Page 79 of Red Dragon’s Heart

Troy was sitting on the ground, holding his side and panting. “Where the hell are we?” he asked.

“The spirit world,” Rebel said. “It’s kind of a place between places.” She glanced at Maddie. “Don’t ask.”

As if she’d go off on a scientific tangent at a time like this. Although it was fascinating—Emon’s territory had sun and shade, light and dark, but this place didn’t. And—

Focus.

Maddie said to Troy, “This is Rebel and this is Kira. They’re friends.” She crouched down next to him. He looked terrible. “Are you okay? That guy hit you pretty hard.”

“I’m fine. Zak is the one I’m worried about.”

Maddie was worried about him too. She couldn’t stop thinking about Larkin telling Eric he wanted to ‘finish the transformation.’

Kira said, “What was happening in there?”

Maddie said, “Larkin came in to get Zak at just a few minutes before seven. We couldn’t warn you; the wards were blocking any mental communication. He—” Her voice broke for a second, but she made herself be brave. “You saw what he did. He held them off so we could get out. But Larkin shot him up with something—he said it was an inhibitor.”

Kira briefly put her hand on Maddie’s shoulder. “He’ll be okay. Now that we have you both out, we can attack the compound for real. We’ll get him.”

Maddie shook her head. “You don’t understand. Larkin said he wants to ‘finish what he started’ with Zak. He has more of that monster serum, and if he gives it to Zak, he’ll turn him into the monster for good. We don’t have time; I have to go back.”

Zak’s necklace hummed underneath her shirt. She felt like it was agreeing with her.

Kira said, “There’s nothing you can do, Maddie. We just have to hope—”

“There is something you can do. You can give me the key to his collar.”

Rebel said, “I thought only the Royal House could activate the keys.”

“Then she can activate it and then give it to me.” Maddie turned to Kira. “I know you brought one. Emon’s too smart not to anticipate the possibility we’d need it.”

Kira said, “Then I’ll take it back to Zak myself.”

Maddie shook her head. “They can trap you; you’re a worldwalker. And I need you to get Troy to safety.”

Her brother started to protest, and Maddie turned on him. “Don’t you argue with me,” she said in her bossiest big-sister voice. “A lot of people risked their lives to get you out of there, and you’re going somewhere safe. Especially because you did get hurt. You’re not ‘fine.’” She could see it on his face.

He looked mutinous, but he clamped his mouth shut. Maddie turned back to Kira. “Listen to me,” she said. “They’ll have taken him to the lab, and probably put him in a cell with wards that trap worldwalkers. I know that place better than any of you. All I need is for you to give me the key and get me inside the computer server room, or as close to it as possible. Then I can get to Zak and give him the key.”

Rebel said, “What if they catch you?”

Maddie said, “All the better. Knowing Eric and Larkin, they’ll take me to see Zak in captivity so they can gloat. They’d never let any of the rest of you near him.”

“She has a point,” Rebel said to Kira. “And if they’re really going to shoot him up again with the serum, we’re out of time.”

Maddie pulled the necklace out of her collar. “This is the heart of Zak’s hoard,” she said to Kira. “And it’s telling me not to leave.”

The necklace hummed louder.

Kira bit her lip. “Fine,” she said. She pulled a small gold disk out of one of her pockets and muttered a word in Draken. It flashed blue, and then went back to looking normal. Kira handed it to Maddie. “It’s activated now; you just need to press it against the collar.”

Then she said, “But I’m calling Flynn to come get Troy. We need Rebel to get us through the wards around the rest of the building, and I’m not leaving him alone.”

“Thank you.” Impulsively, Maddie hugged her, and Rebel, and finally her brother. It was so hard to let go. “Do what Flynn says,” she told him.

“What am I, five?” But he gave her an extra hug. “Thanks, sis. Love you.”

“Love you back.”