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“Welcome.”

They twisted off the caps and drank. The hospital was so eerily quiet, the glug of the water shifting down their throats sounded loud.

“Do you think Aurora might have been modified at the Facility as an attempt to create a new Skeleton Key?” Dallas asked, breathless from chugging three quarters of the bottle.

Max said, “To use the Well?” He swirled the last of the water in his bottle, forming a cyclone.

“Yeah.”

“Could’ve been.”

Dominic said, “If we found a way for Loren to use her powers without it causing her harm, she’d be a powerhouse.”

“That was exactly what I was thinking,” Max said to the Angel.

Dallas said, “I’m glad Darien got her out of here. If we have any hope of closing that portal and putting an end to all of this, we’re going to need Loren.”

Max nodded his agreement and finished off his water.

The poor girl had already been through so much. And now the fate of the world quite literally depended upon her.

Footfall drew their attention to the door to the medication room as Jewels and Travis walked out.

“How’d you make out?” Max asked them.

“We didn’t, unfortunately,” Travis said. Jewels snickered and tried to pinch his neck, but he ducked to the side. When he took note of Max’s unamused face, he gave him a serious answer. “We took a few vials, so hopefully we won’t need to come back here.”

“We won’t,” Jewels confirmed. “I have enough for two months.”

“Two and a half,” Travis corrected. “I took another when you weren’t looking.” Two and a half months—that was optimistic when the city was getting darker every day.

Max heaved himself to his feet, his body tired and aching. “All right. Let’s go. I’m about to pass out, and something tells me Delaney’s throwing a tempter tantrum.” He gave Dallas a hand up, and they began making their way out.

“Hey, Max?” Dallas said quietly as they approached the stairwell. “I wanted to talk to you about something before we get back.”

“Yeah? And what’s that?”

“Maya.”

He couldn’t help but scowl at the thought of his sister. How disappointing it was that their reunion had led to…this. To nothing. “Scarlet, you mean.”

She grimaced. “Yeah, about that. I just want you to know that it isn’t your fault—how she’s behaving.”

He pushed the door to the stairwell open. “I know.” His voice echoed.

“I can tell that you don’t want to talk about it,” she said. “But do you remember what you said to me at my father’s event?A toxic relationship is a toxic relationship, no matter who it involves?”

He glanced at her. “I said that?”

“Yes.”

A proud smile pulled at his mouth. “Damn. I’m pretty good, aren’t I?”

“Max, what I’m trying to tell you is that your sister is toxic. She isn’t treating you the way you deserve. And if she doesn’t want anything to do with you after we get out of here, that’s her loss. And you’ve done nothing wrong.”

The sound of their feet clapping on the stairs was deafening. When they got to the bottom, they pushed through the door and continued walking.

“Okay?” Dallas pressed.