“Excellent.” The girl looked pleased. She placed a chair in front of me and sat down, then leaned forward to peer into my face. I stared blankly at the floor between us and felt cool fingers against my sweaty cheek.

“Cobalt, listen to me,” the voice cajoled, and I raised my head to meet those intense blue eyes. The rest of her face blurred in and out, and I blinked hard to clear my vision. “Where are your safe houses located?” she asked in a firm, direct voice. “Your resistance has been admirable, but you will answer me, now. Where are Talon’s hatchlings? Tell me where you hide your rogues.”

Ember

Ember

“Faith?”

I stared in disbelief as the other girl smiled and stepped away from the man in the suit, brushing at her sleeves like she was trying to wipe away filth. The human didn’t even glance at her, keeping his gun pointed directly at me. The six men behind us didn’t move, either.

“What’s going on?” I asked, my voice sounding small and weak in the vast chamber. Faith dusted off her hands, tossed back her curls and shot me a look of supreme disdain.

“Oh, I think you know the answer to that,” she replied, with a smile that was completely different from the shy, terrified girl of a moment ago. “You’re smart enough to figure it out. You wouldn’t be one of her students if you weren’t. By the way, do you like where I staged this little encounter?” She raised her arms, as if showing off the room around us. “I thought it would bring back memories.”

And everything hit me with a jolt. The warehouse. The maze of crates and shipping containers. The armed men surrounding us. I stared at Faith, horror and rage creeping over me. “Lilith,” I growled, making her smile widen. “You’re one of her students, aren’t you? You’re a Viper.”

Faith chuckled. “Her only other student. Before you came along, anyway.” For a second, her eyes glittered, a flash of hatred crossing her expression, before she shook it off and smiled again. “She told me to tell you hello, and that she fully expected you and Cobalt to fall for such an obvious trap. A beginner’s mistake, if you ask me. If you had only completed your training, this never would have happened.”

“Where’s Riley?” I snarled, making the men surrounding us raise their weapons higher. “You know where he is, don’t you? Tell me!”

“He’s dead,” Faith replied offhandedly. “Or he will be soon. Mist should be nearly done.”

“Mist?”

“Oh, sorry. That’s Ava to you.”