“And you’ll never get what you need,” I told her, and the soldier nodded. I was playing hardball, but neither of us was bluffing. I would not leave Ember behind. I would rather stay and let Talon kill me than have Ember think I abandoned her. I knew St. George felt the same. “You get her out,” I said, “and we’ll help you in return. If not, we all die and you fail your mission. But we’re not leaving without her.”

The girl closed her eyes. Apparently, she had not expected this. “Very well,” she said. “She’ll be on the last floor. Once we get the information I need, I’ll take you down to the lab, and we can try to rescue her, as well. That’s the best I can offer.”

“Ah, sorry.” I shook my head. “We get Ember out first, then we’ll help you get what you need.”

She raised a brow. “You are awfully demanding for being on the wrong side of the bars,” she mused. “And what do we do with her once we find her? Waltz back through the building with the most recognizable dragon in Talon? What if she’s drugged or incapacitated in some way? How are we going to get to the information while dragging her along?”

“I’m sure you can find a way,” I said, but Mist’s eyes hardened.

“No.” She shook her head, crossing her arms. “I’m not going to risk it. I need whatever is on that computer, and getting to it will be dangerous enough without trying to sneak Ember Hill through the building. Once we rescue her, we’ll have a limited amount of time to get out before Talon’s entire security force comes after us. There’ll be no time for anything else.”

“What if we split up?” St. George suggested. “I can go after Ember while you and Riley go after the file.”

“You’d need a key card and a code to access the elevators,” Mist replied. “And there will be numerous guards and security cameras along the way. If you’re with me, I can get you to the lab with minimal problems. If you’re by yourself, the second anyone sees you, our plan falls apart.” She set her jaw, her voice nonnegotiable. “Information first, then the girl. I am not budging on this.”

“Really?” I gave a dangerous smile. “So we help you out and then you’ll do the same, huh? And what’s to stop you from stabbing us in the back as soon as you get what you need?”