I had a terrible feeling about this as I stood there staring her down. The fruit twins had already freed the marked from that prison, so what did they have to go back in there for?

Mischa rubbed at her face tiredly. “There is a key in there, or a weapon, I’m not totally sure. They promised it was for the benefit of the entire supernatural community. And all four of us would be required to free it.”

“You realize that we’re the other two points on this compass to free the dragon king, right?”

Mischa rose slowly until we stood face to face. “Yes.”

We were mirror images, facing off. “We can’t trust them, no matter what bullshit story they feed you about a weapon for the communities. This has something to do with the dragon king.”

She dropped her chin. Her submissive pose pissed me off and I fought the urge to capture that chin in my hand and wrench her face upwards.

“They … they helped me out. I got myself into a little trouble with one of the shifters and they saved my ass.”

And in return they assured she was guilted into a suspect scheme to infiltrate the prison. Mischa had given her word, and we tried not to break our word. Words held power, and it wasn’t good to tempt the gods with broken promises.

“Can the fruit twins shift into dragons?”

Mischa’s full lips parted, my change of subject had surprised her. “No, they’re not even shifters. They’ve never told me which race they’re from, but they use magic at times so I think witches. And I know I didn’t answer you before when you asked, but their mark is nothing like yours. It’s small.”

I knew her weird expression at the table had been hiding something. Damn, damn, damn. This was horseshit. I had really been hoping that I wasn’t the special one within an already chosen bunch. Whatever being north meant, it was not a good thing, I knew that without a doubt. The jinn’s words reverberated through my mind.

I was chosen. I was special. I was so freaking screwed.

I expelled the next words through gritted teeth. “When is this brilliant break-and-enter supposed to take place?”

There was no way I’d leave Mischa to do this. I could sense the aura of evil on those bitches, and if I didn’t come along I had no doubt they would leave her to the tender care of the prisoners in there. I had no idea how I would convince the Compasses and my father. They would fight us on this.

“Um … uh, it’s going to be, uh…” She started stuttering away and I worked very hard not to scream at her. “Tomorrow,” she finally finished. “We have to go in tomorrow.”