me, cousin?” Zian demanded.

Novak’s head rolled as he returned his focus to the dark-haired Noir. They appeared somewhat alike with their sharp bone structure, lean, muscular forms, and black hair, but Novak’s eyes resembled ice, while his cousin’s irises rivaled the night.

I studied them both for a long moment, eavesdropping as Zian chastised his cousin for detailing a story that wasn’t his to provide.

Novak merely looked at him, boredom radiating off his features. He would never apologize. Because Novak didn’t do anything without thoroughly considering all angles and consequences beforehand.

Yet another reason I knew he’d opted not to kill that Noir for a good reason. Something I should have considered a century ago but had been too angry at the time to contemplate.

Novak never acted without cause.

Just like he never spoke unless he had something worthwhile to say.

It was part of what I’d always liked about him. Although, he was even quieter now than he’d been during our previous life together. He rarely said anything, using his eyes instead of his voice to convey his messages.

Too soon, our time outside was called to an end, the guards leading us back into our cages after only maybe an hour of sunshine. I wasn’t surprised. One glance around the yard confirmed they hadn’t fortified the security yet. Had I known how weak the perimeter was, I would have suggested an escape today.

Except I had no idea where we would go or how we would flee.

I needed one of those watches that controlled the portals. And beyond that, I needed some training, too. Hell, we needed a schedule and a layout—something Clyde had provided, except it kept changing with all the construction going on—and a way to ensure all six of us could flee without anyone seeing us.

I’d organized a lot of missions in my time, and none of them held a candle to the complexity of this breakout.

Our primary issue was where to go once we escaped.

We couldn’t return to Layla’s father, not with her sable plumes. He also wouldn’t be thrilled by Novak, Sorin, or Zian. And Raven, well, she would certainly provide an interesting introduction, assuming we could somehow get her past the guards and up to the king’s quarters.

I shook my head. No. We needed a much stronger plan, not only for our breakout but also for after our escape.

“Dinner will be delivered soon,” Jerin said from the threshold of our room, interrupting my thoughts.

“Thanks,” I replied. “And let me know if Sayir agrees to an extra set of hands.” I’d offered when we first walked into the yard, after gesturing to all the potential hazards with my eyes. He’d followed my unspoken commentary with a nod of understanding. The place was a ticking time bomb. Once the other inmates figured out the weaknesses, the guards were in for a world of hurt.

It was technically counterintuitive to our escape plans, but I’d prefer no one be able to follow us. Which required a stealthy breakout, something I could more easily facilitate with the appropriate tools.

Like a watch.

“Will do.” Jerin shut the door, followed by the click of the dead bolt sliding into place.