Marked Prince - Michelle M. Pillow Page 0,56

“Brogan is taking her to the mountains where they may live in peace. That is an ending I enjoy. There are not many happy endings to the stories of Shelter City. You know for sure that they are safe?”

Fiora bit her lip and didn’t want to answer. “Brogan and the two babies will live. Dulla will die soon in childbirth.”

Yevgen’s smile faded. “You say that with such certainty. The rumors about your future sight are true.”

“They are,” Fiora said.

“Death of a mother. That sounds more like a story from Shelter City.” Yevgen sighed and nodded.

“Fiora, I’m Payton.” The princess held up her hand. “I was pleased to see you escape the stronghold.”

“Was that you dragging the guard when we jumped off the cliff?” Fiora asked, gesturing to the monitor.

“It was.” Payton gave a small laugh as Fiora’s eyes widened. “Don’t worry. I didn’t eat him or anything. He woke up hours later with a nasty headache. I thought it best to give you all as far of a head start as possible. We didn’t need him alerting the others.”

“Thank you for helping me,” Fiora said.

“You’re welcome. I’m happy you’re free but I have to agree with Yevgen. You shouldn’t be in the city,” Payton said. “Not after what it took to break you out of prison. If they catch you again, we might never get another chance.”

“I have to be here,” Fiora answered. She couldn’t turn away from so many future deaths. “I wish I didn’t, but I do.”

“As much as I want to believe it’s because of my winning personality that you’re all here, I have to believe you’re looking for information.” Yevgen turned to the monitors. “What are you searching for, and what do you have to trade for it? Nothing in Shelter City is free. The future dragon queen already owes me a favor, so it will have to be something else.”

“How about life?” Jaxx asked.

Yevgen spun around on his sling and slid away from them. The monitor lights went from blue to yellow and began to flash a countdown sequence. “Threats don’t work on me.”

“Calm yourself,” Grier stated.

“It’s not a threat,” Salena assured him.

“I wasn’t threatening your life,” Jaxx said.

“I saw a bleak future. A great explosion is going to hit the city,” Fiora explained. She looked at the monitors wondering if this was the beginning of what she saw. “We’re here to stop it. We don’t want to hurt anyone.”

The countdown on the monitors stopped and the yellow faded to blue. She took a deep breath. It was not going to be what caused the explosion.

“And you think it starts here?” Yevgen frowned. “My system is—”

“No.” Fiora kept hold of Jaxx, knowing she would have to let go of him again soon. “I only see the event, not the cause. I need you to show me who might be most likely to blow up the city. I need to narrow down who I’m reading.”

“Are there any troublemakers you think might do something like this?” Salena asked Yevgen.

“Besides the usual?” Yevgen slowly slid back toward them. “Let me check my database.”

“When is this supposed to happen?” Payton asked Fiora.

“I’m not sure. There’s so much information. We’re here trying to narrow it down.” Fiora felt emotionally drained from the moments she’d already seen.

“Has anyone been vocal about ending the city?” Jaxx asked.

“That narrows it down to about three-fourths of the population,” Yevgen answered. “And I guarantee the rest of them think it.”

“Anyone who seems capable of killing?” Salena asked.

“Everyone is capable in the right circumstance,” Fiora answered.

“You’re a dark one, aren’t you?” Yevgen chuckled. “I like you.”

“I’ve been warned that negativity is a side effect of seeing so much.” Fiora glanced at Jaxx. “Though I don’t feel that way when I’m with you. Your presence eases me. You give me hope.”

“Ah, that’s so sweet,” Payton told her friend, teasing him a little. “I’m happy for you, Jaxx.”

“Any threats?” Salena prompted, trying to get the conversation back on track. Fiora realized that Yevgen’s resistance to answering her sister was frustrating Salena greatly.

“And you’re always in a hurry,” Yevgen told Salena, arching a brow toward his screen. “I’ve been monitoring a lot of activity. I’m not sure any of it is what you’re looking for. He placed his hands on a small console beside the monitors. A series of paused videos appeared on the screens to show faces.

“Who is that woman?” Fiora pointed at the redhead that had tried to rescue her from Jaxx.

“Justina,” Payton said.

“She tends to have