Her body wanted to curl in on itself, but ... she couldn’t move her limbs. Those hideous yellow things that snatched her from Atlanta had stretched her vertically in four directions.
What about poor Devon? Had they killed him?
A grotesque body she’d seen the first time she’d opened her eyes here had terrified her. She’d been sick at the thought it might be Devon, but the vacant gaze staring back at her had held blue eyes. Not brown like his.
Like Roberto’s.
How many more Beladors had these monsters captured?
How could they stand to smell themselves?
Her nose should be accustomed to the disgusting sulfuric odor by now, but no. Every breath pulled in that miserable rotten egg stench. The taste lingered in her dry mouth.
Water. Just a sip.
She’d lick it off the floor if they’d let her.
Her head pounded nonstop.
Pain had become her only companion.
That and constant replays of Devon’s body yanked over that railing in downtown Atlanta. One minute, he’d been there. Then the next, his body had flown out of sight. She hoped he’d had a fast death. At least he was not suffering—
Energy charged through her as if she stood in a raging storm and grabbed a live electrical wire.
She arched, every muscle tight, straining against the manacles.
Bright yellow flooded her vision behind closed eyelids.
She hated the color.
Whatever these monsters were doing to her continued to build inside her body every minute. For the first time ever, she wished to not be a strong Belador.
She wished for death.
She wished to say goodbye to Roberto.
She wished ...
Darkness sucked her down a black hole.
Time floated, twisted, reshaped, and grew again. Voices rumbled, threatening noises, then quiet.
Silence stretched until one voice stood out. A man’s? Maybe.
“This may not work.”
She’d lost the ability to shut down her curiosity once she’d seen so much. Renata barely parted her eyelashes to close quickly if she couldn’t handle what she saw.
As her eyes focused, she could see nothing in the darkness. This room or whatever place this was felt big and airy. She moved her head in tiny increments, terrified to draw attention.
Light caught at the edge of her vision.
She squinted.
That master, the one Daegan had fought on the Ferris wheel, came into focus. She hadn’t been able to understand much of what he and Daegan discussed. The master, as he’d ordered her to call him, had hurt Daegan.
Had hurt a dragon shifter old as time.
A distorted voice said, “It will work. You will be free soon, Timmon.”
Was Timmon another name for the master?
Who spoke to him?
Renata sorted the words and couldn’t decide if the second voice belonged to a man or woman. It was as if the being was not present. She peeked more. A blurry image wobbled in front of the master ... Timmon.
“I take all the risk here and now you want me to stick my neck out farther?” Timmon moved around, lifting his arms from his body that glowed less than last time. She could see skin sagging in places.
“Your risk is no greater than mine. I have given you an opportunity to finally be free. To rule alongside me.”
Timmon raked his head with nails curved into claws. He shouted, “I hate this body. You tricked me.”
“You owed me.”
“Not this. How could I owe you this?”
“I saved you from a worse fate. Stop complaining. When this is done, I will return you to your former body. All will be well and we will enjoy the spoils of our victory.”
Squatting down and cupping his hands over his bleeding head, Timmon whined, “We have to do it soon. The Imortik trying to take over my body is killing me.”
“You are stronger, which is why I made you master. Your discomfort is nothing compared to the Imortiks feasting on Beladors.” The distorted voice laughed louder and louder until the sound coated her skin.
That’s what she had inside her? An Imortik?
Tears burned her eyes.
She swallowed down a sob. Never cry. Not for these monsters.
“Discomfort? This is hideous.” Standing up, Timmon jerked and flinched, then calmed down. “I can’t keep waiting. What is the next step?”
“Attack VIPER. Destroy the alliance. Put the Beladors on the run, then we turn to the humans.” More booming laughter.
Renata clamped her lips shut to stop the scream.
She could save none of her people. Or Roberto.
Chapter 23
After launching the boat Luigsech had hidden near the bank, Daegan took one of the paddles and powered the small boat back upstream.
He had to give her credit.
She’d fought Imortiks and faced off with him and Quinn without knowing just how dangerous they were. Then she’d allowed Quinn to enter her mind.
If he’d heard that told by someone else when he had not been present, he’d have said Luigsech was a fool.
That would have been unfair. She was no fool.
She was loyal to a fault.
Now that he knew who had Tristan, he could breathe a little easier. They would find Cathbad, but only because of this woman.
Daegan could not deny his admiration. Opening a mind to Quinn would be terrifying for anyone. She’d forced her fear down for those she loved. Dark auburn tresses blew around the smooth skin of her face. Blue eyes he’d seen glow almost a lavender color last night and today took in everything then landed on him again.
He felt her intensity as if it were a living thing.
She’d given up paddling when her efforts worked against his powerful strokes and sent them off course. Since then, she’d crossed her arms and pushed herself toward the bow, as far from him as she could get.
“What exactly are you plannin’ to do with the grimoire if I find a volume for you, Drake?”
“If?” He paddled along smoothly.
“If.” Her mouth flattened in a grim expression.
“When ya find a volume, I must take it quickly to save my people in another land.” He scooped another deep stroke down one side then the other, propelling them along quicker than a human could.
“Who would you give it to?” she persisted.
“I never said I would give it
