Chapter 45

“It’s warm,” he admitted. “Not quite uncomfortable, but I wouldn’t want to wear it for more than a couple hours.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Lemuel said. “If this doesn’t work, you’ll both be dead anyway.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“You wouldn’t recognize me if I didn’t call it like I see it.” He jerked his chin toward the coffee table, redirecting my gaze from Leandro to its surface. “Let’s get the show on.”

At some point, they’d laid it out like an altar. I recognized the square pattern of the candles’ arrangement, with the knives in similar configurations along the edge. My ceremonial knives. The ones I’d brought with me for my assignment. For the first time since agreeing to this insane plan, I felt the first niggle of fear.

Leandro crouched at my side. His eyes were fathomless, swimming to a blur as I tried to focus on them. “I hate that I have to hurt you to do this,” he whispered. “If there was any other way…”