Page 142 of Inferno

A masked Conan, a mountain of a man, stands arms crossed, his broad shoulders blocking the doorway completely.

“Drink this.” Finn passes her a bottle and helps her sit up.

She downs it almost in one go, and he takes it straight from her, tossing it on the floor beside him.

“Anything hurt?” he asks.

She rubs her shoulder but shakes her head.

“No.” She frowns as she looks at him.

“You’re Irish?” she asks.

“Now is no time for questions, Ebony. You lost the games,” he says flatly.

I swear she’s about to cry. But it also appears as if she’s sizing up the number of men in the room as Finn removes the blood pressure cuff from her arm.

“Why save me? Why look after me and ask how I am? I should be dead.”

Is she worried?

It sounds like it.

But this could, as Finn said, be a plot.

I hit the button for that room’s speaker.

“Contestant three. Your time in Decadence has come to an end. Which is a shame, I had high hopes for you.”

Her head snaps up to the camera.

“You are aware of the rules.”

She looks up at Conan in the doorway and Finn next to her. Looking at his belt area for a weapon, I presume.

“Before you meet your end, I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

“Who?”

I tut.

“Remember the contract. No speaking back and do as you are told. We’re extending your life momentarily. Follow the guards, and we will return for you later. Your time in Decadence has been extended. For now.”

Finn scowls, his brow furrows in a deep frown, and shakes his head, his dark hair swaying slightly.

He needs to learn to trust. I press the button on my comms.

“Let’s play a new game. Put her in the holding cell.”

That gets Conan’s attention as he sends a questioning look at the camera.

It’s time to get our answers and get rid of our enemy.

Enzo might be holding his cards close, but this girl might have all the answers I need.

He can wait.

As they escort her to the cell, I shake my head, rewinding the footage of her passing out.

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