Both brothers turn to stare at me.
“No,” Andrei says flatly. “Absolutely not.”
“Just to see better. Maybe there’s a weak point in their security, something Viktor’s team can use—”
“You can barely stand,” Nicolae interrupts, and he’s not wrong. My legs feel shaky, my breathing shallow. “You will get yourself killed.”
“I’m not sitting here doing nothing while they… While he’s—”
My voice breaks.
Andrei and Nicolae exchange another one of their wordless conversations. Then Andrei sighs, the sound heavy with resignation.
“We go together. You stay behind us. And if I say we retreat, we retreat immediately. Agreed?”
I nod, not trusting my voice.
We work our way down toward the fence line once more. Fifty yards from the fence, Andrei signals us to stop.
Close enough to see details through the chain link. Too close to be safe if anyone looks this direction.
I study the compound through the binoculars Nicolae hands me, searching for… What? A miracle? A weakness? Some sign that K knows I’m here?
And then I see it.
The men from before leaving the building. Speaking in short, sharp bursts. A pair of operatives joins them, carrying what looks like a large wooden chest embossed with gold. Something ceremonial.
The older of the two men looks back at the building, and then instructs the operatives to move the chest. He points toward an entrance that looks like it leads underground.
What the hell are they up to?
I only realize I’ve taken a step forward when Andrei grasps my arm.
“Back,” he says urgently. “Now.”
“They’re up to something—” My voice comes out desperate, pleading. “I saw them planning something. It involves him, I know it does!”
“And you cannot help him if you are dead.” Nicolae’s voice is sharp, cutting through my spiral. “The Aurora team will get him out.”
The logic is irrefutable. I hate it, but it’s true.
I can’t storm that facility alone. Can’t fight my way through guards and suppression tech and God knows what else. I’m not a warrior. I’m a tech nerd with a conspiracy theory TikTok who got way too deep in dragon politics.
But K isright there. I know it. Canfeelit.
Hold on,I think desperately.Just a little longer. Viktor’s team is coming. We’re going to get you out.
I’m not leaving you.
I’m not.
I just hope that we get to him in time.
Chapter 21
K.
Hours crawl past. Or maybe just minutes. I’ve lost the ability to measure time in this white room. So I use the time to think things through.
