Dante was silent a moment, considering. Around us, the clones were also motionless, waiting. I could feel Garret and Riley at my back, tense and ready to explode into action, but I couldn’t look at either of them. I knew they would fight without hesitation. Even vastly outnumbered and outgunned, I knew they would struggle as long as they were still breathing, and they would die bravely defending what they loved. But they would still die. We couldn’t stand against Talon’s new army, this mass of chilling dragon clones who stared at us with eyes like empty mirrors. Even if I went back to Talon, if Riley and Garret were still alive, there was hope.

“Very well.” Dante’s voice drifted down from the balcony. “If that is what it takes to get you to come back, Ember, then you have a deal. I promise I won’t kill them.”

“That’s not good enough.” An annoyed look crossed his face, and I narrowed my eyes. “They walk out, right now, before I go anywhere with you. I want to see them go. And I swear, Dante, if I surrender and you double-cross me, you will never get my cooperation. I’ll fight you and Talon every step of the way, for the rest of my life, until you kill me.”

“I know you will,” Dante replied, frowning. “I know you’re stubborn enough to do it. And I don’t want that, Ember. Believe what you want, but hurting you is the last thing I set out to do.” He sighed, running a hand over his head. “All right,” he finally said. “You have a deal, Ember. The soldier and the rogue can leave, and I won’t try to stop them.”

I crossed my arms. “Prove it,” I ordered, making his jaw tighten. “I’m not taking a step until I know you’re serious. Open this door, right now, and let them go.”

Dante’s eyes flashed green with anger, but he turned and pulled out his phone, tapping the screen several times. A moment later, there was a beep behind us, and the metal barrier in front of the door slid up.

Raising his head, Dante addressed the army of dragons below him. “Vessels!” he called. “Stand down! Now!”

The horde of dragons rippled back, sinking to their haunches or bellies, but still watching us with flat, silvery eyes. They didn’t move, but their bodies were like tightly coiled springs, ready to attack with a word.