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“You needed to sleep,” Roka said, as if it were that simple.

Eyes narrowing, Alex said, “I can sleep once this is over.” She refused to consider what kind of sleep that would be—and whether it would perhaps last forever.

Wariness flashed across Roka’s face, enough for Alex to ask, “What is it?” When he remained silent, she said, “What aren’t you telling me, Roka?”

Holding her gaze, he said, “Aven’s been in contact. He… wants to talk with you.”

Scrunching her forehead, Alex asked, “How?” But then she cursed as she realised, “D.C.”

“Fletcher had to sedate her,” Roka said, before going on to confirm, “but while she’s no longer attacking herself or others, she’s been rather… vocal.”

Alex closed her eyes slowly before steeling herself and looking straight at him. “Take me to her.”

The Meyarin prince—king—looked at her for a long moment before activating theValispatharound them, delivering them straight to Darrius’s office at the top of the Tower building—an office that was filled with people.

The headmaster was there, along with most of the teaching staff. But that wasn’t all. The room had been set up in representation of some kind of war council, with all the leaders of the other races in attendance, or at least those who had not yet become casualties of Aven’s forces.

Azalia Shaw and Saber Karn of the Shadow Walkers were there, and while Caspar Lennox’s friend Shirez Ganare was alsothere, her elder grandfather, Radek, was not. Trell Roven, the female Alex had battled during thevatali targo, was also seated at the table, her hand holding Shirez’s—but who was comforting who, Alex wasn’t sure.

Beside the Shadow Walkers sat Kaysia of the Dayriders along with Lidael, but Xayder was missing, the stricken expressions on both women’s faces telling Alex all she needed to know.

Of the Flips, only Tork, Glyn and Eefi were present, with no Ayva or Neiko in sight. And as for the Jarnocks, Taka and Mietta were missing, while Mareek and Tibbs sat morosely at the table, their short legs dangling from the height of the chairs.

The grief Alex felt in the air was tangible as she looked around the room, casting her eyes over the human contingent.

Commander Nisha, General Drock and Warden Jeera were all stony faced, with the latter jumping out of her seat upon Alex’s arrival to pull her into a tight embrace.

“Seven weeks, Alex,” Jeera breathed, her voice wobbling. “I thought you—I thought Kaiden—” The Warden couldn’t finish, but she did tighten her grip, and Alex held her just as fiercely before Jeera pulled herself together and backed away again.

It was then that Alex caught sight of King Aurileous and Queen Osmada, both of whom looked like they’d had their hearts ripped out. That might have been due to the fall of their city, but Alex presumed otherwise when she saw the devastation in their eyes as they stared at D.C., bound and gagged on the far side of the room.

On wooden legs, Alex walked towards her best friend who was flanked on either side by Zain and Kyia, as if they feared she’d throw off her sedation and break free of her bindings. They weren’t the only Meyarins lingering close. Niida was there too, her eyes following Roka as though she would never seehim again if she were to look away. Roathus and Cykor stood like silent sentinels with her—the latter of whom kept sending shocked glances towards Mayra who sat with the other teachers, steadfastly avoiding his pleading gaze. Alex wondered how Mayra had avoided his notice if she’d travelled with Fletcher to Draekora in the past weeks, or if she had simply ignored her father during those times, as well. Then again, ‘father’ wasn’t the best term to describe what he was to her, considering he’d ostracised her since birth. Her only real family had been Niyx— whom she had lost twice now.

A light, warning touch from Roka had Alex stopping with some distance remaining between her and D.C. Like Zain and Kyia, he was clearly apprehensive about this confrontation, as if worried Aven would leap out of her body and slaughter them all. The mental imagery almost had Alex descending into hysterics—a result of both its ridiculousness and her nerves.

With a nod to Zain, whose features had relaxed marginally upon seeing her back on her feet, Alex indicated for him to remove D.C.’s gag. As he did so, she had to fight the urge to quake at the look of complete and utter murder pouring out of her best friend’s familiar blue-green eyes.

Aven didn’t make her wait.

“I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come, Alexandra.”

Alex struggled not to recoil from the way D.C. acted like Aven’s mouthpiece, her full name sounding like venom to her ears. Even before she and D.C. had become friends, her roommate had called her ‘Jennings’, never ‘Alexandra’.

“You said the next time we met, we wouldn’t be talking,” Alex managed to reply. “And yet, here we are.”

D.C.’s eyes narrowed, and Alex could have sworn she saw them flash gold before turning normal again. “I said the next time weseeeach other. Right now, you are merely seeing your friend, nothing more.”

“It’s not my friend I’m looking at right now.”

A bark of dark laughter left D.C.’s lips, and Alex saw the king and queen flinch from the corner of her eyes.

“I have no care for what you think,” Aven—through D.C.— said. “I’m here with an offer for you. A one-time-only deal.”

Alex turned rigid, both in response to Aven’s words, and also in response to the tension that settled around the room at his declaration.

“This all started because of you, Alexandra Jennings,” Aven said. “I’m willing to let it end with you, too.”

The silence that met his statement was unlike any Alex had previously encountered. But he wasn’t done.