Page 31 of The Edge of Dawn

Dragek nodded. “They will find it.”

“They? Aren’t you going to come?” A spark of anxiety entered her chest. Strange, that. He wasn’t exactly the most friendly or reassuring of characters, but at least he was someone she knew.

And he was kind of reliable… when he wasn’t zipping in and out of her mind at random.

“I will.” One corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly. “Just remember that you are responsible for this, human.”

“Don’t you dare hold me responsible. I didn’t ask for any of this. And… I have a name.”

“You never offered it.”

“You never asked.”

“So? What are you called, then?”

“Well, thank you for asking. It’s Jade.”

“Jade. An interesting name.” He rolled her name across his tongue; shaping it with his deep voice, with his perfect Universal accent—as if it was something to be savored.

Don’t be ridiculous.

“Aren’t you supposed to…” she made a gesture with her interdimensional hands, “you know, go now? Back to your real body?”

“An unconscious state doesn’t resolve on its own. I have no control over when consciousness will return.”

“You mean, you…” She couldn’t imagine what might be happening with his physical body. “Did they knock you out or something?”

“One does not simply fall asleep in a hurry.”

“Oh.” She took in his relaxed stance. He was as cool and depthless as an almost-frozen pond. How could he be like this when, in reality, she was lying on the ground, unconscious, her body damaged in a dozen places?

“Someone’s coming,” he said calmly.

“What?”

“One of them—your would-be captors—is awake.”

“What?” Jade grew increasingly frantic. For although he was as calm as anything, his words promised imminent danger.

“Next time, you are not to balk when I kill. It’s always better to eliminate a threat in the first instance.” A tiny puff of exasperation escaped him. His expression softened a fraction—so minutely she thought she could be imagining it. “If I were you, I would resume consciousness and try to hide.”

“Easier said than done. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do, anyway? Wake up so you can alert your people and come get me?”

“For your sake, it’s probably more advantageous if I stay with you right now.”

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

“At least, if they attempt to harm you again, I can take control of your body and force you to consciousness.”

“Y-you could do that?” She didn’t quite understand how that was possible when he couldn’t even wake up in his own body.

“It’s possible. But not desirable. An action of last resort. I’ll stay for as long as possible.” Tension entered his voice, betraying a hint of emotion for the very first time. So he was capable of that. She sensed his impatience, the pent-up violence inside him. Almost as if he were itching for a fight.

She didn’t know if she was ready to live that kind of nightmare again.

But it was better than being found by the MWA goons, who would want to pay her back for what she—Dragek—had done to them.

She made a quick calculation. “I’d prefer it… if you had to take over again… rather than get caught by those guys. Do what you need to do.”

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