Chapter 18 #2
Cerberus operatives brought Rafael in, looking messy but unscathed.
"Let him go," Luka said.
Rafael rounded on Luka. "Who the hell are you? And you let him think I was dead. You let him sit there in the dark, alone, terrified—"
"Luka Aleksandar." Luka's voice stayed level as he extended his hand in greeting.
"North American Director. And yes. It was the only way to get both of you here alive.
Constantine has bounties out. Every freelancer from here to Lagos is hunting you.
The Sacra Custodia wants you dead. Half of the Pantheon wants you dead.
If anyone had seen you entering this building willingly, they would have reported back. "
Rafael moved to me immediately, his hands going to my face, checking me over with the same desperate thoroughness I'd used on him. "You okay? Did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine." The words came out shakily. "I'm fine now."
One of the operatives cut my zip ties. My fingers tingled as blood rushed back into them. Rafael helped me stand, and my legs nearly gave out. Everything hurt worse now that the adrenaline was wearing off.
"Sit," Luka said, gesturing to actual chairs this time. "Both of you. We need to talk."
"I'm going to kill you," I said as Rafael helped me into the chair. My body screamed in protest, every bruise and bite mark making its presence known. "After we're done talking, I'm going to murder you. Just so we're clear."
"Noted." Luka pulled up a chair across from us. His pale eyes tracked over the bruises on my neck. "Those look fresh."
"Luka." Rafael's voice carried a warning.
"Right. Business first, mockery later." Luka leaned forward, and the humor drained from his face.
"Rhadamanthys briefed me on the situation. Told me you’d be coming by.
Minos is moving faster than we expected.
He's consolidating power through the Pantheon.
Putting his people in key positions. Removing anyone who might oppose him. "
"How bad is it?" I asked.
"Three ferrymen dead in the last week," Luka said quietly.
"I thought it was internal cleanup, but if Minos is behind it.
.." His jaw tightened. "He's also put out unofficial bounties.
Not official Pantheon contracts, but word through freelancer channels.
Enough money that every killer from here to Tokyo is looking for you. "
"And the other Directors?" Rafael asked.
"Scared. Minos has leverage on most of them. The ones he doesn't have leverage on are staying quiet." Luka pulled out his phone, showing us a map. "Vincent barely got out of New York. They were watching our place. Had to go dark for a few days before he could slip away."
"Where is he?" I asked.
"Better if you don’t know." Luka's eyes moved between us, calculating. "You need three seals for the trial by combat."
"We already have Jasper's," Rafael said.
Luka nodded slowly. "Good. Then I assume you want my seal too?”
"That's why we're here," I said quietly.
"You know what that means," Luka said quietly. "If I give you my seal, the Judges will know I helped you. They're already watching me after the Prometheus situation. This would put a target on my back. On Vincent's back. Minos will come after him to get to me."
"I know what I'm asking, Luka. I know it's too much. But I'm out of options, Luka. Without three seals, there's no trial. No way to clear our names. Minos wins."
"And if I say no?"
"Then I don't blame you." The words hurt to say. "Vincent's safety is more important than—"
"Don't." Luka's voice cut through. "Don't finish that sentence."
Luka was quiet for a long moment.
"You're my best friend. Hell, my only friend sometimes." I sighed. "And I'm asking you to risk Vincent. That's unforgivable."
"You'd do it for me," Luka said.
"That's different."
"How?"
I looked at Rafael. "I didn't have anyone to lose. Before."
Luka's eyes went from me to Rafael and back. "You two are together now?"
"Yes," Rafael said without hesitation.
Luka reached into his jacket and pulled out a small metal case, then opened it to reveal a bronze disc, roughly the size of a silver dollar. It was covered in dried blood, russet-brown and cracked with age, filling every groove of the carved design.
"If anyone asks," Luka said, setting it on the table, "you stole this from me during our meeting. I tried to stop you, but you overpowered me."
My eyes stayed locked on the seal. "Luka—"
"Vincent and I talked about this before I came," Luka said. "We knew what you'd ask. We knew what it would cost. He said to tell you that if you get yourself killed in that labyrinth, he's going to be very annoyed."
My laugh came out broken. "That's very Vincent."
"He also said you deserve a chance at surviving this." Luka's expression softened. "So take the seal, survive the trial, and stop Constantine. Then maybe we can all stop running."
I reached for the seal, but Luka's hand covered it first.
"One more thing." Luka stood, moving around the table. "You need to make it believable."
"Make what believable?"
"That you overpowered me. That you took this by force." Luka's pale eyes were serious. "The Judges will question how you got a Director's seal. The only story that works is that you attacked me and stole it."
"No, Luka, I'm not—"
"You are. Because if they think I gave it willingly, they'll come after Vincent to punish me. But if you took it by force?" He shrugged. "Then I'm a victim. They might even feel sorry for me."
"I can't hit you."
"Yes, you can." Luka's expression didn't change. "I've seen you fight. I know what you're capable of. So do it properly. Make it look real."
Rafael's hand tightened on my shoulder. "He's right. If the cover story doesn't hold up, Vincent's in danger."
"Exactly." Luka gestured to his face. "Nose, probably. Maybe the jaw. Nothing that'll permanently damage me, but enough that I'll bruise. Enough that the medical report will support the story."
I stood slowly, my body protesting the movement. "This is insane."
"This is survival." Luka met my eyes. "You've done worse for less important reasons. So stop overthinking it and hit me."
The words hung between us. Rafael nodded once.
"I hate this," I said.
"I know." Luka braced himself. "Do it anyway."
My fist connected with Luka's jaw before I could second-guess myself. The impact sent pain shooting up my arm, and Luka's head snapped to the side. He staggered, then caught himself on the table.
He wiped blood from the corner of his lip. "Good. Again. The nose this time."
"Luka—"
"Again. Vincent's going to kill me anyway, might as well make it worth it."
The second hit broke something. I felt the cartilage give way under my knuckles, felt the hot spray of blood across my hand. Luka made a choked sound, his hands going to his face as blood poured between his fingers.
"Fuck." The word came out wet, muffled. "Yeah. That'll work."
Guilt clawed at my throat. "I'm sorry. Christ, Luka, I'm—"
"Don't." Luka straightened, pulling his hands away to reveal a nose that was definitely broken, already swelling, blood streaming down his face. He tilted his head back, pinching the bridge. "Third time this year. Vincent's going to lose his shit."
He grabbed the seal from the table and pressed it into my hand, leaving a smear of blood across my palm.
I closed my fingers around the seal. The bronze was cold, the dried blood rough against my skin. "Thank you."
"Thank me by surviving." Luka's voice was nasal now, thick with blood. "And take care of him." His eyes flicked to Rafael. "He's good for you. Don't fuck it up."
"I won't."
Luka pulled out his phone, thumbs moving across the screen. "I'm sending you coordinates to a safe house upstate. It's off-grid, stocked with supplies. No one knows about it except me and Vincent. I'll send Diego your current location on a secure line." Luka met my eyes. "Don't die on me, Lo."
"I'll try not to."
Then he was gone, footsteps echoing down the warehouse corridor until the distant sound of a door closing cut them off completely.
"We should go," I said, pushing myself up despite my body's protests.
Rafael rose, and immediately his arm came around my waist, supporting me without making it obvious. "Can you walk?"
I leaned into him, just for a moment, letting his warmth seep into my bones. "If I can lean on you."
"Good enough."