Then Dex remembered there was an invisible girl following in their tracks, an underground city determined to fight Nor beneath their feet...and the General of Arcardius at his side. Couple that with the fact that Mirabel was neighbor to a world that had been watching them for countless years, waiting for their chance to invade...

Dex suddenly found himself grateful as hell for the golden Krev sitting in his pocket.

Andi slumped down at the bar, placing her elbows on the solid chunk of ice. She let out a deep sigh. “Why are we still here, Dex?”

“Because the world’s gone to hell,” Dex said with a shrug. “And because I’m afraid if we don’t get some normalcy, our heads will explode.”

“Normalcy?” Andi asked wearily. “I don’t even know what that is anymore.”

“You being pissed at me is normal,” Dex said. “And you are pissed, aren’t you?”

“Apparently you’ve known I was the General of Arcardius for weeks, and you chose not to tell me. So, yeah. I’m a little pissed, Dextro.”

“Well,” Dex said, as several fur-covered patrons filed past them, hoping for a chance at grabbing a fresh drink, “then I am encouraged that some things, at least, never change.”

She blinked at him like he’d just told her he was the new king of Adhira.

“Why did you hide it from me?” she asked quietly.

“We were a little busy,” Dex said. “You know, crash-landing on Solera, nearly being eaten by an ice dragon...”

“Losing Lon,” Andi whispered, her face a mask of anguish.

He nodded. “He was a brave Sentinel. And...he knew, Andi. His last words to me...” Dex ran a hand through his hair, that memory heavy upon him. “He told me to tell you the truth. Do you remember?”

“Of course I do,” she snapped. “I asked you about it afterward. So why didn’t you?”

Dex was slightly afraid now. There were a lot of places in Craatia where he could hide. Once, he’d gotten lost inside a Soleran bathhouse for days—though that had sort of been on purpose. He could try that again, or better yet, take his chances out in the tundra. He’d never been a fan of the cold, but maybe this time, he’d be better off.

“I’m waiting,” Andi said impatiently.

Dex sighed. There was no way out of this conversation. Even if he tried to run, Andi would find him. Hell, with all the rage she was carrying, she might dismember him, limb from limb, if he even dared to display such cowardice.

So he ordered drinks for both of them, steaming mugs of blue Marnv that probably would have knocked him on his ass, were it not for his champion drinking habits.