Yeger’s head lolled to one side, his jaw throbbed, each pulse a jab of pure agony. The truth extract sloshing around his lungs burned, and the tiny amount he’d swallowed left his head foggy.

  Voronina had returned and lounged against the back wall, studying him with narrowed eyes, while the thug stood by the door looking thuggish. After another minute of silence, Voronina said, “Tell me your plans. All of them.”

  Yeger rolled his head around until he faced her, his eyes unfocused. He had no idea what truth extract really looked like, but unfocused and slurring sounded like a good choice.

  “The ’lan was to in’ade the ’ine and ‘ill you,” he said, trying not to move his jaw.

  “Speak clearly, you fool.”

  Truth… Speak the truth. “I ’an’t.”

  “Oh, this is ridiculous.” Voronina pushed off from the wall and stalked up to him. She grabbed his jaw, squeezing.

  Yeger howled.

  “Speak. Clearly,” Voronina whispered once he’d quieted.

  “It cursed hurts,” he said, grimacing with every word.

  Voronina straightened. “Do I look like I care?”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “No.”

  “Now tell me, what was Klara’s plan?”

  “To invade the mine.”

  Voronina’s jaw twitched. “Why was she trying to invade the mine?”

  “Kill you.”

  “How?” Voronina asked, looking taken aback.

  “Stabbing you in the kidney with her father’s blade.”

  “That’s… precise. All right, why are you here?”

  “Because a guildless mucker stabbed me and dislocated my shoulder.”

  “No. Why did you come to the mines?”

  “Because everyone else was,” Yeger said. With every word his jaw hurt more, and he wondered how long it’d be before he passed out. Could he force himself unconscious from the pain? Maybe if he clamped his teeth together really hard. A shiver wracked his body, sending nails through his jaw.

  “Where is the airship, exactly?” Voronina asked.

  She didn’t say which airship, so Yeger said, “A few miles away hidden from sight undercover.”

  “Undercover? What do you mean?”

  “The Machtvolls flew it into a shed.”

  Voronina sucked her upper teeth as she searched his face. Then she spun and marched from the room.

  Yeger sagged, easing the tension from his body, grateful he could stop moving his jaw. That couldn’t have been a success, so why had she left?

  The minutes dragged by and Yeger fought to remain conscious.

  Suddenly, the door banged open, and Yeger jerked upright, wincing.

  Voronina strode into the room, dragging a beaten and bloody Matvei. “If you don’t tell me the whole truth,” Voronina said, a blade appearing in her hand and pressing into Matvei’s neck, “I will kill him. Do you understand?”

  Yeger nodded, his throat tightening.

  “Good. Did you swallow the truth extract?”

  “Yes.”

  “All of it?”

  Something tugged at Yeger’s mind as he opened his mouth to say yes.

  “No,” he said instead.

  What the depths?

  A smile twitched Voronina’s lips. “Oh good. That means I can stop wasting time with Father’s ridiculous extracts and do this the easy way. Torturing you.”