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Step three achieved!
Triumphant, Neeka kicked her legs over the side of the bed and stood. How about a quick nosh before diving into step four? Something told her she needed to store up energy while she had the chance.
Rubbing her hands together, she padded to the desk. Excitement swiftly downgraded to disappointment as she lifted the lids. Her shoulder rolled in. Corn dogs. Fried marshmallows. Fried cheese. Bologna salad sprinkled with candied crackers.
There was no way she could choke down any of this. Her stomach prechurned with sickness. “This is...definitely food.”
Rowan wrung her fingers. “We have few harpies here, but I encountered many of your kind before my move to Nova. I remembered your preferences well, yes?”
“Oh, yes,” Neeka said, trying to filter the disgust from her tone. Her kind loved this stuff. Why couldn’t she? “But you know what? I should probably let the meal rest before I dive in.” That was a thing, right? “Kanta promised me that tour, and I’m eager to begin. How about it?”
“Of course.” The shifter smiled, eyes of molten gold and ice blue crackling with excitement. “Prepare to be amazed! The Astra have filled this home with the most amazing treasures from across the galaxies.”
“It pays to steal from the planets you conquer, I guess.” Had Roc not fallen in love with Taliyah, harpy treasures would fill these halls, too. Not that Neeka was resentful or anything. Fair was fair, and the Astra had defeated the harpies in battle. Though their win wasn’t assured against Neeka herself.
She linked her arm with her tour guide’s. “Show me.”
Rowan led her into a wide hallway, pointing out this and that. Neeka retreated inside her mind, probing for a specific knowing.
Ah, there you are.As subtly as possible, she herded the other woman in the proper direction. Finally, they stood before a closed red door.
“Oh, no! How did we get here?” A tremor shook the shifter. “We must leave. Only the Astra are permitted in this area.”
Neeka looked left, right, up, down, and behind. No one else stood nearby. Not even a single guard. It was like her enemywantedher to do this. “Sorry, hon, but I’m going in.”Find the elixir, save the worlds.“You’re not.”
Knowing it had to be done, she struck, driving her claws into the gentle woman’s chest, and ripping out her still beating heart. The shifter toppled, out for the count.
“Hate me now, thank me later,” she said, dropping the organ and patting Rowan’s cheek, accidentally depositing streaks of red. In a few hours, the too-gentle dragon would wake up with a brand-new organ and inner defenses she’d desperately needed. “Leave them better than you find them, that’s what I always say.”
Neeka latched onto the doorknob and twisted. The hinges glided as smooth as oil. No lock? Oh, yeah, the Astra definitely wanted her to do this.
She slipped into a hallway without furnishings or decorations. Just plain white walls peppered with multiple doors.
Huh. What was—A wave of whispers bypassed her ears and slammed into her mind. She sucked in a breath. So many! Too many. They barraged her awareness, the cacophony enough to drive her to her knees. She smashed her palms over her ears, but it didn’t help. The volume only increased.
Determination turned her insides to stone. No cluster of conversations was gonna keep her down. Gritting her teeth, she lumbered to her feet and pressed on.Find the elixir and a bone. Save the worlds.
The noises ceased abruptly, and she heaved with relief. Sweet peace and quiet reigned. Then, she sensed it. The whispers hadn’t vanished; they’d congregated. Now they spun and spun in front of her, some peeling back, others drawing closer together. Spinning. Shrinking. Swelling...
The constellation exploded, going off like a Fourth of July firecracker. A brutal pain erupted in her temples. Warm liquid seeped from her ducts and ran down her cheeks. Her knees buckled once again, and she dropped. But bit by bit, she absorbed new nuggets of information. Oooh. What was this? Arecipefor the elixir? Even better than a location!
As she continued downloading information, a familiar blanket began to cover her mind, attempting to hide the information. Everything she was learning.
No, no, no. She couldn’t forget. This was far too important. Neeka crawled forward...stumbled to her feet...and raced to the door, escaping the room. The final whisper cut off before reaching its end.If you wish to save everyone, Neeka, you need only—
Need only what?
Panting, she collapsed next to the dragon shifter, who was already halfway healed. With no other options, Neeka whipped out the marker—no wonder she’d brought it!—adjusted her clothing, and began writing the elixir’s recipe on her skin.
As soon as she finished, she wrote the shocker she’d heard about Lore’s missing femur. But she only managed to etchM, I, Rbefore the information vanished beneath the blanket.
Argh! Time to find Rathbone and blow this joint before she forgot anything else.
10
Searing fury consumed Rathbone. Some he directed at the treacherous harpy-oracle who betrayed him to save herself. Most he focused on himself for allowing her to distract him at such a critical point in his war with the Astra. He’d ignored the danger, more intrigued by his companion. Eager to maintain their connection and hear whatever colorful thing she would say next.
Something a newly monogamous male shouldn’t do. A mated male, especially. And hewasmated, despite Neeka’s inference. He wasn’t a fool; he hadn’t chosen the wrong eternal lover. The fact that he couldn’t conquer his heightened awareness of the oracle meant something else.
