“Gone,” Five says simply, answering Setrákus Ra.

“I asked you a question, Five!” I shout. “What bo—”

Without looking at me, Setrákus Ra waves a hand in my direction. My teeth click together as he telekinetically shuts my mouth. It’s like being slapped, and my cheeks grow hot with anger. Someone is dead, I know it. One of my friends is dead, and these two bastards are ignoring me.

“Elaborate,” Setrákus Ra growls at Five, and even in his handsome human form, I can tell his patience is beginning to wane.

Five sighs like this whole exchange is a waste of his time. “Commander Deltoch decided he would watch over the body personally, and I didn’t want to question his orders. I found Deltoch’s remains right before we left. The Garde must have snuck in and escaped with their friend.”

“You were supposed to bring him to me,” Setrákus Ra hisses, his eyes burning holes into Five. “Not Deltoch. You.”

“I know,” Five replies. “He wouldn’t listen when I told him those were your orders. At least he died for his insubordination.”

I watch a dark cloud pass over Setrákus Ra’s face, wheels turning behind his stolen blue eyes, as if he knows Five is playing him somehow, the rage building up. I feel his telekinetic grip on my jaw loosen. He’s distracted, now focused entirely on Five. Before he can say or do anything more, I step between the two of them, raising my voice a little higher. This time, they have to pay attention to me.

“What body? Who are you talking about?”

Finally, Five’s good eye lands on me. “Eight. He’s dead.”

“No,” I say, the word practically a whisper as I try, too late, to stop myself from reacting. My knees feel weak, and Five’s impassive face becomes blurry as my eyes fill with tears.

“Yes,” Setrákus Ra chimes in, and all the rage has been drained from his voice, replaced by something more coiled and sinister—his tone showy and overly congenial. “Five here saw to that, didn’t you, my boy? All in the service of Mogadorian Progress.”

I take a step towards Five, my fists clenched. “You? You killed him?”

“It was—” For a moment, it looks like Five might deny it. But then he glances quickly at Setrákus Ra and simply nods. “Yes.”

Just like that, all my effort to show no emotion around Setrákus Ra slips away. I feel a scream building up inside me. I want to attack Five. I want to throw myself at him and tear him apart. I know that I wouldn’t stand a chance—I saw the way he handled himself in the Lecture Hall, the way he can turn his skin to metal or anything else he touches—but I’ll do as much damage as I can. I’ll break my hands on his metal skin if it means getting just one punch in.

Setrákus Ra puts his hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

“I believe now would be an excellent time for that lesson we discussed,” he says to me in that same phony tone.