I slumped forward, feeling sweat run down my face into my eyes, my jaws aching from clenching them so hard. I knew if I relaxed an inch, I would start babbling like an idiot, but at the same time, my inclination to care was getting smaller and smaller. I knew the drug was working its way through my brain, suppressing inhibition and my ability to think straight. I had been completely, utterly trashed exactly once in my lifetime, having consumed enough alcohol to drown a football team. This felt very much the same.

“It doesn’t have to be like this,” Mist said in a gentle voice. “Tell us what we want, and this can be over. You know you’re going to break sooner or later.”

“Probably.” The word slipped out before I could stop it. Damn. Stop talking, Riley. “Though I don’t see why I shouldn’t drag this out as long as I can,” I went on, as my mouth refused to cooperate. “You’re going to kill me as soon as this is over.”

Mist didn’t answer, which told me everything I needed on that front. Deliberately, I jabbed myself with the item between my fingers, and the instant flare of pain cleared my head for a moment. “Just tell me one thing,” I gritted out, meeting the other dragon’s cool gaze. Hoping she wouldn’t notice the blood dripping from my hand to the floor. “Since I’m going to be spilling my guts here shortly, I think I deserve at least one straight answer. How much was Griffin paid to sell us out?”

Mist’s slender eyebrows rose. “Enough,” she replied, her gaze almost impressed. “Mr. Walker’s deal with the respective parties is not important right now, but I am surprised you know about him.”

“I didn’t,” I said, making her blink. “I was guessing a second ago. You just confirmed it.”

Mist’s gaze hardened. Crossing her arms, she leaned back and watched me, saying nothing more. My vision grew blurry, and everything became dreamlike and surreal. I felt like I was floating, and strange images filled my head, hazy and fragmented. Where was I? How did I even get here?

“Are we ready?” A clear, quiet voice cut through the drunken fog. I didn’t know what it meant by that, but another question followed before I could wonder about it. “What is your full name?”

“Depends on who you ask,” I heard myself saying, though my voice sounded slurred and detached, like it belonged to someone else. “I’ve had a lot of names.”

“Your real name, then. The one given to you when you were hatched.”

“Cobalt,” I replied. That was an easy answer; no use in trying to hide it.

“And how many humans do you have in your network right now, Cobalt?”

“I don’t know, exactly.” I shrugged. “I’ve lost count. Maybe a few dozen?”

“All from Talon?”

“Yeah.”