Blaze slipped into a pair of pants, one of the several that the team carried in their backpacks. We’d lost ours when we were captured. We settled in the shade of a large tree, a couple of miles away from the gorge we’d just collapsed.

It took us a while to simply refocus on what we had to do, while we all enjoyed the fresh air and just being back on the surface, out of that meranium box, and out of that damn city.

“I think we killed at least six, maybe eight hundred of their soldiers back there,” Jax said.

“You might want to add the ones who didn’t make it out of the tunnels, and the ones I burned back inside the gorge,” Blaze added, running a hand through his dark hair.

“How many do you think we took out, in the end?” I replied.

Something had changed in the way Blaze was looking at me. It must’ve had something to do with our moment back in the meranium cage. I mean, we’d almost kissed. There was a peculiar warmth in his midnight-blue eyes, much more intense and specifically aimed at me. It made my heart flutter, but all I could do was exhale sharply and save that thought for later.

“I’d say at least twelve, even thirteen hundred.” Blaze grinned.

“We need a new action plan,” Harper said, her brow furrowed. “What was that about Darius, Hansa?”

“Yeah, please do expand on that,” I chimed in.

“There isn’t much for me to tell you, other than the fact that both Jax and I saw Darius, very much alive and kicking, in Shaytan’s throne room,” Hansa replied. “His death was staged. And I think it’s safe to assume that so were the explosions. He snuck out of the city and met with the king of daemons. I think they’re in cahoots, somehow.”

“I’m not sure if the others know—I mean, the other Maras,” Jax added, then looked at Caspian. “Do your people know, Lord Kifo?”

We all stared at Caspian for a while, but his expression was firm and didn’t give anything away.

“Is there something you’re not telling us?” Harper asked.

He gave her a pained look, nervously scratching the back of his head. “I wish I could tell you more, but honestly, I can’t. But the rogue Imen can help you with this.”

“Dammit, Lord Kifo,” Hansa growled, while Harper cursed under her breath. “After all we’ve been through so far, you still don’t trust us? It’s ridiculous.”

“It’s not even about trusting us anymore. It’s the fact that you’re withholding information from us,” Harper said, visibly frustrated. “Information that could save our lives!”

“I’m sorry…” Caspian breathed, his gaze fixed on the grass at his feet.

“What could Darius possibly be doing with Shaytan?” I asked. Clearly, Caspian wasn’t going to tell us anything else, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t speculate and draw several potential scenarios for us to move forward.

The rest of our team was still back in Azure Heights, and they didn’t know anything about this.

“I don’t know… They’re supposed to be enemies, with daemons kidnapping Maras and eating their souls and all that,” Hansa scoffed. “Either way, there is clearly some kind of conspiracy going on here. Darius faked his own death and seems to be good friends with the king of daemons.”

“Whatever it is they’re planning, they want to make sure that we don’t make it back to Azure Heights and warn the others. And that is exactly what we need to do,” Jax said.

“But we also need to find the rogue Imen,” Harper replied. “We were already planning to do that, and you all heard Lord Kifo. They have answers. Answers we desperately need right now.”

A couple of minutes went by as Jax and Hansa thought things over. Was it just Darius who had planned this? “Do you really think the other Maras are involved? After all, a lot of innocent people died during those attacks,” I muttered.

“I find it hard to believe that the Lords would willingly kill so many of their own, just to stage an explosion for Darius to get out of there. Let’s not forget that there was a second explosive charge in Lord Kifo’s house. If it had just been about Darius, and his faked death, I’m sure it would’ve been just his mansion turned to ashes,” Blaze offered. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Blaze, Caia,” Jax said, “you two should fly back to the city and warn the rest of our team. After that, you should summon the Lords and tell them about Darius. Watch their reactions carefully: one of them might flinch or falter, if they were behind all this. Hell, if we’re not supposed to get back there in one piece, then surely they won’t be happy to see the two of you there. And should you get a whiff of danger, even the slightest hint, I need you all to pack up and come to this area. Avril will be capable enough of tracking us to wherever the rogue tribe is.”

“Then what will you do? Look for the Imen?” I replied.

Jax, Hansa, and Harper looked at each other, then nodded.

“You heard Lord Kifo.” Jax smirked. “He obviously knows more than he’s telling us, but something stops him from talking, so he’ll be kind enough to take us to the tribe. We need to get to the truth, as soon as possible, before more innocent people disappear and die.”

“That makes sense,” Blaze said, then stood up and took his pants off. My cheeks caught fire. The others instantly looked away, visibly embarrassed. I covered my eyes, all flushed.

“Dude, some warning would’ve been nice!” Harper snapped.

Blaze pushed the pants into my hands, while I kept my eyes tightly shut. “Sorry about that, but it’s not like we have dozens of clothes just lying around for me to put on whenever I shift. Might as well hold onto these until we get back to Azure Heights.”

I heard his footsteps through the grass, then the familiar shuffle of his body, his bones cracking as he turned back into a dragon. I opened my eyes and found him standing beyond the tree shade, his wings stretching as he looked at me.

“Be careful out there,” Hansa said. We both got up, and she hugged me. “If everything is okay back in the city, wait for us there. Obviously, if it isn’t, do as Jax said. And take these.”

She gave me two red lenses, which I slipped into the chest pocket of my leather suit. “We will have to make do with these, for now.” I nodded. “But as soon as we get a chance, we’ll look through the city for red garnet so our entire team can carry one.”

“Fly safe.” Harper took me in her arms. “And burn down every single one of them if they try to hurt you or capture you again.”

“Don’t worry, Cuz, I’ll give them hell.” I winked, then walked over to Blaze.

He lowered himself so I could climb up onto his back, gripping the thick scales over his shoulders as he took flight. We soared into the blue sky. My hair was loose, fluttering in the wind as I looked down and watched the world get smaller with every second.

I worried about Harper and the others. I even worried about Caspian. Despite his secrecy, he’d helped us. He’d put his life at risk for us. There must’ve been a solid, valid reason for why he couldn’t tell us the whole truth. Knowing Harper, she was bound to get to the bottom of it, one way or another.

In the meantime, however, I held onto Blaze’s back as we flew over the gorges, heading straight for the mountain. He glided farther to the right so that whatever daemons were left in the ravine wouldn’t see us.

The thought of the other Maras knowing about Darius put Avril, Fiona, Scarlett, Heron, and Patrik at risk. I’d already seen the inside of a meranium box. There was no way I was going to let my friends experience that fear and hopelessness.