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Then I spotted something that made me go still. A dark lump lay at the far end of the corridor, unmoving on the floor. I rushed forward before Tivek could stop me but halted abruptly when I realized what I was seeing.

Not a human. Not a Drexian. It was a Kronock guard sprawled on the ground, its scaled body unnaturally still.

Tivek joined me, staring between the two empty cells on either side and then down at the fallen creature.

"It looks like my brother pulled off some Inferno Force magic," he said, a note of begrudging admiration in his voice.

I turned to him, surprised. "You think your brother did this?"

The smile he gave me was grim, tinged with something that might have been pride. "I know he did. The question is, where are he and Sasha now?"

Before I could contemplate that question, the Kronock at our feet twitched, its massive, clawed hand scraping against the metal floor as it began to move.

Chapter

Fifteen

Tivek

Morgan and I had both pushed back our hoods as we studied the Kronock at our feet.

This was undoubtedly my brother's handiwork. Who else would be able to take out a Kronock guard and get himself and Sasha out? And the two were definitely gone. I couldn’t suppress a grin as I wondered how he’d managed to do it.

Then a memory surfaced unbidden of Deklyn and me, barely adolescents, cornered by a pair of bullies on the cliffs overlooking Lake Vestra on Drex. I'd been terrified, my back pressed against the rocky outcropping, no escape in sight. But Deklyn had remained calm, a calculating gleam in his eyes that I'd come to recognize as the precursor to his most audacious plans.

"You want us?" he'd taunted, edging toward the cliff's edge. "Come get us, if you're not too afraid."

The bullies had charged, their bulky frames propelled by wounded pride. At the last possible second, Deklyn had grabbed my wrist and yanked me aside. The momentum carried our pursuers straight over the edge and into the frigid waters below.

As we'd peered over the cliff, watching them sputter and curse, Deklyn had grinned. "Never underestimate the power of a well-timed sidestep, little brother."

My brother had always been tough but smart, aggressive yet not above a clever misdirection. And despite our differences, he'd always defended me, using his formidable physical presence to shield my quieter, more analytical nature. It was why I was here now, risking everything.

I only regretted that he didn't know the truth about me. I wish I could tell him that I wasn't the failed academy cadet turned administrative aide everyone thought I was. That I, too, had found my way to serve Drex, not through brute force but through shadows and secrets.

The soft scrape of scales on stone snapped me back to the present as a Kronock descended the ramp at the far end of the corridor and the one at our feet stirred. Morgan stiffened beside me, her breath catching as we both realized we were trapped with a Kronock at either end.

Even with our suits rendering us nearly invisible, there was no way to slip past the reptilian creatures without risking contact. And a single brush against their scales would give us away instantly.

I made a split-second decision, grabbing Morgan's arm and pulling her into the farthest cell with me, pressing her against the wall in the darkest corner. Her environmental suit kept hermostly hidden, but her face was still visible, her gray eyes wide with fear.

I positioned myself slightly in front of her, angling my head to keep the corridor in view without exposing myself. Since our hoods were down, I needed the darkness of the shadows to keep us hidden.

The wounded Kronock was now lumbering to its feet, swaying unsteadily as it gained its balance. Dark, viscous fluid dripped from a gash on its elongated skull as it listed from side to side.

The second Kronock appeared at the opposite end of the corridor, its heavy footfalls echoing off the walls and its stance radiating fury.

"What happened here?" Its voice was a harsh rasp that reminded me of stones grinding on stone.

The wounded Kronock straightened as much as it could, wincing visibly. "The prisoners. . . escaped."

"How?" The other Kronock’s tail lashed violently, striking the wall with a sharp crack. "How did two weaklings overpower a trained guard?"

"The female distracted me," the wounded one admitted, head lowering in shame. "Pretended to be ill. When I checked, the Drexian attacked from behind."

The other snarled, revealing rows of pointed teeth. "When did this happen?"

"Not long."