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As I tried to summon the power to grasp the once-familiar currents, they slipped through my fingers like elusive memories. The ebb and flow of the tides, once responsive to my every thought, felt indifferent, as if losing my magic had severed my connection to the sea.

My magic had been an extension of my identity. Where I had once enjoyed creating a beautiful symphony with the natural forces of the sea, now I floated as a mere observer. I was no longer a participant in the ocean’s wonders.

And that realization hurt so much more than I ever thought it would.

The green tendrils sucked my magic into the conch shell, which glowed pink as my magic swirled within it, trapped. The contract I’d signed earlier appeared in a puff of green. With a snap of the witch’s fingers, the paper splintered into hundreds of pieces that drifted into the shell.

Calypso stroked the shell and smiled. "At last."

At last? I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant, but no sound came out. Trying again, I released nothing but a bubble, and my eyes widened. I wrapped my hands around my throat as true terror set in.

"Yes, child, no siren song means no magic and no voice. Period." She smirked as I met her amused gaze. "You should always read the fine print, you know. Ah well, lesson learned."

Ice crystallized within my veins as I realized how thoroughly I’d been deceived. I had known she was cunning, but I had grossly underestimated the depths to which she’d descend in her greed.

The melodies I had woven into the ocean, the laughter shared with my sister, the simple notes hummed during solitary moments—all of it had been silenced…

…forever.

CHAPTER 13

Dominic

Rin and I met Keiko and Aaron inside the laboratory’s security room, where they were studying the various monitors. Keiko had pulled her mask off, and the cat shifter was back in his two-legged form.

Two guards sat back to back on the floor, their hands bound behind them and their chins against their chests. They were out cold. From our limited surveillance and knowledge of Ichiro’s activities, most, if not all, of his guards here would be non-Gifted humans. Less chance of drawing attention that way.

To be certain, I inhaled deeply, allowing Jou to analyze the scents. He confirmed they were indeed non-Gifted.

The monitors matched the blueprints we’d studied, showing a handful of rooms and hallways, as well as a series of closed doors leading off from the hallways. Not a single camera aimed beyond any of those doors, which instantly piqued my interest.

What was Ichiro hiding behind those doors that he didn’t want captured on camera? At least not by the security team.

A single man in a white lab coat continued to work in an open, office-like space with desks and tables. He was eyeing aslide under a microscope. Other than that, no one else appeared to be inside.

"We haven’t seen anyone but him," Keiko said, gesturing to the man.

Aaron checked his watch. "We’re good on time, too. Should have at least forty minutes until the next patrol is due."

I double-checked that the guards were secured. "Rin, you good here?"

"You bet, boss." Rin bent to smooch Keiko on the cheek, then slid onto a chair in front of the monitors. "Get us something good."

I nodded to Keiko and Aaron, and we entered the building’s main hallway. The first thing I noticed was the warm air. Warmer than I expected, at any rate.

The Sato warehouses I’d entered recently had been kept cold, nearly freezing to keep the pyrocrystals from overheating and combusting. If this lab had anything to do with the pyrocrystals, then I didn’t understand why I was feeling this much warmth.

Wouldn’t he be concerned with the crystals combusting and bringing down the entire building?

With that in mind, I surveyed the area more thoroughly, my scalp prickling with unease. Maybe Aaron’s intuition hadn’t been picking up a trap, just the wrong location. This could very well be nothing but a wild dragon chase.

Except I didn’t believe that was true either. Something strange was happening here, and I would find out what that was, even if it had nothing to do with the crystals. If Ichiro was involved, it was worth investigating.

As the blueprints and cameras had shown, this main hall branched in three directions.

"Okay, we each take our assigned hallway and report on any findings," I said. "If you come across anyone else, do not engageunless necessary. I trust you both can find a place to hide easier than I can."

Keiko grinned, flashing a hint of sharp canines. "That’s an understatement."