“Dractylpromazine.” I exhaled and leaned my head against the wall. “Yeah, I’ll be stuck in human form for several hours at least. And they’ll probably keep dosing me with that crap to keep it that way. Or at least until they have no interest in keeping us alive anymore.” On impulse, I gingerly pulled up my shirt—hard to accomplish in shackles—to reveal strips of gauze and bandages wrapped around my ribs. “Oh, well, look at that. The bastards want me alive and healthy for a little while longer at least. Can’t have me dying on the interrogation table, I guess.” I lowered the fabric, grimacing. “Where’s Ember?”

“I haven’t seen her,” the soldier said darkly. “We weren’t in the same vehicle. And they blindfolded me when they brought us in, so I’m not even sure where ‘here’ is.”

“Well...” I craned my head to look up at the ceiling. “I’d say we’re underground, though I have no idea where. Could be in a city, could be out in the wilderness, but deep enough that no one outside of Talon knows we’re here. The organization likes to do their dirty business where no one can see it.”

St. George glanced at the barred door and the guards flanking either side. “Why haven’t they killed us yet?” he muttered, his eyes dark. “If they can’t get what they want from us, why are they keeping us alive? We know too much. We’ve seen that dragon army.” He turned, frowning in my direction. “They don’t need us. Talon has been hunting you for years, and I’m still a soldier of St. George in their eyes. Dante would’ve killed us if Ember hadn’t stepped in. What are they waiting for?”

“That’s easy,” I said. “It’s not about us, St. George. We’re leverage. To get Ember to do what they want. You saw what happened with that twin of hers.” His eyes widened, then hardened in fury. I gave a tired nod. “Our lives aren’t important. For some reason, it’s always been about her. As long as we’re alive, she’s not going to do anything that will put us in danger. If she doesn’t cooperate with them, they’ll threaten to kill us, or torture us, or something equally awful and blackmail-ish. That’s how Talon works. And of course Ember, being Ember, will do whatever they say, to save our lives.”

St. George clenched his fists. “We have to get out of here,” he said in a low voice. “You’ve escaped Talon before, right?”