Exposed [Book 4 in the Expiring Series]

16 Odalia

Up ahead on the path, two men are headed in our direction. They aren't dressed like Konkursi, which must mean they're either simply on a walk or they are on their way to meet with the Order.

"Even though we're no longer in the senate chamber, we're not done. At dinner every eye will be on us, and our actions there will affect the Order's decision." Rydersin's hand grasps at the skirt of her dress, opening and closing around the fabric.

"Right, of course. I know how these things work. How long—"

"Rydersin Torellae?" The two men are now only a few feet from us. I catch glimpses of handguns tucked into their waistbands.

Rydersin takes a step back. "And you are?"

"Preeminence Torellae sent us," the one on the right, dressed in a deep-red suit, says. "We've been ordered to bring you to him."

The man on the left steps forward, his brown hair glinting with gold highlights in the light of the sun. I don't hesitate, moving toward him, grabbing his arms and twisting him around. He grunts while the other man reaches for his gun.

Rydersin gasps.

I elbow the brunette in the side and grab his gun before slamming the butt of it into his head. As he stumbles, I aim the gun at his partner.

"Blackwood!" She places her hands on my arm, pushing down, trying to get me to lower the gun. I've had enough training that my arms don't waver.

The man in the red suit holds up his hands, crouching down toward his partner on the ground who's holding his head.

"Do you know these men?"

"No."

"What do you want?" I shake the gun for emphasis. Rydersin draws her arms back.

The man in red swallows. "The Preeminence wants to speak to her about her . . . goals."

"You mean he wants to lock her up until her brother is old enough to become Preeminence."

Rydersin gives me a strange look.

"No," he says quickly. "He just wants to talk."

"To convince me to stop?" Rydersin crosses her arms, her palms resting on the tops of her forearms. "I have no interest in speaking now. And you can tell him that. When I am ready to see him, I will. You can leave."

They don't budge, the one man still on the ground. He pulls his hand away from his head. Blood glistens on his fingers and palm.

"You heard the lady." I aim the gun between the both of them, and the man in red picks up his companion before dipping into a shallow bow. His arm slung around the bleeding Amoris, he helps his friend in the direction from which they came. The way we're headed.

I tuck the stolen gun into my waistband.

"That was excessive."

Shrugging, I adjust my blazer to cover the gun. "They would have hurt us."
"You don't know that."

"Then why did they have guns?"

Her mouth was already open, a retort ready, but she shuts it. "My father wouldn't . . ."

"And you're probably right. But orders aren't always carried out as intended."

"I have to begrudgingly admit that I'm impressed. You didn't hesitate at all."

I watch the men grow farther away, their forms shrinking as the distance takes them. "In the Society, we had to learn how to defend ourselves from rebels."