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Zee reached up. I grabbed his hand and helped haul him back onto his legs.

Victor was already at the screens, face pale in their glow. “This is indeed alarming.”

“So . . . how are we going to fix this?” Zee asked.

“Uhm . . .” Zee and I joined Tom and Victor at the consoles to admire the carnage. “Ask them nicely?”

Tom rolled his eyes and folded his arms. “Ask the cutesy fluffy mass murderers nicely?”

We didn’t have time for this. “I have to stop my brother, or none of this will matter anyway.”

“Adam, you may be right about asking them nicely . . .” Victor said. “If I can find a way to project my voice throughout the facility, I may be able to command them to return to their cells. Or at least slow their escape.”

Tom grabbed what looked like a golf ball on a stick. “Like this PA system?”

“Yes . . . That is perfect.”

“Perfect is what keeps my customers coming back for more.”

“Sounds like something I’d say.” Zee ruffled his wings, shaking off a few purple sparks.

I knew what had to be done. They had to stay here and contain this riot, while I went after Syros. If I stayed too, he’d get away. And I wasn’t needed here. I had to go. Now.

Turning away, I headed for the door. I had to leave them. This was the right thing. It was always going to happen this way anyway. Me and Syros. A rematch.

“Kitten?”

“It’s alright, I’ll . . .” I grasped the door frame and smiled over my shoulder. Victor frowned, and Zee just looked . . . hopeful, as though maybe these wouldn’t be our last ever moments together. “I’ll be right back.”

“Hey . . .” Zee ran to my side and grabbed my shoulders, giving me a soft shake. “If you say something stupid like “It was always going to end this way” or “I have to keep you guys safe,” then imma get mad . . . and sad . . . and nobody wants that. So I’m coming with you, and if you think you’re gonna brush me off by being an actual hero, you should know that one not-so-human dragon cannot give me the slip.”

“Zee, but⁠—”

He pressed a finger to my lips. “Nope. It’s both of us or Syros goes free.”

I blinked and peered up at him. If Syros shifted into his dragon form, Zee would be nothing to him, no more bothersome than a fly he’d swat out of the air.

Zee’s eyes got all intense and sparkly, the humor all gone now, replaced by no-holds-barred warrior intent. “You wanna argue, Kitten? That’s fine. But there’s not much time, and I’d rather tie you up and throw you over my shoulder than let you go alone, and I reckon Victor will help. He’s good with knots.”

I mumbled around his finger.

“What’s that? Zee is the best and also right?”

Another mumble.

He scowled and plucked his finger away. “Choose your next words carefully, Adam Vex.”

“I love you.” I grabbed his face, pulled him down, and smacked a kiss on his lips, then held him there, peering into his glowing eyes. “Let’s go.”

“If you perish, just know my grief will turn day into night,” Victor vowed. “And I will not rest until my vengeance has burned through what remains of my empty soul.”

“Fucking hell . . . Is this goodbye going to go on much longer?” Tom rolled his eyes again. “Adam. You had better not die, my paycheck needs to clear.”

I was sure, in his own way, Tom loved us too. Probably.

“Wait, Tom. You’re plugged into the cameras, right? That’s a thing you can do?” I asked.

“Bartender one-oh-one, always watch your customers.”