We made it to our rooms without anyone getting murdered. Torran’s house was as beautiful on the inside as on the outside, full of curving lines and warm, cozy spaces. The front door opened into a huge kitchen, dining, and living area, showcasing the importance of hospitality in Valovian culture.

The guest wing was tucked away off the back left of the house, separated from the main building by a long, glass-enclosed hallway that offered a delightful view of the careful landscaping. And wing hadn’t been an overstatement. There were at least a dozen small but exquisite bedroom suites lining two separate corridors, as well as a pair of doors leading outside, so guests didn’t need to walk through the main house to enjoy a bit of nature.

Torran’s team had taken rooms in the first hallway, so we chose rooms in the second. It gave us all the illusion of privacy, though I had no doubt that we were under surveillance.

Torran left us to unpack after our trunks of supplies were delivered. We dropped our bags in our chosen rooms and then shuffled the trunks around. Eli and I split the general supplies while Kee got her trunk full of tech goodies.

By unspoken agreement, once everything was put away, we all converged on Lexi’s room. She just rolled her eyes and waved us in.

“Spill,” Kee demanded.

Lexi sighed. “I met Nilo six months ago. Of course, that wasn’t the name he used, and I didn’t know that he worked for Fletcher. I was supposed to do a lucrative little job for a Valovian businesswoman, but Nilo stole it out from under me. Don’t let the charming facade fool you. He’s smart, cunning, and ruthless.”

She didn’t mention the hotel bar, so I didn’t bring it up, but I did ask, “Is it going to be a problem?”

“For him, maybe,” she said with a sharp grin. When I just stared at her, she relented. “I will be on my best behavior. It will not affect the job.”

“Do you want me to try to keep you two separated?”

She shook her head. “I’m the best suited to keep an eye on him because I know his tricks.”

Lexi’s expression remained a little too sharp and dangerous, but I let it go. She could look after herself, and I trusted her to let me know if there was a problem. “Tell me what you and Kee found earlier.”

She switched topics without missing a beat. “I scoured my usual haunts but there wasn’t a peep about a job on Valovia. So we’re either tracking an independent team or someone who knows how to clean up their tracks—either way, they’re professionals. This isn’t a rookie job.” She waved at Kee. “I’ll let you tell them what you found.”