Chapters (46)
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgments
- About the Author
One by one, the others climbed over and blended into the shadows on the other side. James came up last, his pale eyes a marked contrast against his black mask. They locked eyes briefly. Kyra was the first to look away. Once he made it over, Kyra followed him down. The group gathered on the other side of the wall, silent specters holding a wordless conference. James motioned at her and pointed down the path. She nodded and set off at a light jog.
The moment they started moving, she knew these men were good. She could barely hear them as they trailed her, following her steadily through the compound’s twists and turns. They didn’t trace each other’s footsteps exactly, but each picked his own path depending on where the others were. Every man made certain to scan in a certain direction, so that the group as a whole had eyes on all sides. They moved as a constantly shifting unit, always aware of one another, no one falling behind.
They approached a crossing where guards often passed. Kyra slowed and, sure enough, heard footsteps in the distance. She raised her hand, and the signal passed back from one assassin to the next until they all took shelter. Kyra ducked behind a bush and waited. A Red Shield marched down the path and continued past. She waited ten breaths after she no longer heard his boots, then waved the others across to the kennel.
No sound came from within as she unlocked the gate this time. A few dogs stirred when it creaked open, but none opened their eyes. The assassins filed in one by one. Kyra locked the fence behind her and led them toward the far gate.
They were three-quarters of the way through when a sharp bark echoed through the kennel. The sound was piercing in the thick silence, and Kyra jumped as the men around her sprang to attention. A guard dog in the back corner pulled at his chain, baring his teeth at the intruders. Had he somehow avoided drinking his water? She advanced on him slowly, holding his eyes, doing her best to project authority. He growled deep in his throat. As she came closer, however, he seemed to notice his pack mates’ unnatural silence. The dog backed up until he finally cowered against the doghouse, whining piteously.
Whining, she could deal with. Nobody would hear him from outside. Later, she’d allow herself to sigh in relief, but not now. She turned back, moving quickly now to the other gate. She paused at the opposite entrance to wait for another guard to pass by. Then they continued to the storehouse.