“I read the papers from the last ten years. Whatever I can’t remember consciously, the truth serum will reveal,” he said. “All those numbers are floating around in my brain somewhere.”
I bit my lower lip. “You’d have to drink a lot of truth serum. The side effects…”
He waved me off and went back to tinkering with his pack. Whatever was hiding in there looked about ready to explode. “Uncle Maksim trained me well. I can take large doses, still keep my wits, and, shall we say, dodge the whole truth.”
It truly was a shame nobody in Malhaven knew what an absolute danger Dax was. He had skills I could only dream about.
“You’ll be a walking corpse for days,” I pressed.
“Those long nights already did a number on my sleeping schedule. Don’t be scared if you see me haunting the halls at five in the morning.”
“You’re staying longer?” I asked, my voice hitching with that hope which had eluded me for weeks.
After the last few days, I needed every little win. Especially the unexpected ones.
“If you’ll have me,” he said, then rolled his eyes. “And if your preciousRyagrees.”
I pursed my lips and tilted my chin up as far as it would go, giving him a withering look, as if I hadn’t just accidentally revealed the Commander’s nickname in my haste. “He won’t have any problem with you staying here. Plus, half of all of this will soon be mine.”
“Smart woman.” Dax whistled. “I’m staying in your half.”
“Hewillhave a problem with you entering the crater undetected, though.”
“The whole undetected part is kind of my signature. I’ve snuck into places most people think are legends.”
Solkar’s Reach wasn’t that far off from a legend–and only one known entrance.
The smell of bloody ash invaded my senses, sinking into my mind. I shook my head, trying to dislodge the memories. The mask. The attackers. The darkness.
If Dax got in, others could as well.
“This crater has its own mind,” I said. “Itshouldn’thave let you, a stranger, in.”
“You’re here,” he said. “You were a stranger.”
“I was brought here. It’s the only way to enter.”
He shrugged. “Apparently it isn’t.”
I licked my lips, staring at the forest surrounding us. Ryker was right. The fallen star that gave magic to Solkar’s Reach was bleeding.
Without its protection, we were all in danger.
Those masked attackers had been contained to the passage, but if they found other ways…
The screams from Sanctua Sirena flooded my thoughts. The pleas for salvation I hadn’t been able to fulfill. The bodies. The blood–
I clenched my jaw.
Solkar’s Reach could not fall like Sanctua Sirena had.
“But this…thisisa way in.” Dax’s eyes sparked with excitement as his fingers undid the last of the fastenings. “Stand back!”
My heart stammered as the backpack began to move.
Dax jumped in front of me, protecting my body with his as the canvas exploded. My blue tendrils burst out, snaking around my forearms to protect us both as two great wings expandedright in front of me, blocking out the few rays of sun which managed to touch us through the thick branches.
“Whatisthat?” I whispered, disbelieving.
