She wasn’t out of harm’s way yet, though. She would never forget the true predator standing in front of her.
Dragging herself to her knees, Brynleigh lifted her gaze.
Cold black eyes gazed mercilessly down at her.
There would be no blood for Brynleigh here, tonight. She wouldn’t even bother asking.
“You want revenge against the Representatives?” Jelisette asked calmly as if she hadn’t been about to tear her progeny’s head from her shoulders.
Keeping her hand against her throat, Brynleigh nodded. The movement sent bolts of pain lancing through her, and she barely held in a whimper.
Long minutes passed.
Jelisette’s punishing, judging stare was unwavering.
Brynleigh’s knees hurt from kneeling on the ground—all of her hurt, to be honest—but she didn’t dare move. She would endure this for hours if it would get her the information she sought.
“I must admit, you surprised me.” Jelisette tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with interest. She was a predator, and her progeny was her prey. “Tell me, my daughter, what would you do for your revenge?”
“Anything,” Brynleigh breathed without a second thought.
Jelisette pursed her lips.
“Alright.” She turned and wrote something out on a slip of paper. “Be at this address two nights from now. If you dare.”
She dangled the paper in front of Brynleigh as if taunting her.
Despite the blood on her fingers and the still-healing wound on her neck, Brynleigh grabbed the paper, careful not to smear her blood on the page.
“Thank you.”
“Don’t make a mess of my carpet.” Jelisette gave her one final stern look before turning and striding from the office.
Brynleigh stared at the paper clutched between her bloody fingers.
Midnight
16 Upper Red Road
Back entrance
Ask for Dimitri
Brynleigh had so many questions and not nearly enough answers, but this was better than nothing.
When her Maker was halfway down the hallway, Brynleigh finally stood. Tremors ran through her, the shock of nearly dying still coursing through her veins.
She needed to get out of here.
Her palm was extended, and she was about to call on her shadows when something caught her eye. A thin black book was by the door, squished between two ancient leather tomes.
The Night Will Rise Againwas scrawled on the spine.
The author was unknown.
Something about the book called to Brynleigh. It was out of place in the study, a far cry from the ancient tomes filling the rest of the shelves.
Before Brynleigh could stop and think about what she was doing, she grabbed the book. When no alarm blared, and Jelisette didn’t immediately reappear in the office to finish removing Brynleigh’s neck from her shoulders, she exhaled.