Soyina stopped just inside the leftmost tunnel, where a group of guards stood at the ready. “Hello, my darlings. Is the boss ready for us?”

An elderly woman, who had a scowl worthy of Dex, nodded curtly and lifted a wicked, curved sword. “If you’re certain they’re safe, Resurrectionist. It’s your head on the end of my blade if you’re wrong.”

Soyina scoffed. “So doubtful of my science, all of you soldiers. But blood never lies—they’re clean. And we all know my brilliance has always exceeded everyone’s expectations.”

“Science has its shortcomings,” the old woman grumbled back.

Soyina stopped before a set of heavy hide curtains, the animal skin old and worn, holes patched up with random bits of fabric and threads.

“If this is some silly game to you, Soyina,” Andi said, keeping her voice low. “If you’re leading us to our deaths... I’ll personally spear your eyes out with a fork.”

“It’s true,” Dex said. “I’ve seen her do similar things—in Lunamere.”

“Oh, that would be a pleasant way to go,” Soyina replied brightly. “But unfortunately, my time to die hasn’t come yet. And neither has yours.” She swept open the curtain. “Go in and get your answers, kiddies.”

Dex gave her a wary look. “You’re not coming with us?”

Soyina reached out a hand, those tattoos swirling again as she patted him a little too hard on the cheek. “I know it’s hard for us to part, but Arachnid has requested to see you two alone.”

“Joy of all joys,” Andi remarked dryly.

“Weapons stay here, though,” Soyina added, eyeing Andi’s swords and Dex’s pistol. “But don’t worry. I’ll take good care of them while you’re gone. We’ll have lots of fun.”

With a sigh, Andi unlatched her harness and shoved the sheathed blades so hard against Soyina’s stomach that the woman let out a grunt and stumbled backward, clutching them haphazardly in her arms.

“If you remove them from their sheaths,” Andi said with a glare, “you’ll have to remove them from your intestines when I return. Imagine how much fun you’ll have with that.”

Dex placed his gun atop the swords, shrugging as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

“Let’s go, Androma,” he said lightly, taking her by the hand.

Before Soyina could respond, Andi took the backpack from Dex’s shoulder and tossed it into the woman’s arms.

“Careful,” she said as Havoc hissed from within the pack, and Soyina held it away from her by its fraying strap. “Havoc can smell fear.”

She turned on her heel and disappeared through the curtain, tugging Dex in after her.

Andi had never been a fan of movies.

She hated the way they painted a picture that wasn’t truly real. Illusions, displayed on a grand scale, that told stories that could never really come true.