My mind was racing. Despite all the details I had to consider, I still had to resist the urge to call Samael and tell him my news. I pushed the urge away.

I’d relied on Samael and his people far too much in this investigation. I didn’t regret it— the kids were safe, and so was my sister. But I was done using his resources. Including Steve.

As much as I liked him, I needed to find my own hacker. I’d hire some mercs for when I had more than one suspect to take down. Once I was making some decent money and I’d built up a reputation, I could probably even hire a receptionist.

Keigan cleared his throat. He was still waiting for me to say something, but from the amusement in his eyes, he knew what I was going to say.

“I’ll take it. Thank you Keigan.” I wasn’t a hugger by nature, but I got up, rounded his desk, and wrapped my arms around him.

He flushed. “You’re welcome, Dani. I know you’re going to be successful at anything you put your mind to.”

28

Danica

The sun heated my skin as I walked across the field toward Gary and the kids. Twenty or so black chairs had been set up on the grass, and I took a seat next to Zip. The chairs had been chosen with respect for goblin stature, and I stretched my legs out in front of me.

Gary let the kids fill me in on everything that had been happening over the past week. When they’d finally run out of things to tell me, he smiled at me. “Thank you.” His voice was hoarse.

“You’ve already thanked me. Should you be out of bed?”

He gave me a dark look, and we both turned our attention toward the pyre that was being built twenty feet away.

Goblins didn’t believe in burial, so Merrill’s body would be burned on a pyre. His daughter was helping to light it.

“Dad, can we go watch them light the fire?”

Gary craned his neck. Merrill’s body was nowhere to be seen. “Don’t get too close.”

The kids jumped off their seats and made their way over to the pyre. Gary was silent for a few minutes. Then he cleared his throat.

“I had to come. Merrill and I, we were competitors. But we were also friends.”

“He put your kids in danger.”

“I didn’t say he was perfect. He never would’ve wanted anything bad to happen to my boys. Or to me. Sometimes, bad things just happen.”

We were both silent. And then he let out a long sigh. “You’re probably wondering what happened to their mother.”

I turned in my seat. Gary’s face was blank, but his eyes… I’d never seen sadder eyes.

“You don’t have to talk about it.”