person that you’ve been called to the altar, rather than simply issuing a summons. I will give you a moment to get dressed. You’re welcome to use my office. Then you will go to the altar room for the presentation ceremony where you will meet your spouses.”
Tasha felt like she was choking. The need to lash out crawled along her skin and her fingers curled into claws. Before she could do something she couldn’t take back, Tasha grabbed the robe from the chair and stormed out of the office.
“Natasha,” the Grand Master warned.
She marched along the hall that connected his office with the rest of the headquarters. She stopped before a door she’d never gone through before—the Grand Master’s entrance to the ritual room.
Natasha threw open the door. Beyond it was a stone room, much smaller and more intimate than the massive gathering room. The floor and walls were marble and three high-backed wing chairs faced a large metal medallion in the center of the floor. Each chair was illuminated by a rectangle of light. Two chairs were occupied by figures in black robes—two men.
The Grand Master thought that after everything she’d done for him he could suddenly match her? Worse, he wanted her to marry two men, rather than the man and woman she’d dreamed of? She didn’t know anything about being a wife. She needed another woman to show her what to do.
“Leave,” Tasha told them. “You don’t want this.” She threw the white robe onto the medallion in the floor. “Whoever you are, you’re about to be trapped, married to the Grand Master’s pet spy.” Tasha hadn’t been this angry in a long time. She tried to rein it in, but everything that had taken place in Chicago was right there on the surface, muting her ability to retreat to the emotionless place where she functioned best.
“Natasha Kasharin,” the Grand Master’s voice echoed from behind her. “You are out of line.”
“I will not spend my life married to people who hoped for power, intelligence and wealth from their partners only to find themselves married to a whore, a liar and a killer.” Tears choked her, and she dug her nails into her palms to fight them back. “I took your pity once, I won’t do it again.”
Tasha faced the men again. “Leave,” she said, meaning it to be strong, but it came out as a plea.
One at a time, they rose. Tasha breathed a sigh of relief—they’d listened, they’d go.
“Tasha.”
Her heart stopped when she heard the voice. She shook her head. “No.” It couldn’t be.
Marco threw back his hood. “Tasha, it’s us.”
Damon did the same.
She whirled to the Grand Master, her mind racing. “You’re…you’re punishing them for falling into his trap.” She looked back at Marco and Damon. “You’re punishing them…with me.”
“ Natasha, that is not it. I chose to join you with them because it’s clear that you have a connection. A connection you’ve never had with any other member that you’ve helped. When I found out that you included them in your plans, I knew you trusted them. This is not punishment—for any of you.”
Tasha laughed bitterly. “It’s not? Marco, who should have an elegant, sophisticated wife, would instead be stuck with me, who can only pretend to be something good and pure. And Damon—he will never become a federal judge if he is associated with me. I’m the daughter of spies. No one will care that I gave up everything for this country.”
“Tasha,” Damon said. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
She gasped, his words like a knife to her heart. He couldn’t mean that.
“Tasha, come here,” Marco coaxed. “Take a deep breath, beautiful.”
“No.” The word trembled on her lips. “No. I won’t let you do this to them.”
She ran, brushing by the Grand Master. She knew all the exits from this place and took the one into a water main that dumped into the harbor. It was for the most dire emergencies—which this was.
Three blocks later, wet to her
Tasha felt like she was choking. The need to lash out crawled along her skin and her fingers curled into claws. Before she could do something she couldn’t take back, Tasha grabbed the robe from the chair and stormed out of the office.
“Natasha,” the Grand Master warned.
She marched along the hall that connected his office with the rest of the headquarters. She stopped before a door she’d never gone through before—the Grand Master’s entrance to the ritual room.
Natasha threw open the door. Beyond it was a stone room, much smaller and more intimate than the massive gathering room. The floor and walls were marble and three high-backed wing chairs faced a large metal medallion in the center of the floor. Each chair was illuminated by a rectangle of light. Two chairs were occupied by figures in black robes—two men.
The Grand Master thought that after everything she’d done for him he could suddenly match her? Worse, he wanted her to marry two men, rather than the man and woman she’d dreamed of? She didn’t know anything about being a wife. She needed another woman to show her what to do.
“Leave,” Tasha told them. “You don’t want this.” She threw the white robe onto the medallion in the floor. “Whoever you are, you’re about to be trapped, married to the Grand Master’s pet spy.” Tasha hadn’t been this angry in a long time. She tried to rein it in, but everything that had taken place in Chicago was right there on the surface, muting her ability to retreat to the emotionless place where she functioned best.
“Natasha Kasharin,” the Grand Master’s voice echoed from behind her. “You are out of line.”
“I will not spend my life married to people who hoped for power, intelligence and wealth from their partners only to find themselves married to a whore, a liar and a killer.” Tears choked her, and she dug her nails into her palms to fight them back. “I took your pity once, I won’t do it again.”
Tasha faced the men again. “Leave,” she said, meaning it to be strong, but it came out as a plea.
One at a time, they rose. Tasha breathed a sigh of relief—they’d listened, they’d go.
“Tasha.”
Her heart stopped when she heard the voice. She shook her head. “No.” It couldn’t be.
Marco threw back his hood. “Tasha, it’s us.”
Damon did the same.
She whirled to the Grand Master, her mind racing. “You’re…you’re punishing them for falling into his trap.” She looked back at Marco and Damon. “You’re punishing them…with me.”
“ Natasha, that is not it. I chose to join you with them because it’s clear that you have a connection. A connection you’ve never had with any other member that you’ve helped. When I found out that you included them in your plans, I knew you trusted them. This is not punishment—for any of you.”
Tasha laughed bitterly. “It’s not? Marco, who should have an elegant, sophisticated wife, would instead be stuck with me, who can only pretend to be something good and pure. And Damon—he will never become a federal judge if he is associated with me. I’m the daughter of spies. No one will care that I gave up everything for this country.”
“Tasha,” Damon said. “I’m so glad it’s you.”
She gasped, his words like a knife to her heart. He couldn’t mean that.
“Tasha, come here,” Marco coaxed. “Take a deep breath, beautiful.”
“No.” The word trembled on her lips. “No. I won’t let you do this to them.”
She ran, brushing by the Grand Master. She knew all the exits from this place and took the one into a water main that dumped into the harbor. It was for the most dire emergencies—which this was.
Three blocks later, wet to her
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