My gaze scans the entire office, and small, insignificant changes add up in my mind. Realization dawns on me.
“Oh, Candyman. You’re in so much fucking trouble when I save you. You thought you were going to be locked away after your trial and didn’t say the first thing to me.”
My power wraps around me and I starshoot into our living room. A snore and a hoot greet me, but I don’t linger for long.
A smile splits across my lips as I gaze at his desk in his bedroom.
That’s more like it.
“Okay, my genius. Guide me. What am I looking for?” I mutter as I rummage through all the parchments he has spread out.
My fingers tremble as I pick up the first one that I know is important.
The Law of Doppia Disaccord.
Yep, pretty sure I need that.
I riffle through everything on the surface, then move to the drawer on my right when nothing else sticks out to me. A snort escapes me as my fingers flick through the files and read the names labeled on the folders.
He’s got a file on everyone who interacts with us.
I’m sure our friends would love to know that, Amick.
You got this. You know he’s already paved a way. Just find it.
Warmth mixes with the pressure in my chest, and I nod to myself, then move my attention to the drawer on the left. A hiss whistles through my teeth as my nail catches on the handle when I try to yank it open, but it refuses to budge.
Damn it, Amick. Why did you lock it?
Dumb question.
Premature defeat attempts to root itself in my mind, but I fight it off.
“Come on. Tell me you gave me permission.”
I lay my palm against the front of the drawer gently and breathe a slow breath as I will my essence to work. The sound of the lock clicking out of place pulls a laugh from my lips. It swiftly morphs into a groan.
“Seriously?”
His illusion cube—well, mine. Doren gave it to me, but I don’t need this thing—sits there, I swear, fucking mocking me.
I slide it out of the drawer and place it on his desk, then stare at it. What the hell do I do now? This requires his essence. Not mine.
My throat tightens as my gaze roams across his room. Water threatens to slip down my cheeks as I lock onto his torch lamps.
“Amick’s essence was woven through it.”
“How did you get into his locked illusion cube without his essence?”
“I had his essence.”
Riven’s voice, followed by his egg donor’s question, then Amick’s response, repeats in my mind. Some sort of mix between a laugh and a sob escapes me as I race to his shelves. As carefully as I can, I pull a torch lamp down and move back to his desk.
“Please, for the love of the stars, work.”
I hold my breath as I set the lamp on top of the illusion cube, then remove my hands. Seconds pass by and my lungs beg me for air.
A shrill bursts from me when the illusion cube pops open and I damn near send it tumbling to the ground as I jump forward to catch Amick’s torch lamp.
