Bryce was distantly aware of Tharion behind her, telling the Viper Queen that she was under arrest on behalf of the River Queen. Distantly aware of the Viper Queen chuckling.
But all she heard was Hunt breathe, “Bryce.”
“What the fuck is this?” she whispered. Rain slashed her face. She couldn’t hear, couldn’t get any air down, couldn’t think as she said again, her voice breaking, “What the fuck is this, Hunt?”
“It is exactly what it looks like,” a cold, deep voice said behind her.
In a storm of white wings, Micah emerged from the mists and landed, flanked by Isaiah, Naomi, and six other angels, all armed to the teeth and in legion black. But they made no move to incapacitate the Viper Queen or her cronies.
No, they all faced Hunt and his companions. Aimed their guns toward them.
Hunt looked at the Governor—then at the Viper Queen. He snarled softly, “You fucking bitch.”
The Viper Queen chuckled. She said to Micah, “You owe me a favor now, Governor.”
Micah jerked his chin in confirmation.
Viktoria hissed at her, halo crinkling on her brow, “You set us up.”
The Viper Queen crossed her arms. “I knew it would be worth my while to see who came sniffing around for this shit when word leaked that I got my hands on a shipment,” she said, motioning toward the synth. Her smile was pure poison as she looked at Hunt. “I was hoping it’d be you, Umbra Mortis.”
Bryce’s heart thundered. “What are you talking about?”
Hunt pivoted to her, his face bleak in the floodlights. “It wasn’t supposed to go down like this, Bryce. Maybe at first, but I saw that video tonight and I tried to stop it, stop them, but they wouldn’t fucking listen—”
“These three thought synth would be an easy way to regain what was taken from them,” the Viper Queen said. A vicious pause. “The power to overthrow their masters.”
The world shifted beneath her. Bryce said, “I don’t believe you.”
But the flicker of pain in Hunt’s eyes told her that her blind, stupid faith in his innocence had gutted him.
“It’s true,” Micah said, his voice like ice. “These three learned of the synth days ago, and have since been seeking a way to purchase it—and to distribute it among their fellow would-be rebels. To attain its powers long enough to break their halos, and finish what Shahar started on Mount Hermon.” He nodded toward the Viper Queen. “She was gracious enough to inform me of this plan, after Justinian tried to recruit a female under her … influence.”
Bryce shook her head. She was trembling so hard that Tharion gripped her around the waist.
“I told you I’d figure out your asking price, Athalar,” the Viper Queen said.
Bryce began crying. She hated every tear, every shuddering, stupid gasp. Hated the pain in Hunt’s eyes as he stared at her, only her, and said, “I’m sorry.”
But Bryce just asked, “Days ago?”
Silence.
She said again, “You knew about the synth days ago?”
Her heart—it was her stupid fucking heart that was cracking and cracking and cracking …
Hunt said, “Micah assigned me some targets. Three drug lords. They told me that two years ago, a small amount of synth leaked from the Redner lab and onto the streets. But it ran out fast—too fast. They said that finally, after two years of trying to replicate it, someone had figured out the formula at last, and it was now being made—and would be capable of amping up our power. I didn’t think it had anything to do with the case—not until recently. I didn’t know the truth of what the Hel it could even do until I saw that footage of the trials.”
“How.” Her word cut through the rain. “How did it leak?”
Hunt shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
Micah said coldly, “Danika Fendyr.”
Bryce backed up a step, into Tharion’s grip. “That’s not possible.”
Hunt said with a gentleness that decimated her, “Danika sold it, Bryce. It’s why she was spotted on that boat with the crate of it. I figured it out nearly a week ago. She stole the formula for it, sold the stock, and—” He stopped himself.
“And what?” Bryce whispered. “And what, Hunt?”
“And Danika used it herself. Was addicted to it.”
She was going to be sick. “Danika would never have done that. She never would have done any of this.”
Hunt shook his head. “She did, Bryce.”