“Ten officers dragged him out of here, and now he’s in the psych ward. Ferro promised I could see him later, when they had him…sedated.”
Violet didn’t like the sound of that, though the promise meant he would be alive for Mia to see. “Mia, I need your help. You have to get me the layout for the Headquarters building. I’m going to break in and get him out of there.”
“You’re going to do what?”
That came from behind her. Violet spun to find Jessup and Ryan approaching.
“I’m breaking Kade out of prison. They will kill him in there, just like his father was killed. They’ll make it look like Kade snapped, and it’ll be shoved under the official carpet.”
“I’ll meet you,” Mia said, her voice stronger now. “And sketch out the floor plan.”
“Where’s a safe place to talk?”
“Kade’s boat.” Mia gave her directions and disconnected.
“No way,” Jessup said.
“She’s going to do it,” Ryan said. “She’s got that fire in her eyes, like she used to get right before she drove off with the swamp buggy when Dad said she couldn’t.”
“’Cause she was only eleven.” Jessup studied her. “You were such a spitfire. Then you got so practical.”
“Someone had to be the level-headed one,” she said.
“You’re not being level-headed now. Breaking into Headquarters.” Jessup shook his head, making a hank of his hair swing with the movement. “You gotta be crazy to even think it.”
“I’m not letting him die in there.” She put her hands on their backs and pushed them to the truck. “You stay out of this. I don’t need you badgering me or trying to talk me out of it.”
Jessup stopped and turned to face her. “Uh-uh, little sister. We’re going with you.”
17
Onyx watched the girl wander through the woods, so innocent and curious. Kaitlyn bent down to pick up a bug, lifting it to the light that streamed down through the Australian pines. Its wings beat a staccato rhythm, and then Kaitlyn let it go.
Jealousy consumed her at the girl’s guileless smile. Onyx remembered when she was young and naïve. Before she’d witnessed her first murder—her younger sister when Onyx was just ten.
Soon no one would ever hurt Onyx again. She would have immortality. That was almost as important to her as saving a god. Well, maybe more. The whole I’m-almost-a-god-because-I-consort-with-one thing was Ferro’s thing. Not that he would say it outright, but she knew he relished having a relationship with his sire. He didn’t seem bothered that Drakos never showed affection or any real kinship.
Ferro would be displeased that she’d disobeyed him by taking care of the girl now, but that was nothing new. They were running out of time, and the Fringers weren’t erupting into a blood war as she had thought they would. Killing this girl would do it. Onyx would gain no power, so she hadn’t Catalyzed. No need; the kid wouldn’t fight. She would be surprised by the pleasant woman who’d gotten lost in the woods. This girl didn’t grow up in the era of fear and blood. She wouldn’t have reason to suspect a thing until Onyx drew the knife blade across her throat.
“Kaitlyn!”
Panicked voices called from the near distance, feet stomping across the dirt. Dragon feet. In broad daylight. Shrill and urgent whistles pierced the air.
The girl lifted her head and whistled in response. Onyx stepped way back into the shadows as five Dragons raced into view. Two women and three men Catalyzed back to human as they reached her.
“What’s wrong, Mama, Daddy?” she asked, as insipid and clueless as Snow White.
A woman pulled her into her arms, making Onyx ache at the sight. Her own mother, gone. Her daddy, dead.
“We didn’t know where you were,” the mother said, relief saturating her voice.
“But I always explore the woods, and you never got worried before.”
“Violet was pulling our leg,” one man said.
“Maybe she was trying to get us away from the house. Let’s go.”
Three of them Catalyzed and raced back. The other two walked with the girl, who wasn’t Awakened yet and so couldn’t become Dragon.
