Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
I blinked rapidly, fighting back real tears. “The drive felt like it went on forever. I was so scared. I could hear Camille whimpering next to me, but I couldn’t reach her. My hands were tied behind my back.”
Marmareus nodded slightly, encouraging me to continue. I swallowed hard before going on.
“When the van finally stopped, they dragged us out. I could tell we were in some kind of parking garage from the echoes. The concrete was so cold under my bare feet.” I paused, letting a hint of anger creep into my voice. “That’s when they told us. Said we were going to be ‘fuck toys’ for some rich bastard. That he liked… he liked… breaking in fresh meat.”
I fell silent, watching Marmareus carefully. He was still looking down at his handheld, his brow furrowed slightly. I could tell he was looking for any holes in my story, analyzing every detail. My heart raced as I waited for his response, praying that my performance had been convincing.
After what felt like an eternity, Marmareus looked up from his device, his dark eyes meeting mine. “That’s quite a harrowing tale, Mary,” he said, his voice neutral. “Thank you for sharing it with me.”
I nodded, trying to look both relieved and traumatized. “I… I… never… I mean, it’s the first time I’ve, you know… told anyone the story,” I whispered, letting my voice crack slightly. “It’s… it’s really hard to talk about.”
Marmareus took a step backward, as if easing the pressure of his physical presence. I felt an odd, unwelcome warmth of gratitude in my chest.
“I understand,” he said softly. “But I need you to understand something, Mary. We have ways of verifying information. Very sophisticated ways.”
My stomach clenched at his words. I fought to keep my expression neutral, to think clearly even as panic threatened to steal my rationality. Had he seen through my lies? What would happen if he had?
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “I’m trying to tell you everything,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “I swear, it’s all true. Every horrible detail.”
As I spoke, I watched Leo Marmareus’ face, searching for any sign that he believed me. To my immense relief, I saw his expression soften almost imperceptibly. His shoulders relaxed just a fraction, and the intensity in his gaze eased ever so slightly.
A surge of pride welled up in me as I realized he was buying my story. My performance had been convincing enough to fool even this highly trained operative. I felt a flicker of hope that I might actually pull this off, that I might be able to fulfill my mission, and protect both myself and Camille.
But then, just as I was beginning to feel more confident, Marmareus’ expression sharpened again. His eyes narrowed, and he leaned in slightly, his voice low and intense.
“What exactly does Camille know more about than you do, Mary?”
The question caught me by surprise, and for a moment, I felt my carefully constructed facade waver. But then, as if by some strange magic, I felt that connection to Yggdrasil again. The lies came easily, flowing from me with a naturalness that astonished me as I heard my own words.
“I… I know about a… a virus,” I stammered, letting my voice quaver with fear and uncertainty. “I was at a… a… meeting with a Russian… Georgy, Beaumont called him.”
I felt my face blaze into a deep blush as I remembered the scene, how it had featured me as a sexual plaything to be enjoyed on the side, like an aperitif for the magnates’ most rapacious, obscene appetites.
I studied Leo Marmareus’ distractingly gorgeous face. I thought I might have seen a flicker of surprise on his brow as I delivered what I felt certain represented my most important piece of intelligence. It vanished immediately; if this man didn’t in fact know about the virus, he definitely wanted me to think he did.
“The virus, yes,” he said dismissively, as if he had no interest in the matter. “We’ll want to hear all about that soon. But you’re not answering my question, are you, Mary?”
I paused, biting my lip as if struggling with the memory.
“Beaumont… he said something about using Camille next. That Georgy would want to try her… her cunt and her bottom… to compare them with mine. I thought… I assumed it meant she would know more about their plans than I do.”
I looked up at Leo Marmareus, letting tears well in my eyes. “I don’t actually know if she does,” I admitted, my voice sounding tiny in my own ears. “Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I misunderstood. But I couldn’t… I couldn’t leave her there with them.”
I reached out impulsively, grabbing Leo Marmareus’ hand. The touch of his warm skin against mine sent an unwelcome jolt of electricity through me. “Please,” I begged, my voice breaking. “You have to understand. Camille was all I had in that horrible place. We protected each other, comforted each other. I couldn’t bear the thought of her being left behind, of what they might do to her.”