Ardos, Cipher's Grand Master, is in jail. Over 20 years have passed since Snag Machines and the Purify Chamber were needed. A land where the sun outshines the gale of darkness seems too hostile for evil to thrive.
When two International Police offic...
The cloudy sky over Agate Village was dark. Gentle snow fell. Amber sat on her childhood bedroom's floor with the family laptop. Her back hurt from cramming in to the single bed with Trip, which she felt a little as she relaxed knowing Naaji and Charizard were safe, but she mostly remained physically numb.
Her heart still ached for Dragonite. She knew there was nothing she could have done to save it. She didn't feel, however, that she could say the same about Jamie or even Camden.
A hand brushed her shoulder. She glanced distantly up. She thought Trip was asleep. He knelt beside her. He knew before he saw the screen what she was looking at: Jamie's first mugshot, aged 19, when he was arrested for drunkenly screeching down Nascott City's central avenue at 104mph.
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Trip also knew exactly what Amber was going to ask, to herself more than anyone else: 'How didn't we know?'
'He was such a good actor, Amber. So was Lavender, apparently. It was impossible to know that anything was wrong when he was so cheerful and positive when he spoke to us.'
It was easier for Trip to tell Amber that than to tell himself. He believed it when he told her. He doubted it when he considered his own role in Jamie's path. Still, he couldn't help a weary smile.
'Sorry. I can't look at that mugshot of Cam's with a straight face. I love how they always use that one instead of the ones where he looks ashamed.'
'Yours is actually funny. I still think it's hilarious that my jock husband was road racing in his souped-up jock-mobile with flames on it. But I can laugh at that because I know you were mortified the next morning and it was a one-off. You hardly ever drink. I can even laugh at that one of Cam's because honestly – him and Blue fighting, then hugging and kissing at the police station...'
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