Shadow Call by Michael Miller & AdriAnne Strickland

Author:Michael Miller & AdriAnne Strickland
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2018-04-17T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

My unease wasn’t alleviated when we were led on foot through several pairs of high-security checkpoints and down long, smooth hallways, into a room with a thick door. Anything this sterile gave me flashbacks to both the Treznor and Dracorte laboratories where royals had tried to dissect me and had cut into Arjan. Windows lined the room, the reflective kind that didn’t let you see out, only let observers see in. The only furnishings were a steel table and chairs, all seamlessly attached to the floor, perhaps to prevent someone from trying to break the windows with them…as if people were often kept here against their will.

Devrak announcing his departure at the door really didn’t help.

“I’ll be back as soon as possible, but likely only for you, at first,” he said to Nev. He had been careful not to use Nev’s name or title yet, or to give any other indication of who he might be.

Nev didn’t seem alarmed by our accommodations. He only nodded before Devrak left and the door sealed behind him. This must have been routine procedure or something. But Basra leaned against the table, arms folded, not looking happy about being locked in here, and neither Arjan nor I could keep still.

It took less than an hour before Devrak came back, but in that time, both Nev and Basra had tried to stop me and Arjan from pacing by catching our respective hands. And yet, when the door slid open, it wasn’t only my brother and me who betrayed our nervousness. All four of us spun or leapt up.

Devrak wasn’t alone. A dark, cynical part of me expected guards with photon rifles, or maybe even Bladeguards, to be accompanying him. But when he stepped aside, he revealed the last person I could have imagined.

Marsius Dracorte III was short enough to hide behind Devrak’s back because he was only eleven years old—and barely eleven, at that. Nev had only recently remarked, bittersweet, on the passing of his little brother’s birthday. Marsius peered into the room around Devrak, hesitant. His eyes widened when they caught sight of Nev, and even with Nev’s disguise, Marsius’s eyes immediately began to fill with tears.

“Marsius,” Nev said, choked. When the boy didn’t move, he added, “It’s me. Devrak, can I get rid of this?” He waved at his face. Devrak had barely nodded before Nev was already fishing out his contacts and popping his features back into perfect shape. His beautiful face blanched when Marsius only glanced back and forth between it and Devrak. “I didn’t…I promise it wasn’t me….”

“He has already heard as much,” Devrak said quickly, when Marsius still didn’t seem able to speak. “I just explained everything to an assembled panel of generals, and Marsius was in attendance. They now want to hear it from your lips, but first, I thought…” He looked down at Marsius, his forehead creasing in concern.

I was looking at Nev the same way. One harsh word from Marsius could break him; I knew it.

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