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But people noticed There were fewer pedestrians outside of my , and in the distance, black ss

New guards took over nored me, like always, except for one: a crooked little felloith a sharp nose and big teeth He looked more like a math teacher than a soldier, but the others treated him like one of their own

I didn’t think anything of it until he approached me that afternoon

I was sitting near the ing I wasn’t good at buildings—too eometrical, too perfect I liked flaws, curves, flows People were perfect—none of them were syic I didn’t notice when the new guard lingered overat my sketchbook

“That’s not bad”

I jumped in shock He was the first person aside from Kaspar to speak to me in days I looked back ide eyes and flinched away His s, but came off creepy and wolfish

“Uh, thank you, but can you not look over my shoulder?”

He seemed bashful “Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude”

“No, it’s fine, I’nore me?”

“I’m not one of Kaspar’s men”

I got a strange, twisting feeling “Who are you then?”

His eyes sparkled “Want to hear a little secret?”

I didn’t Not even a little bit Thiswith raised hackles So toto hide his approach The other guards glared, but none of them moved to interrupt

“I guess so”

“Your brother sent me”

I nearly screamed in his face

“Is this some kind of joke?”

He held a finger to his lips, shaking his head, eyes s

“If you can’t calet it together”

“They’re already watching You said Darren sent you?”

“Hired et yourself together”

I sucked in big, slow breaths to try to get level again but I couldn’t

“What mission?” I asked at a whisper

“I’ you home”

He was fucking with h this once already and it ended with asain—but wasn’t interested in getting euards

“How?” I croaked like a frog A pathetic little toad

“Tonight Leave youropen I’ll do the rest”

“My ?”

“You’re monitored Your door, the whole apartment Except your room Except your s”