Hotbloods 5: Traitors

“Can you break into it?”

He grimaced. “Not without the right code. Plus, there’s a wire running out a hole in the side. It links to the rest of the explosives.”

“Too many wrong numbers, and the whole thing probably goes up in flames,” I muttered. Jareth really hadn’t taken any chances with his notes. I would have bet good money that his actual notebooks—the ones that might be of some use—were stowed away in that vault.

“We could try cutting it?” Sarrask suggested.

“No way. I bet that triggers the whole thing, too.” I’d seen enough action movies to know that cutting a random wire was never a good idea. “Your father wanted to keep his secrets safe, and he’s managed it. I’m glad we got here first. Can you imagine what might’ve happened if the researchers had come in here and started messing with things?”

Sarrask frowned. “What, so we’re giving up on getting his notebooks?”

“What choice do we have? Besides, the secrets will be completely safe with your father, for now. He won’t give them to Gianne, or anyone. Not while he needs leverage.”

“Guess you’re right. I just don’t like the thought of all that information going to waste,” he grumbled.

“Look, there’s nothing we can do about that now, and we’re running out of time before the researchers get here. I say we take whatever looks useful and get the hell out of here.”

Still grumbling, Sarrask picked up a few vials and notebooks, throwing them into another makeshift bag I’d created. I did the same, taking several leather-bound notebooks, a book on Vysanthean anatomy, and a few flimsy notepads that had been bound together with a piece of twine.

“You know, I didn’t mean to kiss you before, in the hallway,” Sarrask said unexpectedly, making me look up sharply.

“Sarrask, we really don’t need to talk about it. Honestly, I forgot it even happened,” I insisted, my cheeks burning.

Undeterred, he carried on. “It’s just… love and relationships are weird concepts here. You say hello to a girl, and then her parents are calling up your parents, talking about potential dates for a wedding.” He sighed. “I’ve never spoken to a woman as openly as I speak to you. Naya, maybe, but only because she was my sister. I don’t know what came over me when I tried to kiss you. I think I just got overwhelmed.”

“You don’t need to explain yourself. It was a shock, but let’s forget about it.” His sentiment was nice, but it didn’t make me feel any less uncomfortable.

“It wasn’t about me having feelings for you, that’s all. Feeling so close to someone… I didn’t know what to do with that. I haven’t felt close to anyone, my entire life.” He paused, glancing anxiously in my direction. “I really don’t have feelings for you, Riley. So I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.”

“Kissing someone will tend to do that,” I teased. I had no idea if he was telling the truth, or just trying to cover his ass, in case I told Navan what he’d done. Either way, he didn’t need to worry; I really didn’t want Navan finding out.

He smiled. “I deserved that.”

“Cool, so we agree never to bring this up ever again?”

He nodded. “Agreed.”

I wiped my brow in a mock gesture of relief and bundled up the items we’d taken from the alchemy lab, pushing one of the bags into Sarrask’s arms as we headed for the trapdoor. I was about to move down onto the first step when he spoke again.

“But you should know that you’re a unique kind of girl. I’ve never met anyone quite like you. Any man would be lucky to have someone like you.”

I tried so hard not to roll my eyes. “Thanks. I’ll let Navan know you think so.”

That seemed to silence him, and we made our way down into the passageway, throwing the apron-bags over our shoulders.

We hurried through the tunnels and out into the main body of the house, reaching the entrance hall within a few minutes. Ronad and Kaido were already standing there, empty-handed. I presumed they’d already stowed their belongings away on the vessel that Kaido had waiting outside.

“You got everything you want?” I asked.

Kaido nodded. “I managed to pack up most of my laboratory, as I had a system in place for just such an eventuality. It always pays to be organized.”

“Without that organization, I’d have still been here when the research team arrived.” Ronad laughed, though his eyes were rimmed with red. “He’d packed all of Naya’s things away and labeled everything, down to the most specific detail.”

“How else are you supposed to find what you’re looking for?” Kaido wondered, seemingly baffled by Ronad’s laughter.

“How about you? Did you find anything useful?” Ronad asked.

“Not really. Most of the good stuff was locked away, and the vault was rigged to blow,” I explained. “Take all this stuff, and I’ll run back and pull the lever. I should have a couple of minutes to get out, so leave the hatch open and the engine running.” I pushed my apron-bag of goodies into Ronad’s hands and set off down the hallway, retracing the steps I’d just taken.

“Be careful!” Ronad yelled after me.

It felt weird to be alone in the escape tunnels again, knowing what I was about to do. It had to happen, but that didn’t make it any easier. I was destroying Navan and Bashrik’s childhood home and everything they’d ever shared here. They hadn’t had the same opportunity that Ronad, Kaido, and Sarrask had been given, to gather together anything they might want to keep. Moreover, I was destroying memories of Naya, not only for Ronad, but for her brothers too. It really didn’t leave a good taste in my mouth.

I paused in front of the narrow stairwell, my eyes fixed on the red lever.

Taking a deep breath, I lunged upward and pulled down hard on the lever. It clicked into place. A small, rectangular timer appeared beside the lever, bright red symbols flashing on a black background. It was time to run.

Sprinting all the way back through the tunnels, I bolted out of the wardrobe door into the basement and staggered up into the hallways of the ground floor. I didn’t slow until I reached the front door, tearing out onto the gravel driveway, where the sleek silver vessel was waiting. It was the same one Kaido had brought us to the Idrax house in, which seemed oddly fitting.

Ronad was waiting by the open hatch. He pulled me in, and the small ship rose into the air. I expected the explosion to be instantaneous, but for a couple of minutes nothing happened. The mansion stood like a silent giant among the beautiful gardens and towering, redwood-like trees. I glanced at the bracelet on Ronad’s wrist, with the oval of onyxscye in the middle. Soon enough, it would be all that remained of the stone that had built the house in the first place.

We were a good distance away when a tremor bristled through the air, and a thunderous crack boomed below us. Fissures rocketed up the sides of the house, and the structure fell in on itself. It tipped into the lick of the rising flames that grew taller by the second, engulfing everything. Glass smashed, stone shattered, and black smoke billowed out, while a chemical odor filled the air. I’d never smelled napalm before, but I had a feeling it was something similar to the aroma stinging my nostrils.