Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

Bright green – that isn’t her real eyes’ colour – stare at me with sheer hatred.

Celeste. A second generation assassin and one of my closest disciples in The Pit.

The little freak always tries to take me by surprise. She fails – every time. She keeps doing it anyway. Knowing Celeste, it must be because of the challenge.

“Ugh!” She tries to writhe, but there’s no use. My knees are nearly crushing her thighs. “Fine, let me go.”

“Say, I lost, Mentor.”

“Sod off, Mentor,” she grits out.

“If you don’t say it,” My lips twitch. “I’ll tell Kyle about this. He’s been counting your fails, you know.”

Her nose scrunches up. Although she and Kyle are my closest disciples, they’re at each other’s throats more than Shadow and Mist.

“Sod it.” She breathes through her nose. “I lost, Mentor.”

“Much better.” I push off her and stagger to my feet.

Celeste jumps up and dusts off her full combat suit. All black. Even her hair is dark. When she came into The Pit as a kid, her natural hair was so blonde, it appeared white. She’s never had it that colour since.

“Oh, come on!” She points at my soaked bandage. “You’re bleeding and I couldn’t even take you? I should’ve aimed at your wound.” She narrows her eyes. “Are you on Omega?”

“If I were on Omega, you wouldn’t even get half a chance.”

“Pfft. Whatever.” She places a hand on her hip. “So? Why did you call me?”

I cast a glance around me then approach her. “You still make trips to The Pit, right?”

“Yeah. Hades prefers me since the three Rhodes’ boys escaped.”

The Rhodes are from the second generation just like Celeste and Kyle. Unlike Celeste and Kyle, they’re of prestigious background. It still doesn’t make sense how Hades managed to kidnap them despite their family name. Then, ten years ago, they escaped. That gave most second generation assassins the idea to defect as well.

Hades is fucking livid at losing his power. Probably why he’s keeping a strong leash on us; his first generation and the ones he can control through Omega.

“Do you have access to the dungeons?” I ask.

Her eyes narrow again. “I can’t free Team Zero. I need my life, thank you very much.”

“I know you can’t. Hades won’t hesitate to kill you. But I need some inside info.”

Her cunning gaze falls on me. “Will you pay me?”

“Of course.” Not that I have anything to do with all the money I’ve gathered over the years.

“That sod Crow made me search something for him without paying me, saying it’s a favour for saving my life a century ago. The wanker was there by accident.” She mocks. “You better not be thinking of doing the same.”

My lips twitch. That sounds like Crow to a T. I’m glad he managed to escape Hades alive and detoxing. The only Team Zero member who could. He had to fake his death to Hades and the world for that freedom. In Crow’s words, ‘It’s fucking worth it’ since he’s living a simple life in a secluded mansion in Southern France with his nurse.

“I’ll pay,” I tell Celeste.

“Hades is keeping a maddening type of security around them, you know.” She muses, making a dramatically quizzical face. “It will be so hard to infiltrate.”

“Any amount of money you want, Celeste.”

Her eyes light up. “Do I have your word?”

“You do.”

“Sweet!” She rubs her hands together, then she looks up, behind me, and her expression turns annoyed. “Oh, sod it. Here comes the dickhead Kyle.”

“Why do you hate him so much?”

“Why do you like him so much?” She shoots back. “Have you ever wondered why all your disciples cut contact with you unless you personally called?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Ooh, is that Shadow?” Her expression shifts to calculative. “He owes me money!”

And then, she’s running the opposite way.

I shake my head. She’s hopeless. But she needs that money to find her family, so it’s only fair she’s obsessing over it.

“What the fuck was she doing here?” Kyle’s biting tone reaches me before he stops in front of me.

“I called her over.”

He squints. There’s no trace of his usual playfulness. “Why?”

“I will tell you if things work out.”

“Why can’t you tell me now?” he asks in an impatient tone. “Why can’t I do whatever the hell she’s doing?”

Because I’m selfish and I don’t want him out of my sight. Celeste has spent long years with Hades and will manage. Kyle is younger and isn’t that familiar with Hades. The risk is high.

His brows draw together. “Ye still think I’m weak?”

“Of course not.”

“Grand. Then give me Celeste’s mission.”

“You’re acting like a kid, Kyle.”

“I won’t if ye give me her mission.”

“Kyle.” I breathe through my mouth. “I need you by my side.”

“Because Celeste moves around the entire time, so I’m a suitable replacement?” He sighs, shoulders hunching. “I’m sorry, Godfather.”