The interior of the helicopter was a cramped, vibrating world of tactical gear and blue instrument lights. Outside the window, the jagged peaks of the Alps were like shark’s teeth biting into the moonlight, but inside, the air was cold enough to freeze blood.
I held Toby tightly against my chest, his rhythmic breathing the only thing keeping me anchored to reality. Arthur sat across from us, his face as unreadable as ever, checking the clip of his handgun before holstering it with a final, metallic click.
But it was the man sitting next to me whose presence felt like a physical weight. Silas hadn't looked away from me once since we left the villa. He sat with his legs crossed, the dark fabric of his overcoat still damp from the rain, watching me with a gaze that was part predator, part p
