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“Yeah, well, not all of us are as resourceful as The Cinner,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Can you watch Chop Suey? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

“Sure thing,” Cindy says, scooping the pug into her lap. “But if you’re not back in an hour, I’m calling Lanz. He’s got that whole ‘alien super strength’ thing going on. He’d probably rip the door off its hinges.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” I say, heading for the door. “Thanks, Cin.”

“Anytime, Ty,” she calls after me. “And tell Sandy to invest in a crowbar. Just saying.”

I’m out the door before she can add anything else, my mind racing as I hurry to my car. The streets are quiet this late at night, the glow of the streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. I can’t help but feel a little nervous—Doggone Elegance isn’t exactly in the best part of town, and it’s not like I’m armed or anything. But Sandy needs me, and I’m not about to let her down.

The drive feels longer than it should, my hands gripping the wheel a little too tightly. When I finally pull into the parking lot, the shop is dark except for the faint glow of the emergency exit sign. I grab my keys and head for the back door, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Sandy?” I call out as I unlock the door and step inside. “It’s me, Tyler. I’m here.”

“Thank God,” her voice echoes from somewhere in the back. “Hurry, please. It’s so dark in here.”

I flick on the lights and make my way to the storage room, my footsteps echoing in the empty shop. The door is slightly ajar, but it’s clear it’s jammed—Sandy’s been trying to push it open from the inside, but it’s not budging.

“Okay, I’m here,” I say, grabbing the handle. “Let’s get you out of there.”

I’m about to yank the storage room door open when the front door of the shop bursts open with a loud crash. A teenager with a skateboard under one arm stumbles in, his chest heaving like he’s just run a marathon. His eyes lock onto mine, and something about them makes my skin crawl—they’re too sharp, too calculating, like they don’t belong in a kid’s face.

“Don’t open that door!” he shouts, his voice cracking with panic. “She’s not who you think she is!”

My hand freezes on the door handle.. The kid’s eyes—there’s something off about them. They’re too bright, almost glowing in the dim light of the shop. Grolgath. It has to be. Lanz warned me about this. They can look like anyone, even a kid with a skateboard.

“Tyler?” Sandy’s voice comes from behind the door, soft and pleading. “Please, let me out. It’s so dark in here.”

The kid takes a step forward, his skateboard clattering to the floor. “Don’t do it! She’s one of them!”

My mind races. If Sandy’s a Grolgath, why would she lock herself in the storage room? But if the kid’s a Grolgath, why would he warn me? I don’t have time to think. I yank the door open.

Sandy steps out, her face pale and her hair disheveled. She smiles at me, but it’s not her usual warm smile. It’s cold, predatory. “Thank you, Tyler,” she hisses.

Then I see it. Her eyes—they blink, but not like a human’s. Three sets of eyelids slide open and shut in rapid succession. My stomach drops. Before I can react, Sandy pulls something from her pocket—a sleek, futuristic-looking pistol that hums with a faint red glow.

“Sandy, what—” I start, but she’s already raising the gun.

The kid doesn’t even have time to scream. Sandy fires, and a red laser blast tears through his chest. He stumbles back, his eyes wide with shock, and collapses to the floor. The smell ofburnt flesh fills the air, and I gag, covering my mouth with my hand.

Sandy lowers the gun, her expression calm, almost bored. “You really should be more careful, Tyler,” she says, her voice dripping with mock concern. “You never know who you can trust.”

I’m frozen in place, my mind struggling to process what just happened. The kid—he’s just a kid. Or was. And Sandy… she’s not Sandy. She’s one of them. A Grolgath.

“Why?” I manage to choke out, my voice trembling. “Why did you do that?”

Sandy tilts her head, her smile widening. “Because he was in the way,” she says simply. “And now, so are you.”

She raises the gun again, and I don’t think—I just move. I dive behind the counter, my heart hammering in my chest. The laser blast hits the wall above me, sending a shower of plaster raining down. I scramble to my feet, my hands shaking as I fumble for my phone. I need to call Lanz. I need to get out of here.

But before I can dial, Sandy’s voice cuts through the air, cold and mocking. “Running won’t help, Tyler. You’re already in too deep.”

CHAPTER 20

LANZ

The chair clatters to the floor behind me as I surge to my feet, my heart pounding like a war drum. Something’s wrong. I can feel it in my bones, a gnawing, twisting sensation in my gut that screamsdanger. Tyler. It’s her. I don’t know how I know, but I do. The bond—if it’s real, if she’s my Jalshagar—it’s pulling me to her like a magnet. I don’t have time to question it. I don’t have time to think.

I slam my hand against the hidden panel in the wall, and the armory slides open. My jetpack gleams under the fluorescent lights, and I strap it on with practiced ease. The window shatters as I barrel through it, the city sprawling below me. I don’t need coordinates. I don’t need a map. I justknowwhere she is.