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M y eyes opened; my head was turned. Jarrett studied me from above. For a moment, I thought he would collect my blood, then I remembered my service as the Blood Offering was complete.

Dare I hope he is here to rescue me?

Jarrett tilted my head and brought a glass of water to my lips. “Hang in there,” he whispered. He turned my head back to the position he found me in and departed.

I was told to trust him. How can he leave me here?!

After a long absence, Jesmine returned. She brought a chair, which she set down in front of me, before adjusting my head forward and casually taking a seat. Today she wore a gown of sapphire blue, hair twisted into a crown around the top of her head.

The Slip locked my vision on her.

“Have you thought about my proposal?” she asked, her expression eager.

My eyelids closed once in confirmation. The Slip had decided to communicate with her—I feared where it would lead.

“Good. I am pleased to see you understand.” A gratified smirk emerged. “Now, let’s start over. Do you know where the remaining Shadorites dwell?”

One distinct blink.

“Very good.” Her contentment was soaring. “And do I trust that we have an agreement? You do a favor for me, and I for you?”

Two slow blinks.

Jesmine’s coy smile melted into a thin lipped scowl. “What do you mean, no? The arrangement is in your favor—you get a body, and I get my answers.” Her jaw set as her fingers danced impatiently on the chair’s armrest.

Lips pursed, she leaned forward. “Let me make sure you understand. If you do not want to work with me, I will be forced to take back the body you currently occupy.” Her eyes looked me up and down. “And it won’t be pleasant.”

She sat back, giving her threat time to soak in. “Do we have an agreement?”

The Slip’s answer was not the one she sought.

Jesmine rose to her feet. “Well, it was worth a try.” She sighed and approached the table. “I realize bodily pain doesn’t faze Slips, but this little treat is something I developed, which is a little more … motivating for your kind.”

My blinking held steady; the Slip unperturbed. Meanwhile, my anxiety stirred. This stubborn Slip is going to get me killed.

Then Jesmine was there, hand squeezing my jaw and opening my mouth. In the corner of my sight, I registered the dropper. She lifted it higher … but instead of placing the drops in my eyes as done before, she let a few fall to my tongue.

A pained noise shot from my throat—although I felt nothing, and my body didn’t move. Whatever the drop had been, it disturbed the Slip—not enough to abandon my body, but maybe enough to make it reconsider.

Jesmine watched expectantly. “Now you see, I wasn’t fibbing. I know the liquid distresses you more than you can show, but I don’t have time for your little games. Do you want to reconsider my offer? ... Or be burned from that husk of a body?”

At that moment, I didn’t know what would be worse: to have the Slip abandon me, leaving me to deal with Jesmine, or for the Slip to be given complete control over my body, leaving me no chance of regaining control.

The Slip answered for me with one slow blink. Is her potion that distasteful?

“Good.” Jesmine beamed and set the dropper aside.

“Now, this would be easier if you could find your voice, guttural screams are not all that helpful, but I guess blinking will have to do. I will ask the questions, and you will answer. If you fail to respond …” Her eyes flashed to the dropper.

“I will be forced to remind you of our agreement.”

She lowered herself onto the chair and resumed tapping her fingers. “First question: Do you know who I am?”

One steady blink. The Slip isn’t the fool it pretends to be, I realized .

“See … not so hard,” she teased. I wished I could move so I could ring the smile from her face . She continued, “Then you know who my father is?”

One blink of confirmation.

Who is her father? Devrix had mentioned him briefly, although I was almost certain he’d said the Ashlora man had passed. Does Jesmine think he is still alive? Why is she so eager to find him?

“Do you know where the remaining Shadorite civilizations dwell?” she asked.

The Slip confirmed it knew, and Jesmine replied, “You are doing so well. I trust with a functioning human host you could return to them and negotiate an important matter for me?”

At the Slip’s delay, Jesmine shifted in her seat. My eyelids lowered once more.

“Obviously, there is a difficulty with this body—which you seem unable to control. Is there something wrong with the girl I have provided?”

Her question sparked my inner panic. What will she do to me when she finds out I’m paralyzed? I’ll be useless to her unless Jarrett can undo the stone’s effects. Is there even a cure?

To my dismay, the Slip confirmed my body was the issue.

Stars, what have I done? If only I hadn’t taken Jarrett’s stone, I would be far away from here with the elixir and map Arden had provided.

“Well then, I will get you a new body.” Jesmine agreed— I will be discarded .

“It may take a few days. In the meantime, you will be situated somewhere more comfortable.” Her shoulders softened.

“For now, only a few more inquiries. You claimed to know where the Shadorites currently live. Would I be right to assume that you also have knowledge of who their current leader is?”

One swift blink.

“Wonderful.” She smiled and reached down, shuffling through a basket I had not noticed resting next to the chair.

Withdrawing a stack of papers from the carrier, she fanned them out in her hand like playing cards.

She turned the papers around, revealing graphite portraits of older, refined looking gentlemen.

“It has been some time since we Ashlora have been in contact with your leaders. These sketches may be slightly dated, but it would be so helpful to know exactly with whom I will be dealing. Who is currently in charge of the Shadorite colonies?” Her gaze was intense.

“Simply fix your stare on the portrait that matches.”

My eyes danced over the sketches. After one swipe over, they returned to a stern-looking man with a slender face, sharp cheekbones, and dark eyes—they all had dark eyes.

Jesmine cleared her throat. “And you are sure?” she asked. Her mouth twitched at the edges.

The Slip blinked once.

“Good.” She lowered the papers, looking down as she shuffled them slowly.

She set the chosen one on top. “Of course, I have only heard it rumored, but it is said that Leo is a sensible leader.” She looked up from the drawings.

“Would you agree? Is Leo a practical ruler?” Her stare was ablaze. She is up to something.

A confirming blink set the trigger. It was too late; the Slip had fallen for her trick.

Fast as a feline, Jesmine was on me. Sketches scattered to the floor.

Her hands pressed tight to my temples. “Liar!” she roared.

“Leo is a name I chose at random, and those illustrations are fakes, rendered in the likeness of Ashlora leaders. You thought I would take your word? Trust a Slip without any proof of your dependability?”

The ashy gray in her eyes warmed like coals stoked to life, smoldering into golden embers.

She is draining my energy! The heat from her touch wasn’t there as it had been before—my paralysis spared me from the physical pain, but she was taking what was left of me. Burning my life to get to the Slip.

This is my end—I failed.

When I came to, I was in an unfamiliar room, lying on a table—no, that wasn’t true—I was floating above, looking down at my body … which was lying on a table, eyelids closed, tattered blanket laid over my stomach and legs.

Panic followed my confusion, then an extraordinary sadness struck, more painful than any physical sensation. … I am dead.