Page 96 of Entwined

“They understand us,” I say. “They speak English.”

Mom looks annoyed. “At least if you go too far with him, it’ll be a loss that makes them easier to contain.” She shrugs. “And if you splay him wide open, we can study his insides.”

He’s also the strongest.

What’s she doing? What’s my best chance? To kill him and convince them I’m trustworthy? Why does it matter that he’s strong?

“I really don’t think they understand us,” the scientist next to me says. “If they did, we wouldn’t have so much trouble with them. We’ve been explaining what we’re testing each time. They probably only understood you because of the bond.”

“That’s what I told them,” Mom says.

She told them. . .what? That they speak English? Or that they don’t and that the bond made communication possible? Because if so, that’s misinformation. She’s seen them communicate with Sammy, Coral, and Jade. Gideon has too, for that matter.

“Just do it,” Gideon says. “Any cage is fine.”

Pick this one. Stab me. The message is faint, but it was as clear as my mom’s, and it came from the Chinese-looking dragon right next to me.

21

Liz

It takes everything I have not to snap my head sideways and give away the fact that she just spoke to me by talking right back.

Gaia, she says. That’s my name. Stab me to show them you can, and then help me escape.

Well, at least one of them still likes me.

I’m faster than the others, and I burrow better, too.

Burrow. Of course. If I can get them free, and somehow get through the side of the tent to dirt. . .maybe we could burrow away from here.

The humans are all staring at me. Most of them seem to think I’m a half-wit. “I’d rather practice on one who’s calmer than the aggressive dragon in the front, at least as an initial experiment.”

I step toward the closest enclosure, and I start to climb the steps, but the scientist jogs after me, reaching for my wrist. “When you reach the top, wait for me to tell you it’s safe. I’ll turn the power down for a split second, and then you can duck through. You’ll still want to avoid touching the wires.”

“How strong is it?”

“Way, way stronger than any electric fence you’ve ever encountered. It would scramble your brains in a heartbeat.”

Fabulous. Once I reach the top, I pause. White Coat nods, and I step over the bottom wire and below the top one. A shiver runs up my spine once I’m through, possibly relief that I wasn’t fried, or possibly trepidation over this confrontation.

I’ll make it look like I’m your opponent. The giant earth dragon snarls and takes a swipe at me, her whiskers rippling as she moves. She’s careful not to brush the edge of her cage, I notice, and I wonder how much learning that lesson hurt.

I duck, and then we circle, but eventually, Gaia backs up a little too slowly, and the edge of my blade scores her leg.

It bleeds, a very similar brownish goo to the water dragon being cut up for parts like a bug tacked to a board. When a large drop hits the mat, it doesn’t splatter. It spreads, like tacky glue. I don’t turn away or drop my blades, but I raise my voice. “Satisfied?”

“Splay her wide open,” a gruff male voice behind me says. “I want to see what’s inside.”

The corner of my lip turns up in a snarl, but I choke down on it.

You never chose to betray Azar.

I shake my head, letting the humans think I’m replying to them. “I’m not sure I can do that,” I say. “It might kill me in the attempt.”

“You don’t seem to be very helpful right now,” the man says. “I’m not sure what we’d lose if you fail.”

“She can use the blades,” Gideon says. “Which means that?—”