“Stop her,” I said. “However you can, without doing permanent harm. And inform me right away. Just remember, Ember is very important to the Elder Wyrm. Stop her from doing anything foolish—but if she comes to any harm, I’m not the one you need to worry about.”

The Basilisk sighed. “As you wish, Mr. Hill. I will keep an eye on your sister for you, and inform you if anything is amiss. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“One more thing,” I said as the elevator stopped and the doors opened. “The Elder Wyrm has decreed that we do not need Cobalt or the soldier anymore. When Luther is finished with the interrogation, no matter the outcome, kill them both.”

Chapter 22: EMBER

EMBER

The door to my room clicked and swung open.

I looked up warily from the bed as three armed guards entered the room flanking a human in a white coat. Dante was not among them this time.

“Where are Garret and Riley?” I asked, sliding off the bed. I didn’t know how long it had been since I’d seen the rogue and the soldier, and my worry for them was a constant gnawing ache in my stomach. I knew Talon would never let me see them, and it was driving me insane. “I don’t need to know exactly where they are,” I told the human. “Just tell me if they’re all right.”

“They’re alive,” the human said in a slightly threatening voice. “And they will continue to remain so, as long—”

“As I cooperate. Yeah, you’ve told me that before. I get it.”

His lips thinned. “Hold her still,” he told the guards, who walked forward and took my arms. The scientist reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a syringe, the needle glinting ominously under the lights, and my heart sank.

Another dose of Dractylpromazine. Fear and despair rose up, threatening to crush me. I forced them down. How were we going to get out of this? I’d been racking my brain to come up with an escape plan that didn’t leave one or more of us dead, but it seemed that Talon had countered our every move. I thought about attacking and fighting my way out. But I couldn’t Shift yet, and I had no doubt that Talon would happily kill Riley and Garret if they felt they no longer needed them. And Talon was counting on that. They knew I wouldn’t risk the lives of the rogue and the soldier. My attachments, as Lilith would say, were my greatest weakness.