Page 125 of The Immortal’s Mark

Thumps and curses reach my ears. I throw off my covers and race into the hall.

A door slams below.

I rush down the stairs, careful not to slip on the smooth hardwood.

When I reach the first floor, I slow down and listen.

More curses sound, followed by a muffled scuffle. Is someone fighting?

My pulse kicks harder.

Careful not to reveal my position, I creep forward and place a hand against the wall for balance. My skin prickles as I lean forward to catch a glimpse of what’s going on.

“Take him into the basement,” Alex hisses. His back blocks my view, but I catch a glimpse of Gregory and Lucas heaving a struggling form toward the basement door.

The shape is masculine, with broad shoulders and long limbs, but a sack over his head makes him impossible to identify. The fabric jerks with each frantic movement as he tries, unsuccessfully, to twist free from the ropes tied around his wrists and ankles.

Around them, my mother, Lola, and Paige stand in a tight semicircle with grim expressions.

A muffled scream travels through the sack, but the basement door slams shut, cutting it short.

“Well…” Alex exhales and pinches the bridge of his nose. “That did not go as planned.”

The women murmur their agreement.

“What happened?” I step forward.

Every head turns.

Their expressions range from surprise to fatigue to resignation.

“Who was that?” I ask when no one speaks.

Alex sighs. “What are you doing awake?”

I cross my arms and straighten my spine. “Your grand entrance woke me up.”

“So you decided to come out of your room to investigate a loud noise?” His tone sharpens. “Did it ever occur to you that it could be dangerous?”

“I thought I was safe in the house. Isn’t that why I wasn’t allowed to go tonight?” I spare my mother a pointed look before returning to Alex. “Or did that rule only apply when it was convenient?”

“You’re insufferable,” Alex groans, though a smirk tugs at his mouth, like he can’t fully commit to being angry at me.

“So what happened?” I press, motioning to the basement door. “Who was that?”

“One of Adir’s spies,” my mother answers. She leans against the wall behind her. Shadows darken her hard eyes.

“Adir?” I swallow down the bile crawling up my throat. “Did you find him?”

“No,” Alex answers with a scowl. “His lackey made us before we could infiltrate the meeting.”

I blink. “Made you?”

“Yes,” he grits out. “Now, there is a very real chance my dear father knows I am not on his side.”

Shit.

My eyes swing between him and the closed basement door. “But if you captured the spy, doesn’t that mean he hasn’t spoken to Adir?”