Rage burned, and I clenched a fist on my leg, careful not to let Mr. Roth see. Cobalt. The rogue dragon who had lured my sister away, turned her against me, was my personal enemy now. He had almost cost me everything and would pay for what he had done. “Whatever it takes, sir,” I said evenly. “Whatever Talon needs me to do.”

“Even if it means working against your sister?”

I took a deep breath. “Ember made her choice,” I said. “She has to live with the consequences of her actions. My hope is that she’ll realize her mistake and return to the organization willingly, but if she doesn’t, I will bring her back by force if I have to.” Mr. Roth raised an eyebrow, appraising, and I spoke firmly, confidently. “The rogue movement must be eliminated, for the good of us all. I’m fully committed to seeing that happen, sir.”

“Excellent.” Mr. Roth beamed. “Then I do believe you are ready.” He stood, extending a hand to lead me out of his office. “Rest up, Mr. Hill,” he announced as he escorted me to where Mr. Smith stood waiting in the hall. “Tomorrow morning, you have a plane to catch.”

* * *

The elevator slowed, and finally stopped with a faint ding. As the doors slid back, revealing a sterile white hallway and a pair of guarded metal doors at the end, Mr. Smith turned to me.

“Keep in mind, Dante,” he warned as we stepped into the hall, passing humans in white lab coats scurrying from room to room. “This is one of Talon’s greatest secrets. That you are even allowed to be here shows the amount of faith and trust the organization has in you. Do not abuse that.”

“I won’t,” I promised, and meant it.

We came to the doors, and the Talon agent flashed a badge at one of the armed guards, who nodded briskly and waved us through. We stepped into an even smaller room, barely larger than the elevator box, where the guard pressed his hand to a small sensory pad by the door. It lit up, green lines scanning his palm and fingers, before it beeped once, and the light above the metal door turned green.

“Remember, Dante,” Mr. Smith warned again, and pushed back the door.

My eyes widened. I stumbled forward in a daze, hardly believing what I saw. Steam billowed through the frame, and the air was hot and humid, as if I’d stepped into a rain forest. I was almost instantly drenched in sweat, but I barely felt it. I couldn’t tear my gaze from the wonders of the scene before me.