Page 104 of Tethered Souls

“You can thank me by making some brownies tonight. I’m going to be starving by the time I’m back.”

I stop in the doorway to look at him. “What are you doing?”

“Watching Talon fuck all night.”

He laughs at the burn of my cheeks, then shuts the door behind me as I hurry inside. Despite myself, I can’t help but wonder if he was telling the truth or just being crude as a way to tell me to mind my own business. Although Varius is the king of paranoia, his brothers aren’t exactly definitions of pronoia.

Slinging the bags off my shoulders, I start putting away all the food. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I take it out to see an unknown caller.

Probably spam.

I end the call, finish my task.

My phone buzzes with a text.

Hoping it’s Varius asking me for a naughty pic while he’s out, I grab it and turn on the screen.

My stomach drops at a photo of Dayne.

He isn’t being tortured – or at least he wasn’t when this picture was taken. I push out with my magic, checking his heart rate. It’s normal. He’s calm.

The image is of him in some mall, no doubt tailing his target. He’s side-on to the camera; he doesn’t know he’s being hunted. Is his target a fake? A trap? Someone to kill him when they’re alone in some corner without a camera?

I tap on the call app and then Dayne’s name. I let it ring for a second, knowing it’s on vibrate, then hang up when another message comes through.

Unknown:End the call.

My pulse settles a bit at that text. Whoever this is doesn’t know us that well. Otherwise, they’d know if either Dayne or I hang up before the call hits voicemail, it’s a sign that something is wrong. I can’t tell him it’s him who’s the one in danger, but he’ll be more alert now. Maybe he’ll see the person tailing them and figure it out.

Micha:What do you want?

A recording comes through.“He’s just another mark, and you always get your mark,” Dayne says.

“Yeah, just another mark.”

The fucker has tapped my phone. For the first time I’m thankful Varius hasn’t trusted me with any secrets. Though this is bad enough. If he hears this, I’m dead.

An image appears. It’s a screenshot of a bulletin that’s gone out on the dark web.

Shadow Domain ledger. 2 mil.

My eyes dart to the stairs. There’s no one home. Is that stellar timing on their part, or are they watching the house?

My attention falls back to my phone as it vibrates.

Unknown:If you don’t want me to send this to Varius, then do what I say.

Micha:Go for it. He’ll believe me over you.

My heart is hammering over that blatant lie, but I need to fish for information. Blackmailers don’t just ask for one thing. If I give in now, they’ll own me. Andno onegets to own me but Varius.

Unknown:Get the ledger, Ms. Black. You have 2 weeks if you want Dayne to live.

A picture of my friend appears again. This time, it’s of him sleeping. Not recent but recent fucking enough.

The messages all delete. The number disappears from my phone. I stare at it, wondering if that was tech or magic, and if it was magic, who the hel could have weaved a spell like that?

My lips tight, I look towards the stairs. Does Varius keep the ledger in his room or in his office? Or somewhere else in this large house?