There’s no way to be sure what the right move was. I just hope Raj or one of his pack have found my message and I’ve not fucked this up completely.
Either way, I’ll get us all out of here. Somehow.
Zara lifts her tear-stained face. ‘Did you have to deal with this pain every day? In prison, I mean.’
I hesitate, then nod. ‘Twenty-four seven. There was no reprieve.’
There’s a flash of fresh agony in her eyes before her jaw hardens. She dries her tears and wipes her nose with her sleeve. ‘Lance needs to pay for what he’s done to us.’
I lean my head back against the concrete wall. ‘This is bigger than just Lance.’
Before the conversation can continue, both my siblings look over at Jay.
Milo switches to SimCom, his eyes narrowed. ‘Two of us are hearing.’
I reposition myself so that I can more easily see Milo, Zara, and Jay at the same time.
Jay says something and Milo glances at me, eyes still hard. ‘Want me to interpret?’
‘Yes. Please.’
I know Milo’s not happy with me, but we can at least chat to Jay and find out as much as possible. It’s what Raj would do, and perhaps Jay has information that’ll help us come up with an escape plan.
‘Why do they want us?’ I ask.
Jay’s lip curls. “Some sort of fucked-up experiments. Not sure why they want all three of you, though.”
So it’s exactly as we thought: Far Out Freight has been kidnapping shifters and using them to test weapons on. No wonder they all look so traumatised.
‘What kind of experiments?’ Milo asks.
I’d prefer Zara never find out the answer to that question, but it’s too late to take it back.
“You think your other half is gone right now? Wait until they try to rip it from you completely.” Jay jerks his head towards the other shifters. “They come day after day until you end up like that.”
My blood runs cold. Have they been developing a weaponised version of this ward? The mere idea that they’re trying to make the effects permanent is horrifying on a level that’s devastating to comprehend.
Before any of us can respond, the door at the far end of the corridor outside the cells opens. Lance strides in, his glamour removed to show his pointed ears and stationary wings. He should still be in a holding cell in the neutral zone, although I’m not surprised that his solicitor managed to get him out already.
Hopefully that means Raj has tried to contact me by now and realised something’s wrong. Of course, it’s possible he won’t see my message so won’t know where to find us. Even if he does, my words may have been too cryptic—I didn’t know the cells were beneath the warehouse until I arrived and was marched down here.
Lance reaches our cell, a new manic gleam in his eyes. ‘It’s fitting that you will enable the final phase.’
The chill in my veins intensifies. Their new weapon must be nearly ready.
Shit. I have to stop them, have to prevent its completion somehow. Even my extremely capable tiger and his pack ofwarriors might be defenceless against it, so I need to do whatever it takes to make sure they can do their jobs when they locate us.
I cling onto the certainty that theywillfind us.
I get to my feet, clenching my jaw against the pain. As crippling as being without my dragon is, I survived three years like this. I can do it again.
‘The final phase of what?’ I ask, hoping he’ll confirm my theory.
My siblings get to their feet as well, both of them glaring at Lance as Milo helps an unsteady Zara. Once standing, she shakes off his hand.
Lance smirks. ‘A plan so grand it is beyond your comprehension. Suffice it to say, three dragons are more than enough for our needs.’
It’s not one hundred percent confirmation, but it’s likely all I’ll get. My body buzzes with the need to do something, to find and destroy this weapon before it’s too late.
