Page 182 of Taming Seraphine

Seraphine.

Claws of worry reach through the wound in my gut and twist my heart until I’m gasping for air.

She’s still out there, injured, confused, and probably thinking she doesn’t have a single ally in the world. The last words Miko said to me as I fell unconscious sit in my gut like lead.

He shot at her. Now he’s going to make things right?

Dread coils through my insides like a garotte.

I have to save her.

“Miko?”

I grip the hospital bed’s metal frame and force myself up to sit.

The door at the end opens, and Sal walks in. “Did you know someone threw a grenade into your apartment?”

“Where is Miko?”

“He left about an hour ago.”

“Shit.”

I swing my legs out of bed. The infirmary tilts, and I reel back under a tidal wave of dizziness.

Sal grabs me by the midsection and holds me steady. “You’re in no shape to go anywhere. Miko said he’d take care of the girl. Rest, and he’ll be back soon.”

“Out of my way.” I shove past him and stumble to the closet door.

“At least pick up the phone and call Miko.”

My stomach lurches at the thought of him getting caught by the bastards who blew up my apartment. I snatch my phone off the bedside table and dial Miko’s number, but it goes straight to voicemail.

Damn it.

When I check my text messages, the last one from Miko reads:

I’ve agreed on a truce and will deliver her to Samson.

“What?”

My fingers grip the phone so tightly that my knuckles turn white. Rage burns through my veins at the thought that Miko has betrayed me and is delivering Seraphine to Samson.

The message is time stamped two hours earlier. I can’t believe what I’m reading without context, so I scroll up to the text he sent five hours earlier:

I’ll take care of it before you wake up.

I move on to the text before that one.

He must know you and S are working your way through the bodyguards.

Before that is the message:

Samson hired the Moirai Group to take you out. They’re the ones who attacked your apartment.

The cold dread pooling in my gut evaporates under the force of my fury. I taught Miko better than to be an imbecile. How could he consider bartering Seraphine in exchange for Samson calling off the hit? He could have called Rita to mobilize the other operatives who work for the firm. Instead, he’s chosen to stab me in the back.

Time is running out. I have to find Miko before Seraphine gets hurt. I fling open the closet door and throw on some sweats and a pair of shoes.