Ava sat beside me, her presence a mix of comfort and urgency.
Moments earlier, I had lost consciousness, spiraling into darkness that felt like a void swallowing me whole. When I finally stirred, I was met with a wave of weakness that coursed through my body, leaving me exhausted and unable to summon even the faintest trace of magic. Frustration simmered just beneath the surface, but I pushed it aside for the moment.
Ava had made the decision to let Octavius go, promising him she would reach out again later. I could sense the tension in the air; there was so much left unsaid. I longed for a moment alone with Octavius, a chance to voice my thoughts and questions that had been nagging at me since everything began. But circumstances swirled around us like a tempest, making it impossible for me to pull him aside. The urgency of the situation loomed large, and I knew time was not on our side.I thought it was a weird coincidence that I had just called him earlier, only for him to show up later in the evening. I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask him, but one I wanted to do alone.
I wanted to do more than sit around and monitored. Without Ava or Celine scrutinizing me like Ava’s doing now.
She had told me earlier she wasn’t going to accompany me, but seeing how trying to get in touch with my magic had left me even more weak, she decided to follow.
She had made it clear that she wouldn’t be sticking close to me, emphasizing that it was crucial for Dominique not to trace her movements back to me. Instead, she informed me that Octavius would be the one driving me back while she planned to linger in the shadows, observing how the situation would unfold.
As I stepped out of the car, a wave of unease washed over me. My heart raced at the thought of being alone in this precarious situation. To my surprise, I spotted Octavius standing in front of the building, his tall frame silhouetted against the dim light. As soon as our eyes met, he strolled over with a casual demeanor, extending his arm and holding out his hand toward me in a gesture of welcome.
Yet, something in me bristled at the sight. I couldn’t shake off the tension, so I let his hand hang in the air as I shot him a pointed question instead. "What are you doing here?" I demanded, wanting an explanation that felt grounded in clarity and reassurance
"Playing my cards right," Octavius replied with a hint of amusement.
"Ava briefed me on what you plan to do here," he continued. "I’m just here as your pretend spouse, to make you feel at ease and assist you."
I scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "I didn’t mention I needed help," I said, taking his hand as we entered together.
Octavius handed me a coffee cup. "Here, drink this. It’ll help."
I gulped it down immediately, expecting coffee, but it was some sort of concoction. I swallowed hard, trying not to curse at Octavius since we were making our way past people.
As we approached the security checkpoint, the guard stopped us. "I need your name, please," he requested.
After I provided it, he apologized, "Sorry, but you’re not on the list of authorized individuals."
Octavius murmured to me, "Whatever you do, don’t let go of my hand until we’re out of here and further in."
Then, he spoke incoherently to the security guard, who looked confused, and stepped aside, dazed.
I breathed a sigh of relief. That was a close call. I had planned to fake an illness and use my knives later on, and I had already taken care of the security cameras.
Octavius’s quick thinking had just saved us from a potentially sticky situation. I glanced at him, curious about what he had just done.
"What was that?" I whispered, as we continued on our way.
Octavius smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Just a little trick I learned," he replied, his voice low.
As we stepped onto the main floor, the hum of murmured conversations and the clinking of glasses filled the air. The meeting was already in full swing. Our eyes scanned the room, and mine locked onto the two hefty men standing by the door, their arms crossed and eyes fixed on us.
"You’re not supposed to be on this floor," one of them growled, taking a step forward. "Please leave."
I whispered to Octavius, "I’ve got this," before he could react. I subtly positioned myself between him and the approaching men, my eyes never leaving theirs.
As they closed in, I waited for the perfect moment to strike. My training kicked in, and I assessed their stances, anticipating their moves. The larger one, with a thick beard, took the lead, his fists clenched.
I dodged his clumsy swing with ease, using the momentum to fuel my counterattack. A swift kick to his stomach sent him doubling over, gasping for air. The second man, caught off guard, charged forward, but I was ready.
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With a fluid motion, I sidestepped his attack and delivered a precise strike to his temple, sending him crashing to the floor. The first man, still recovering from my kick, stumbled backward, giving me the opening I needed.
A quick combination of punches and kicks sent him joining his companion on the floor, both men unconscious.
I turned to Octavius, who watched me with a mixture of surprise and admiration. "Shall we?" I asked, nodding toward the meeting room.
Octavius smiled, offering his arm. "After you."
I pushed my way into the room where numerous men and women were seated. And made my way straight to where my lawyer was seated.
"What did I miss?" I asked him.
Just as he started to stutter out a response,
I heard a masculine voice asked me from behind.
"Who are you?"