Page 42 of Property of Crypt Keeper

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” he dryly replied before he turned toward the door.

“Wait,” I snapped.

He didn’t. Of course, he didn’t. The door opened. Closed. And just like that—the fucker was gone. Silence rushed back in. Thick. Suffocating.

My hands tightened around the bars again, harder this time. The wards bit deep. Burned. I didn’t let go. Didn’t react. Didn’t care.

“Haidyn,” I muttered under my breath.

Of all the names. Of all the connections. That one… that one mattered. Too much.

I shoved off the bars and started pacing again, faster now.

Mind racing. Pieces shifting.

If Gideon’s world overlapped with Haidyn’s—then this wasn’t just a hunt anymore.

This was something else entirely. Something bigger. Something dangerous. And then there was another name.

Rafael.

My jaw tightened.

He hadn’t come through my usual channels with Gideon’s name. Hadn’t followed protocol. He’d gone straight to me. Given me Gideon’s name like it mattered. Like it was personal. That hadn’t made sense before.

Now? It made even less. Which meant one thing.

I was being used.

My lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. That was fine. I didn’t mind being used. As long as I figured it out before it turned into a problem that ended with me dead.

I moved back to the bars, gripping them again despite the burn, leaning my forehead briefly against the stinging metal.

Think. Plan. Move.

Because one thing was suddenly very clear—if Haidyn found out where I was… he would be furious.

Or if Rafael came looking… this cage wouldn’t keep me safe.

It would make me easy to find. Rafael had been my mentor and trainer, but I didn’t trust him now. He could be working on his own agenda, or anyone else’s for that matter. I now believed that he would end me before I could tell Haidyn or anyone else what was going on.

My eyes opened, dark and sharp.

“Yeah,” I murmured to myself. “That’s not happening.”

I straightened, rolling my shoulders once as I forced the pain from the wards into the background. I needed out. Soon. Before whatever game had started around me decided I was the piece it was willing to sacrifice.

And when I got out? I wasn’t just going to survive. I was going to find out exactly who thought they could play me—and make them regret it.

11

CRYPT KEEPER

Hack didn’t call me down to his room often. He’d text or call me. Usually, if he wanted me there in person, it was because whatever he found was either illegal, disturbing… or both. Since he was specifically looking into things for me, this made it especially concerning.

Judging by the look on his face when I walked into the tech room—this morning was definitely both. I was glad Lily was able to watch Zara again today.

The glow from six different monitors painted the room blue and white, cables hanging everywhere like vines. Empty energy drink cans littered the desk beside dismantled hard drives and enough surveillance equipment to get him arrested in at least four states.