Page 47

“What are we doing?” King’s calm voice asks.

Yeah, what are you doing? Don’t leave me in suspense. And here I thought GV would be innocent and King would be a mastermind. They’re in this together from the sounds of things, but she’s the boss. Poor Mal.

“Why are you talking? Shut up, let me think,” GV snaps back at him, and the silence is only broken by the steady pacing to my left.

Kimi woke up before I did. He had to have heard what was going on. If he could hear the gas in the hall, he had to be able to hear whoever was on the other line with her. Now, if only I could get him to tell me without losing my mind or my heart.

The silence continues as I contemplate exactly how I will get out of this mess. All the heavy hitters of this ‘team’ are now unconscious, chained up, in cells, or all three of the above.

I take stock of myself and find I’m healed of any last vestiges of the gas. I can feel my body and wiggle my toes in my shoes as a test. I have feeling in them again, so we’re good to go, which means I can have a little help in this situation.

I explain to the spark that we need to lock them down and get everyone out of the cages, trying to be clear and concise.

I keep my eyes closed and picture the lifelines leading to King and GV, allowing it to pan out to encompass their bodies. Then I take hold of every muscle I can and tighten them into place, holding them stiff. GV shrieks before her jaw clenches shut. King makes no sound at all.

I sit up quickly and look around me, keeping my main focus on the two bodies frozen in place.

We’re in some kind of torture room that isn’t Mitri’s. I guess he didn’t know about this one.

I can see Kimi’s chest rising and falling rhythmically, so he’s at least asleep and not dead. Silver linings, I guess.

King stands beside Kimi’s cage, body tensed painfully and teeth grinding. His eyes are on me, but I avoid looking at his face, just in case. I’ve already screwed up too much on this one. I can’t afford to keep doing it.

GV is facing away from me, and she’s jerking as she struggles against her own muscles to get free.

I can’t see an opening in the cages, but I get up to try and find a way to get them out. I go straight to Ben and reach through the bars to stroke a hand through his hair. He has his normal cool temperature and he’s breathing evenly, but he shows no signs of waking any time soon. The cage is a small box with him curled onto his side to fit. I don’t see any kind of door to open or apadlock. A glance at the other cages confirms they’re the same.

Mal is hanging by his shackled wrists, head slumped in sleep and on his knees. Kimi is displayed similarly, but Ben isn’t shackled at all.

“Ben, get up,” I snap my fingers in front of his face and tap his cheek but get no response.

Mal makes a deep rumbling sound, and I slide to his cage. Reaching through the bars, I cradle his face in my hands and tilt his chin up. His eyelids are fluttering, and a scowl is beginning to form on his slack features.

“Oh yes,” I grin in delight. Who would have thought I would be so excited for the raging dragon to wake up in a bad mood? “Mal? Talk to me.”

“Alsamt,” he snarls at me. I’m not sure if he’s just making sounds or if it’s a language, but I take it as a good sign.

“Hey, grumpy,” I sweet-talk him like a small child. “I need you to wake up for me, okay? Nap time is done. Now it’s jailbreak time.”

“Said…silence,” he groans, his eyes opening a tiny amount. His pupils are wide enough that the gold of his irises is almost eclipsed.

“I know you’re not feeling great, but I need you,” I beg shamelessly. “Please wake up.”

“Waha fi hajat li,” he chuckles a little, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen him smile. It’s tiny and kind of a smirk but still an upward tilt of his lips. I didn’t think he was capable of it.

I smile back hesitantly, “Yeah? You're gonna wake up for me?”

He gives me a head bob that almost dislodges my hands, and his eyes slide from side to side and take in where he is. What follows is a lot of growling and glaring.

And he’s back, ladies and gentlemen.

“Mitri,” he barks out, and I’m enveloped in a cloud of smoke. It smells a lot like the incense from the hallway mingled with mint.

I turn his head so he can see Mitri slumped in the chair next to his cage. GV’s looking down at him, and I notice her hand is stuck reaching for him.

“Wake him next. Use your gifts,” his words stumble to a halt as I turn him back to face me.

“I can’t,” I whisper back, leaning close enough to the cage that my face almost presses against the bars. “I’m using it to keep them still. If I lose focus, they could go free.”