A short time later, dragged between two guards, Dex was tossed into one of the cells beneath the Palace. He pushed himself to his hands and knees, making a point to curse at the guards as they locked the door and left to stand guard outside. He sent a rude gesture to the ones still on this side of the room’s main door. They didn’t react. Dex slammed his hands against the bars in frustration, immediately being jolted with a mass amount of energy, throwing him across the cell.

Dex lay on the floor with a pained sigh. What had happened? One moment he’d watched Nephthys kill Jay and Troy, the next he was under the rubble of Vivus. He’d dug himself out and limped toward Iruu but had immediately been attacked by a sabre-tooth tiger. Amneris’ Shifter. The woman had handed him to the teachers who, after what felt like an eternity, handed him to the guards. Then he was here.

Nephthys was gone, abandoned him. A small part of him held onto the hope that something was keeping her from busting him out, but his head and heart both knew she’d thrown him under the bus in favour of taking Hathor. Dex clenched his teeth at the thought of the Princess. If that joke of a Fae and dick of a Wolf hadn’t shown up, he would’ve killed her with his own two hands and risen right to the top of the Rebel Ranks! He would’ve finally got retribution for his home, his family, his friends. From the day that bitch rained down Hell.

Dex sighed again. It was over, wasn’t it?

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“If you’re gonna sigh all day, could ya do it a little quieter?”

Dex tilted his head at the sound of the man’s voice. We wasn’t alone. Someone was in the cell across from his.

“Bit old for an Academy kid,” the man continued. “You look almost my age. If you are a kid, that’s not a compliment.”

Dex managed to lift a hand and flip the man off.

The man laughed. “So, you’re the one behind the attack on the Academy?”

“How did—”

“Guard gossip.” The man moved to sit cross-legged in his cell. “I hear the place was fucking trashed and there were a lot of casualties. Very impressed.”

“It was pretty cool,” Dex said, facing the dark-coloured ceiling.

The man grinned. “Always love it when someone outsmarts Amneris. Pisses her off real good. Makes my day just a little bit brighter.”

The feeling returning to his body, Dex convinced it to sit up. He faced the man properly. “Who are you?”

His smile became sinister. “Let’s just say I’m the Queen’s true number one enemy.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Enliatu only caught her attention because of circumstances.” He jabbed a thumb at his chest. “I’m the real bad guy here.”

“Full of yourself, much?”

The man tilted his head. “You were on a vengeance spree, that much is obvious. Let me guess. Ilsbrook?” Dex nodded. “Too bad what happened there. I liked that city. Well priced Twisters at the bar.” The man shook his head sadly. “Just can’t get a decent one anywhere anymore.”

Dex asked again, “Who are you?”

“Call me Kek.”

Kek? Why was that name familiar?

Before he could think about it more, the man stood and said, “So, kid, you want to cause some trouble for our captors? It’ll be fun.”

Suddenly, Dex didn’t care who this guy was. “Fun, eh? Why not?”