Tears streamed down my face, silent and unstoppable.
And then I saw it.
Andre’s hand slipped to his pocket. His wallet fell to the floor and skidded beneath a chair.
Then he closed his eyes.
And let them take him.
Chapter 20
Dev
We watched the trucks patrol the highway from our hiding place in the trees.
They drove past, one after another.
Every truck stamped with that damn sun crest.
Fucking Order.
Kieran had driven our truck off-road and buried it beneath brush and shadow in the dark of the night.
If we were caught on the highway right now, there would be nowhere to go.
We had retreated to the thick scrub and forest that lined the Aurelion. Deep enough for the dark to swallow us whole.
We were forced to watch Sy shift on the riverbank.
His bones cracked. A sharp grunt tore from him as the dragon folded inward.
He did not flinch.
Even with the gaping wound in his arm.
Now he stood in borrowed clothes that barely contained him, glowering at K and me.
Ash braced his injured arm tight against his chest.
The bolt had torn through his wing. The landing wrenched his leg.
He was struggling to stand. But if he decided to move, none of us could have stopped him.
“Where the hell did all these soldiers come from?” Ash muttered.
“They’ve been mobilising since we arrived,” Kieran said quietly. “They know we’re in the area.”
“This isn’t mobilisation,” I said. “It’s an occupation.”
“How the hell are we going to get through that?” Ash asked.
Engines growled along the highway. More headlights cut through the dark.
“We need to find Seph,” Sy said, his eyes narrowed.
“Maybe if you hadn’t taken her out of the compound none of this would have happened!” Kieran said coldly.
Sy went very still.
