“No,” he mutters to himself, his jaw set in that way he does. “I do not see this as a problem like you say. There is nothing you cannot do, Jelani.”

That’s not exactly what I said, but okay. In his world, I am the answer. The Chosen.

He stares as if he can see right through me. “I will not see you any other way. I cannot.” He throws an arm over my shoulder, pulling me in to him. I bite back my retort. He means no harm and he wouldn’t understand anyway. I swipe up on my watch.

Me: Jue, any word on T?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

A BLOCK FROM TOTIS’S, I squint through the dim light at the street ahead of us blockaded by a collapsed building.

“Totsi’s is on the other side of this pile of rubble.” But to get there we have to traipse through desecrated building.

Bri has her gadget with the suction cup at the end and holds it out in front of her. “Can we transport to the other side?” Bri asks.

“Without knowing what’s on the other side for sure… not a good idea.”

“It’s obviously another trap,” Jhamal says, inspecting the structure before gazing around.

“You feel it too?” I ask. “Something lurking.”

“I don’t like this,” Zora says. “Going in there with no idea of what’s inside.”

The hostage whose hands are tethered looks in our direction.

“Yes?” I say. But he says nothing. He’s probably got all sorts of songs he could sing. But how do I get it out of him? The Chancellor would probably use torture. That’s not me. I sigh. I’ll think of something.

“And you’re sure there is no way around?” Jhamal asks.

Bri waves her device in the air. “None.”

The pile of lacquered walls, concrete, and glass that was once a stately structure lies in the middle of a street like a present on a doorstep we’re meant to find.

“We go through.”

Everyone nods, silent. Our hostage fidgets.

“Wait!” Bri digs in her bag and pulls out a container with pills and a vial of green liquid. “Before we go in there, take this.” She hands me a pill and vial, then offers the same to Zora. But Zora doesn’t even acknowledge her.

“Just in case things go poorly,” Bri says. “This potion will make any wounds you sustain heal quicker. It’s usually a paste, but I dried it out to powder form. More versatile that way.”