Page 49 of A Touch of Treachery
But nothing happened, and the elevator floated to a stop on the top floor.The door opened, and the two guards backed out, keeping their eyes on us.Charlotte and I followed them.
We stepped into a large foyer.One of the guards gestured toward the open double doors at the far end, and Charlotte and I headed in that direction.None of us had spoken a word the entire time, and I saw no reason to start now.These men were just pawns Henrika had set on her game board, and sooner or later, I would knock them down to get to the queen.
Charlotte and I stepped through the double doors into a living room.The instant I crossed the threshold, a strong electrical current swept over my body, making the back of my neck tingle.A faint, high-pitched whine also filled my ears.
Charlotte grimaced and rubbed her temples, as though she had a sudden headache.She’d sensed the electrical field too.
I reached out with my galvanism.My phone still had power, but I was willing to bet the signal was being jammed.And my comms were completely dead with no current or charge.The electrical field must have fried the devices.With no energy in those devices for me to manipulate, I couldn’t make my comms functionable again.Frustration rippled through me.
Henrika had realized we would be wearing comms and cameras, and she’d taken countermeasures to bug-proof the penthouse so that Gia, Joan, Diego, and the General wouldn’t be able to see into her inner sanctum.Section 47 tech was hard to beat, but Henrika had managed it, probably with Bryce’s help.
One of the guards moved over to the right and knocked on a set of closed double doors.A muffled voice told him to enter.The guard twisted the handles and threw the doors open.
Together, Charlotte and I moved forward.
The doors led to a massive library that took up most of the penthouse.Gold chandeliers dangled from the high ceiling, and thick rugs in shades of gray and green covered the hardwood floor.Similarly colored leather couches and cushioned chairs were scattered throughout the room.Stained-glass lamps perched on wooden end tables, casting warm pools of colored light down onto crystal bowls filled with pinecones that perfumed the air with a sharp, tangy scent.
Smaller gray marble versions of the snarling gargoyle statues on the outside of the resort flanked a fireplace, and tables filled with food and drinks were set up in the corner.A few books perched on the shelves that marched down one wall, but most of the space was taken up by glass cases filled with rings, necklaces, and bracelets that sparkled and shimmered on colored velvet backdrops.Even some tiaras glittered among the impressive jewelry collection.
A desk holding a laptop, monitor, keyboard, and mouse was situated in front of glass doors that led out to a balcony.A second, even larger desk in the far corner was covered with beakers, burners, test tubes, and other lab equipment, making it look like a mad scientist’s workstation.
Anger flooded my veins, and my fingers clenched into fists.I wanted to charge across the room and smash every single beaker and vial to smithereens.Charlotte sidled closer, as if she knew what I was thinking.I breathed in the cool, soothing blue of her aura and steadied myself.
A man and a woman were speaking in soft voices by the glass doors.They broke off their conversation to look at Charlotte and me.
The man was wearing a navy suit that was almost identical to my own, right down to the paisley-patterned vest.My gaze traced over his familiar features—dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, tan skin, and a white scar that slashed through his left eyebrow and down into his cheek.
Bryce Finkley smirked at me, but I ignored him and focused on his boss.
The woman was in her mid-forties, about ten years older than Charlotte and me, and her wide, satisfied smile mirrored Bryce’s smirk.Her light brown hair had been pulled up into a high bun, with a couple of pieces left loose to frame her face and draw attention to her pale, luminous skin.
The woman’s dark green turtleneck sweater accentuated the matching color of her eyes, while her pants were a lighter mint green.An old-fashioned gold skeleton key with a square emerald set into the hilt hung from a thick braided gold chain around her neck, as though she was the keeper of a castle.Despite her elegant façade, black flecks swirled through her dark green aura, indicating just how dangerous she was.
We’d finally reached the venomous spider in the center of this gilded web: Henrika Hyde.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHARLOTTE
HenrikalookedDesmondupand down, as though he was a tempting dessert she wanted to sink her teeth into.After a few seconds, she turned and gave me the same slow, appreciative once-over.
“Charlotte,” she purred in a light, feminine voice.“I’m so delighted you accepted my invitation.And especially that you brought your plus-one.How lovely to see you again, Desmond.”
A muscle twitched in Desmond’s jaw, and his fists clenched even tighter.As much as I wanted to reach out and comfort him, I kept my hands to myself.Now was not the time to show any emotion.Henrika had brought us here for a reason, and we needed to survive this initial confrontation, lest our mission end before it truly began.
In the distance, the softdingof the elevator rang out, followed by several sets of footsteps.
Henrika’s grin widened.“And the rest of our party has arrived.Excellent!I love it when people show up early.It indicates just how eager they are to acquire my products.I think you’ll both find the guest list quite exclusive—and extremely interesting.”
Desmond and I moved to the side so that we could see the people entering the library and still keep an eye on Henrika and Bryce.
The first person was a curvy, petite woman with straight black hair that ended in a severe line right above her shoulders.Black shadow highlighted her dark brown eyes, while crimson lipstick did the same for her golden skin.She wore a bright red sweater with black leggings and knee-high boots.
I recognized her from Henrika’s video and from Section intelligence reports.Oriana Luzzo, the leader of a Paris-based paramortal gang who dealt in black-market antiques.A strong combusto who liked to use her magic to restore corroded art to its original glory—and liquefy the bones of her enemies.Oriana wasn’t carrying any obvious weapons, but she didn’t need to, given her magic.
Two men followed her into the library, then split off from each other.
The first man was on the short side with a square, stocky body.His thin brown hair was brushed back from his forehead, while his silver glasses made his blue eyes look even larger and paler than they really were.He was dressed in a thick blue sweater, black pants, and black boots.
