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“Test them,” a voice said.

Another officer approached with what looked like a temperature gun. But instead of raising it to Roman’s forehead, he pointed it at his eye instead. Bright light flashed.

He flinched. “What the hell is that?” They were doing the same to Shay.

“Clear,” said the first officer.

“Clear here, too,” said the other.

“Roman?” called a small, frightened voice.

It was Pax, stumbling out of the car. A different officer tested him with the same device, causing Paxton to flinch away from the bright light.

“All clear,” the officer said.

“Roman?” Paxton called again—more frightened this time.

“Pax,” Roman choked out. “It’s okay.” But his heart pounded so hard he could feel it in his feet.

“Time to go, kid,” said the officer at Pax’s side. In his hand he held Pax’s backpack.

“Wait!” Paxton begged. “Wait, what about my brother? Where are you taking him?—”

But the officer snatched his arm. “Let’s go.” He began dragging him down the road. “You’ll be back home with your dad in no time.”

Paxton paled. “No! No, no, no, wait—wait, please!” He fought harder, his tone turning frantic. “I don’t want my dad, I want my brother!”He lunged, reaching out with his free hand, his other arm snapping taut and yanking him backward as the officer held on with an iron grip. He started sobbing, and so did Sayagul. “Wait!Please— You can’t do this?—”

“It’ll be okay,” Roman said, speaking to them both—boy and dragon—as another officer joined the one pulling Pax toward the open back door of a sedan. A woman wearing a suit and sunglasses waited beside it. “I’ll find you!” Roman called, his ragged promise bouncing down the crowded highway. “I promise, Pax! You hear me? Ipromise?—”

“Let me go!”Paxton fought with all his might. Pushing and pulling against the officers, tears streaming down his face.“Letme go! Let him go! He didn’t do anything wrong—please! Please. Roman! ROMAN!”

Sayagul wept.‘Paxton. Oh, Paxton. I can’t. I can’t do this, Roman?—’

“Pax, it’s okay,” Roman rasped. “Be strong?—”

“I don’t want to go!” Paxton screamed, the words raw and shattered like glass. “I don’t want to go with you, I want my brother! I want my brother!I want my brother! I WANT MY BROTHER!”

Forceful hands loaded Roman into the back of a prisoner transport van—empty apart from the benches on the outer walls. They brought Shay in behind him, the vehicle shuddering as she and the other officer stepped inside. There was no metal partition down the center, nothing separating him from Shay as they were directed to sit on opposite sides.

“ROMAN!”Pax wailed. He was still fighting, his eyes black and crying—no dark veins, thank gods.

“Pax, I need you to be strong!” Roman called as the officers cuffed their hands again—in front of them this time—and fastened the cuffs to the chains attached to the benches. “I need you to be brave, okay? Everything is going to be all right, I promise?—”

“I love you!”he sobbed. “Roman, don’t leave! Don’t leave me!You can’t leave me!”

Roman’s eyes burned. “I’m not leaving you,” he vowed, his chest hurting so badly it felt like he had been shot. The officers spoke into their radios and stepped out of the van. “I’ll find you, okay? I’ll never leave you, Pax, I prom?—”

The doors banged shut. A thick layer of magic rippled over the van, sealing them inside. Through the gaps in the window guards, Roman watched, breathing so hard he swore he might pass out, as Paxton continued to fight, screaming his lungs out as he was dragged down the street.

They were taking him away.

They were taking Paxton away, and he may never see him again.

77

The Canals

YVESWICH, STATE OF KER