Page 67 of Lone Wolf

“That too,” I agree. “We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Aurora says sincerely. “Everyone deserves a second chance at family.”

Hadria clears her throat. “Santiago, before I forget—Lyssa mentioned you had some thoughts about operations beyond Chicago.”

“Yes,” I say, standing a little straighter. Even as a full member, Hadria still intimidates me. “I’ve been researching trafficking networks in Detroit and Indianapolis. They’re not as established as the Mancinis were, but they’re growing. If we hit them now?—”

“Bring the data to the planning meeting on Tuesday,” Hadria says. “We’ll discuss it.”

“I will,” I promise, trying not to sound too eager.

“And Graves,” Hadria continues, “Lyssa tells me you’ve shown interest in helping train the recruits.”

Ariadne nods. “I have. If you’ll approve it.”

I hold my breath, because this is something I know Ariadne really wants—but has been convinced would never happen, because of her past.

“Consider it approved.” Hadria’s tone is businesslike, but I detect a hint of approval. “Your experience makes you uniquely qualified.”

“Th-thank you,” Ariadne says in surprise, and I know what this means to her—trust, purpose, recognition of her skills beyond killing. And a way to make up for some of the things she’s done.

Hadria is pulled away by Ricky to discuss something, but Aurora lingers.

“I have something for you both,” she says, reaching into her pocket and pulling out two small boxes. “These are something new we’re trying out, and I wanted to be the one to give them to each new member personally.”

She hands us each a small black box. Inside each is a simple silver pendant—the three-headed Cerberus that guards the entrance to the war room, the symbol of the Styx Syndicate.

“It’s beautiful,” I say, genuinely touched.

Ariadne stares at her pendant with an unreadable expression. When she finally looks up, her eyes are suspiciously bright. “Thank you,” she says simply.

Aurora just smiles and moves away, leaving us to our moment.

Ariadne slips her pendant around her neck, then helps me with mine. Her fingers are warm against the back of my neck, and I catch her hand before she can pull away.

“Want to get some air?” I ask.

She nods, and we slip away from the party, across to one of the rooms that has a balcony overlooking Aurora’s night garden. The flowers are in full bloom, their sweet scent drifting up to us on the cool evening breeze. The sky above is clear, stars scattered like diamonds against black velvet.

“Think they’ll miss us if we stay out here a while?” I ask, leaning against the railing.

“Let them miss us,” Ariadne says, coming to stand beside me. Our shoulders touch, a casual intimacy that still makes my heart flutter.

We stand in comfortable silence for a while, watching the garden below. Ariadne’s hand finds mine, our fingers intertwining automatically.

“I’ve been thinking,” she says at last.

“Dangerous,” I tease.

She rolls her eyes but continues. “About Ariadne. And the myth.”

“The one with the labyrinth and the string?” I remember looking it up when I first heard her name.

She nods. “Ariadne gave Theseus a thread so he could find his way out of the maze after killing the Minotaur.” She pauses, gathering her thoughts. “I used to think Grandmother named me that because she saw me as a guide for her other girls—the one who would lead them through the maze of her twisted training.”

I squeeze her hand, encouraging her to continue.

“But when I got to Elysium I felt more like Theseus—lost in the maze, fighting my own monsters.” Her voice softens. “And you were the one holding the thread at the other end, even when I didn’t want to see it.”

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