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  The door looked like it only had a simple bolt on the inside, one that could be easily opened up, though I didn’t know how quiet it would be. It looked rusted and old from my vantage point, but it would probably be easier to open and more discrete than rolling aside the entire large vehicle door.

  Okay. If Kal just met us at the doctor’s as he usually did…

  I stifled my disappointment when I didn’t see him waiting at the door of the place like he usually was. But when Pele opened the door, I heard his deep voice inside.

  “...if you’d like.”

  “Hmm.”

  Dr. Fearson responded to whatever he’d just said absently, like she wasn’t really paying much attention while she looked through the microscope at something.

  I had no idea what she was looking at or what kind of weird experiments she was running. Yesterday, I’d heard some odd squeaks coming from behind the curtain that cordoned off the part of the room I hadn’t seen. I tried not to think too hard about what could be back there.

  I scanned Kal’s pants and saw the slight bulge on the same side I thought I saw the key ring earlier.

  All right. Now I just needed to wait for him to get close to me.

  The doctor looked up as we came in, her face lighting up. Creepy as always.

  “Oh, good. I’m running low on my supply!” she said in that oddly chipper manner.

  “Happy to oblige,” I muttered under my breath.

  I sat down in the familiar chair and held my arm out as she got down to business almost immediately.

  Pele and Kal lingered to the side, talking about some show they were both watching. Wonderful. While I was getting the life drained out of me constantly, they were watching re-runs of a gentle ensemble comedy. I contemplated ways of destroying the television as I sat there, getting weaker with each drop of blood lost.

  “All done!” Fearson exclaimed, patching me up and rolling away with her new batch of tubes like a child with a new toy.

  I stood up, gearing myself up. Now. I needed to do it now.

  I deliberately stumbled forward, feigning wooziness, though it wasn’t really a lie. That woman took as much as possible before I would actually pass out.

  Kal immediately brought his hands up to catch me.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled, straightening.

  He let out a disgusted breath and pushed me over to Pele. “Take her back,” he said.

  Pele grunted, grabbing my arm in a firm grip.

  The jagged metal bit into my palm as I held on tightly, not daring to loosen my grip in case it made a sound.

  Despite the order, Kal helped escort me back to the room. I kept my hand down by my side, my palm sweating.

  Come on.

  If either of them looked down, there was no way to hide what I was holding.

  “I’ll bring more food,” Pele told me, opening the door and ushering me inside. “Sit down.”

  Didn’t need to tell me twice. I wove my way over to the bed, exaggerating how bad I felt.

  Though, again, not really by much.

  The door closed behind me just as I sat down.

  “Are you okay?” Siro asked, immediately sitting down next to me.

  “I’m okay,” I reassured her, then waited for the food to come in.

  They left the food with me for quite a while before checking in again. I didn’t want to tell Siro until then, for fear she’d give it away with her expression. As soon as Pele brought the food in and left once again, I showed her the key ring. It had a lot of the small metal keys on it, maybe twenty in total, probably one for every room they’d built in here.

  Siro’s eyes widened and her eyes went immediately to the door. “Where did you get them?” she murmured, keeping her voice hushed.

  “From Kal’s pocket,” I explained with a wry smile as I took a sip of sugary juice. “I’m not sure any of them will fit,” I warned.

  She reached out to take the ring, but I closed my hand around it.

  “Not yet,” I said, carefully placing it down on the comforter and turning a corner over it to hide it. “Pele will hear if we try to insert a bunch of keys in the lock while he’s out there.”

  She nodded. “Okay. Then what are we supposed to do?” she asked, matching my low tone.

  I took a deep breath and let it out. I’d given this a lot of thought. There was really only one course of action that had a reasonable shot of working, and by reasonable, I meant maybe a thirty percent chance or less. This was assuming Kal didn’t plan on going anywhere he needed a key to get to before my next doctor’s visit.

  “When they take me to get my blood drawn next time, there won’t be a guard on the door. You need to take that time to test the keys,” I said. “Keep hold of the keys you aren’t trying so they don’t jostle too much. The sound is pretty distinctive, if someone happens to walk by.”

  Siro frowned, nodding. “Okay. Then what?”

  “On my way back, I’m going to create a distraction. A loud one. Have the door unlocked and be ready to bolt when you hear it. Leave the key ring in the room—it’ll make too much noise if you run with it.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  “They should all be focused on me.” Hopefully. “Slip out of the room and stay against the wall when you can. There’s a smaller door cut into the big door we came in from—it looks like it has just a bolt on the inside. Open it as quietly as you can and close it behind you so they don’t notice it’s been opened. Then run. Run as fast as you can to the right and then left into the first alleyway. Then right on the next street and then left again. That road should take you to the business section. You can lose yourself in the crowd.”

  “What about you?” she interrupted, her eyes worried. “I can’t just leave you here!”

  “You’re going to have to,” I said firmly. “At least for now. This is the best plan I could come up with.” Such as it was. “I have no idea how to get you out of the dome after that. It’s also the best bet for getting me out of here too.”

  Assuming they didn’t just kill me when they realized what had happened. Yes, I was the last known descendant of the Original Bloodline, but I didn’t count that as much protection. People did stupid things all the time. But she didn’t need to know that.

  “Once you’re in the business section, look for a cafe. Ask someone there if you can use their phone or watch to send a message to your family. Contact Sven and tell him what happened and where you are.” I rattled off his contact. “He’ll get you out.”

  I was fully confident on that front.

  Siro still looked uneasy, but she nodded her agreement. “Okay,” she muttered.

  “When you get out of here, you can’t hesitate,” I warned. “Someone might come after you. And this area isn’t great, so the sooner you get out of it the better.”

  “Got it,” she said resolutely.

  Plan laid out, I settled into the quiet. I tried not to think of everything that could go wrong here. Kal could find his keys missing early. The key to our lock might not be on the ring. My distraction might not work. Siro might not be able to get the door open. They could catch her before she got too far.

  But it didn’t really matter, did it? We needed to take the chance.

  I didn’t know how much longer they’d keep Siro around for me. She wasn’t really an absolute necessity at this point.

  Somehow, I doubted they’d just return her to her parents.

  So I pushed aside my worry. It had to be done and we’d do it.

  By the time Pele showed up again hours later to take me back to the lab, Siro and I were both ready to jump out of our skins.

  “Let’s go,” Pele said in a bored tone.

  I squeezed Siro’s hand as I got up. She was sitting on the keys.

  She squeezed my hand back.

  That was all I could allow myself or it would arouse suspicion. I gave her one more bolstering look as I left the room and went out into the hall. It was in her hands now.

  Pele closed
the door and took me to the doctor’s space.

  We went through the whole song and dance again, with Kal there chatting with Pele once again. He still hadn’t noticed the lack of keys.

  Good.

  My heart was pounding as Fearson took the blood.

  “Going faster than usual,” she said with a frown, giving me a look.

  I didn’t comment.

  She shrugged and went on with it, not too concerned.

  I stood after she taped my elbow and tried to keep up a calm appearance. Kal and Pele led me out of the lab.

  This was it. I didn’t know if Siro had gotten the door open, but I needed to proceed like she did. I didn’t have a whole lot of options in terms of a distraction, so I settled on a medical one. I’d seen someone have a seizure before. It should draw a good amount of attention.

  I thought it was my best bet.

  There was one guard up on the catwalk at the moment, but if Siro hugged the wall, she should be able to stay underneath and out of sight. I waited until I was in the center of the room, in full view of the usual three guards in the sitting area. I took a deep breath.

  Here we go.

  I cried out loudly and fell to the floor.

  “What the fuck!” Pele gasped.

  “Shit!”

  “What’s happening?”

  “Get the doctor!”

  I locked my jaw and jerked my limbs, arching my neck back and keeping an eye on the door out. Come on, Siro.

  A slender shape darted out in the corner of my vision.

  Siro glanced over at me with a stunned expression, but she didn’t waste time getting to the door.

  I groaned, deep and guttural, as I saw her reach for the sliding bolt, hoping to cover any sound it made. I thought I heard a slight rasp, but it was lost in the shouts and my sounds.

  The door opened smooth as butter. Siro slipped out with one last glance at me. It shut with a subtle clank.

  I held my breath.

  Nobody seemed to notice as the doctor rushed out of the lab to my side.

  Run, Siro. Run.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sven

  “If she’s in either of those city domes, Jacob will find her. It’s just a matter of time.”

  I nodded, hoping Mia was right. “The waiting is killing me,” I admitted, gripping the railing and looking out over the busy city scape. “I need to do something.”

  Ashur made a sympathetic noise next to me.

  “Your best bet is waiting for word from Jacob at this point. Going off half-cocked will only waste more time.”

  He settled his hand over Mia’s on the railing and she smiled up at him briefly, both of them in tune. It made my own heart ache for Adara.

  Still, I knew they were right. I didn’t have enough information to narrow down the search between the two domes Adara suspected she was in. I’d acted on what information I did have by flying out here to Ashur’s territory.

  I wanted to be waiting closer when Jacob got back to me.

  When I’d asked Mia if I could come stay with them until I got word from Jacob, she’d immediately agreed, though she’d been more than a little surprised to find me flying in alone when I’d arrived. I’d told her the truth.

  “If one of my subjects is behind this, I have no idea who else might be conspiring,” I said honestly. “I can’t afford for the wrong ears to hear the information I have and pass it on to whoever is holding Adara.”

  Mia had nodded in understanding. “They could move her and make her more difficult to find,” she’d agreed, frowning. “But there has to be people you trust,” she’d added with concern. “Having no guards at all as the Phoenix King while you travel isn’t the safest.”

  I’d agreed but stood by my decision. I trusted Igna and a few others to keep this information to themselves.

  But did I trust them with Adara’s life?

  When I couldn’t answer that question, I’d left alone, without informing anyone. I’d sent a message to Igna later explaining why I’d done so, though I didn’t tell him where I was.

  He had not been pleased, but he’d been less angry then I’d expected him to be. He understood why I had reason to be paranoid.

  He wasn’t my keeper. In the end, the decision was mine to make.

  “Do you want—”

  Mia stopped abruptly when the ding of an incoming message reached all of our ears.

  I immediately opened it.

  Got it narrowed down to my dome. An unusual bribe had me looking up a fake ID. Matches one of Eli’s people. Found a couple other hits too when I checked around the same time, including the man himself.

  They must be here.

  -Jacob

  I had sent over pictures and descriptions of Eli and his flock, along with the same details for Adara and Siro. I checked the attachment. He’d sent me back the entrance log along with the IDs he’d uncovered. I didn’t know how Jacob had done it, but he’d gotten me more than I was expecting.

  Evidence.

  I felt adrenaline start to pump through my veins. Closing in now.

  “Jacob says they’re being held in his city dome,” I said, looking up at them. “I’m going to go in.”

  “You have a way in?” Mia asked.

  I nodded. “I have an identity set up already,” I confirmed. “Though I would really appreciate it if you’d let me borrow a car. Going in on foot would draw too much attention.”

  I was already dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, ditching my tunic and pants when I found out that Adara was likely being held among the humans. I needed to blend in.

  “Of course,” Ashur agreed. “One will be ready and waiting for you at the garage.” He met my eyes straight on. “Do you need help? Would you like us to come with you?”

  “Yes, we can come with you,” Mia agreed.

  I hesitated. I could do much worse than Mia and a Dragon Lord as back up, but if things went wrong, they might do me more good on the outside.

  I shook my head. “If you don’t hear from me in twenty-four hours, send word to Igna,” I said instead. “I’ll send over his contact. Let him know it was Eli and forward the message from Jacob I’m forwarding to you. I’d send everything over to him now, but I can’t have this leak somehow and risk them moving Adara and Siro before I can find them.”

  Mia and Ashur both nodded.

  “Got it. But let us know if you change your mind and need back up,” Mia added. “We’re near enough to possibly be of help.”

  “Will do,” I agreed. I might have to take them up on it.

  “I’ve already sent one of my people a message about the car,” Ashur said. “It should be ready by the time we get down there.”

  He was right. When they led me to the garage, the attendant already had a sleek but not attention-grabbing car ready to go.

  “You need something discrete,” Ashur explained.

  I nodded. “This is perfect,” I agreed. “Thank you. For everything.”

  “Keep us apprised,” Ashur said, Mia making an agreeing sound.

  “I will,” I promised, getting into the car. It would be a little more time consuming to drive rather than fly, but it also meant I wouldn’t be as physically tired when I got there.

  I sent a message over to Jacob letting him know I was coming. He gave me an address to meet him at almost instantly. Then I drove out of the garage with a wave at Mia and Ashur, going slowly as I went through the heart of the city.

  Then I put the pedal to the metal as I reached the abandoned outskirts, the ruins of the old city in which they’d built their new one. It always sent a chill down my spine to travel through it, but I was out in no time at the speed I was going.

  The drive to the city dome gave me plenty of time to contemplate all the things that could have happened to Adara between when she’d sent me the message and now. I’d been fighting thinking about the worst case scenarios since she’d been taken. Wallowing in fear wouldn’t help her though, so I kept fighting off those thoughts.<
br />
  It wasn’t easy, but when I got to the city dome, I was calm once again.

  Inching along in the line heading inside was no picnic.

  When I reached the front, the guard came up to me and gave me a thorough once over.

  My identity was rock solid. I’d used a trusted source who didn’t cut corners. The quality was reflected in the price tag, but I was willing to pay for something that important.

  Neither of the guards stopped me as I went through the gates and headed into the city.

  Adara was likely in here somewhere. I was so close I could taste it. The knowledge didn’t help my patience much.

  The address Jacob had given me turned out to be one of those tech cafes where teenagers and adults alike could while away too much time. I was driving by, trying to figure out where to park, when I got an incoming message.

  Pick me up at the front.

  Ah. He’d seen me drive by. I turned around and headed back, keeping an eye out for the man.

  He was difficult to miss. Tall and muscled, his good-looking face bore a scar down one side, left completely exposed by his buzz cut. He stood out in the crowd, even dressed in a simple dark gray t-shirt and dark wash jeans.

  I thought it was more his aura of confidence that drew attention.

  I came to a stop in front of him, and he immediately stepped forward to open the door and slide into the passenger seat.

  “Sven Mishal, the Phoenix King,” he acknowledged with a sardonic eyebrow lift as he held out his hand to shake.

  I shook it. “That’s me, Jacob Austin,” I said mildly. “Mia gave you a glowing recommendation.”

  He grunted. “Let’s hope I don’t disappoint,” was his pragmatic answer. Then he got right down to business, which I appreciated. “I know you guys apparently have a good sense of smell. Could you pick up on either of their scents on the street?” he asked.

  I shook my head. “Too many competing scents,” I answered. “Wouldn’t be able to pick out a phoenix thread unless it was really fresh or we were really close.”

  He nodded. “All right.” He cracked his knuckles as he directed me to drive forward. “I’ve divided the city up into a grid. It’s a large area to cover, but more importantly, it’s dense,” he explained. “I have feelers out for any word on unusual activity, though that might not bear fruit for some time. In the mean time, I say we start a grid search.”