Page 7 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

This was something deeper, something he'd observed in other couples of the clan but had never expected to experience himself. That cosmic connection that Jasmine and Ell-rom shared, that Kian and Syssi had found, and now it was his turn.

The Fates had opened a door, just as he'd told Kyra the night before. And he'd walked through it willingly and eagerly.

"You're staring," Kyra noted without turning from the window.

"Can you blame me? You are stunning."

As she turned to him, he expected a rebuttal, a tease, but not the vulnerability in her expression. "This is all new to me, Max. Not just us but all of it. Having a daughter, nieces, a family. Confirming my immortality and finding out how it happened. Fighting for something personal instead of a cause. I'm trying to wrap my head around it, but it almost seems like I'm inside a drug-induced hallucination. Like there is no way all of this can be true."

"It's a lot to take in," Max acknowledged.

"And yet it feels right, somehow. Like pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together."

As the jet leveled off at cruising altitude, the clouds spreading out beneath them like a vast sea of puffed-up cotton, Max turned to Kyra, reaching for the phone Yamanu had given her. "Let me show you how this works. It's fairly straightforward, but there are a few features you should know about."

He guided her through the basics, and Kyra picked up everything quickly.

"This is much more advanced than anything I've used before," she commented, scrolling through the contact list. "I've usually had only burner phones."

Max smiled. "William is a genius, and he has an entire team of brainiacs working with him. The phone is just the tip of the iceberg. When you cometo the village, I'll show you some of his other inventions."

"I'd like that." She leaned back. "Anything else that I need to know?"

"I've pre-loaded the maps of Tehran with the locations of your sisters' homes marked," Yamanu added, walking over and leaning down to show her.

Kyra studied the map intently, her eyes narrowing as she processed the information. Max could almost see her mind working, plotting routes, identifying potential extraction points, and assessing risks.

Why did he find this so incredibly sexy?

Well, that was obvious. His mate was a warrior queen, and he had won the mating lottery.

Was he jumping the gun?

Probably. But he knew what he knew, and he had no doubts.

"This will help," Kyra said finally, slipping the phone into one of the many pockets of her tactical pants. "Thank you."

Yamanu took a seat across from them. "We should go over the plan," he said. "Turner sent over some updated intelligence this morning."

Max reluctantly released Kyra's hand, shifting into mission mode. "What's changed?"

"Security has been tightened at all four residences," Yamanu reported, pulling out a tablet. "Soraya's husband has called in some high-level favors. There are now four armed guards posted at the houses of those with children and one guardattached to each of the sisters whose daughters were taken. They work in three eight-hour shifts, so the family is watched around the clock."

Kyra frowned. "That complicates things, but it doesn't change our approach. I still believe my best chance is to make contact as a distant relative coming to offer support during their time of distress. The traditional clothing and padding will help."

"Don't forget that you have me." Yamanu spread his arms. "I'm like a genie full of wonders."

Kyra sighed. "I wish I could see what you can do, but Max explained that your mind tricks don't work on immortals."

"Regrettably, they don't," Yamanu said. "But your disguise does, even on immortals."

"That fat suit is something else." She smiled. "What's our timeline once we reach Tehran?"

"Forty-eight hours," Max said. "Any longer, and we risk being detected, but we have the option to extend if needed."

"The safe house is ready," Yamanu added. "It's a small apartment building that has enough room to accommodate all the families temporarily, and it's in a secure location."

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