Page 79 of Undercover Shadow
Voices carried from inside my study when we approached. I recognized Typhon’s deep rumble, Viper’s clipped tones, andsurprisingly, my brother Cameron’s laugh. The sound stopped me—when was the last time I’d heard him laugh in this house?
The room looked different with the morning light exposing every mote of dust, every crack in the ancient leather bindings. Someone had rearranged the furniture, likely Gus and Douglas, and brought in extra chairs that formed more of a circle rather than the formal arrangement we usually used. It made the medieval room feel less like a tribunal and more like what we actually were—a group of people trying to make sense of horror.
Typhon stood when we entered, as did Viper. The rest of the room went silent.
Cameron and Maggie stood too, and walked over to us.
“Thank you for being here,” I said when they approached.
Maggie was the first to embrace me, then my brother did, but neither spoke.
“This is Leila,” I said, as if her name alone conveyed everything she was to me.
“It’s lovely to meet you both,” she said, stepping forward to embrace them like they had me. I almost warned them not to hurt her, but apparently, they’d been briefed about her injuries, based on how gentle they both were.
“We’ve been advised that our presence will not be required during your meeting,” said Cameron.
“Forbidden is more like it,” Maggie muttered.
“Mrs. Murray has taken pity on us, though, and insisted she has a special treat for us in the kitchen. As though we’re still children.”
I chuckled. “I think she’ll always see us that way.”
Maggie squeezed my hand. “We’re staying on here, if that’s all right with you.”
I turned to face her. “This is your home as much as it is mine. It always has been, and it always will be. I hope you know that.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I do, but?—”
“But nothing. Stay on as long as you’d like. In fact, I’d not mind if you never left.”
Both my siblings raised brows, and I chuckled again.
“Save me some of Mrs. Murray’s special treat,” I called out when they left.
“Not a chance, big brother,” Cameron said over his shoulder.
“Shall we?” I said, pulling out a chair for Leila.
I sat beside her, took her hand in mine, and squeezed. She squeezed back as I glanced around the room at those gathered.
Con and Lex sat as close as Leila and I were, and I noticed Lex’s hand gripped his with white-knuckled intensity. McLaren had been her mentor, her friend, and the woman who’d shown her how to be brilliant in a world of dangerous men. Witnessing her bravery in the face of certain death was something she’d never forget.
None of us would.
Gus sat at a table, his laptop open in front of him. My guess was he’d worked through the night, tracking money with renewed vigor, now that he had a better idea where to look.
Renegade looked haggard, worse than I’d ever seen him. Dark circles ringed his eyes, and his usual fluid grace had been replaced by the mechanical movements of someone running on autopilot. He took a seat by the window, staring out at the Highland morning as if answers might be hidden in the mist.
Archon and Prima had arrived together, then Ash entered last with Sullivan. I was glad she was here. It was her investigation into Eric Weber and Tower-Meridian that led us all to this point. If it weren’t for her intransigent nature, God only knew what the Labyrinth Project would’ve turned into.
“Before we get started,” Typhon said, “you’ll want to know that Vanguard is recovering well. His injuries, the worst of which is a concussion, were serious but not life-threatening. He’s atthe military hospital in Glasgow and should make a full recovery within a few days.”
“Thank God,” Leila murmured, and I saw the guilt she’d been carrying ease.
“He sends his regards,” Viper added. “And his apologies for not being here.”
“Let’s begin,” Typhon said once everyone was settled. “The immediate threat is neutralized, but we need to understand the full scope of what we faced. More importantly, we need to understand how we missed it for so long.”
