Inferno

by Julie Kagawa

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong.” Cobalt’s voice was light, but his body was still a tense, coiled wire between the Wyrm and us. “It was mostly for a certain red hatchling who has a tendency to leap in front of the lunging dragon before she looks.” He shot me an exasperated glance before turning to Ouroboros again. “But I don’t risk my hide for just any human. The soldier has fought Talon and St. George with us, and in this day and age I’ll take all the allies I can find.”

  The great Wyrm nodded. “Excellent,” he said, confusing the hell out of all of us. “That’s what I wanted to find out.

  “I wanted to test how far you would go to help each other,” Ouroboros explained. “Two dragons and a soldier of St. George might not be enemies, but it is hard to believe they are allies, even harder to believe they are friends. I wished to see if you were truly a team who thought and acted together, or a random group of strangers simply thrown together by circumstance. If it was the latter, I would be wasting my time here. Because I doubt you would survive what is to come.”

  “Then...you weren’t really going to kill him?” I asked, relieved that my voice was working and not frozen in terror at the back of my throat.

  “Oh, I definitely would have killed him,” Ouroboros said. “Had you not moved to defend the soldier, he would be nothing but a dissolving lump in my stomach right now.” He paused, running a tongue along his teeth. “Mmm, it has been a long time since I’ve eaten a mortal,” he mused in a longing voice. “Perhaps I should start demanding sacrifices again.”

  I shuddered, and beside me, Cobalt curled a lip. Ouroboros didn’t seem to notice. “You want to strike a blow against Talon,” he continued. “But guts and determination alone do not win wars. If you are going to fight the organization, you’ll need soldiers, allies to assist in the struggle. I can help with both.”

  “How?” Cobalt asked. “Will you be joining us?”

  My heart beat faster at the thought. If we had a Wyrm like this on our side, the second-oldest dragon in the world, we might have a chance of bringing Talon down for good.

  But Ouroboros snorted. “It has been over three hundred years since I have spoken to any of my kind, and in that three hundred years, Talon and the Elder Wyrm have finally forgotten that I exist. Or, at the very least, they have concluded that I am dead. If I returned with you, I would be letting all of Talon know that I am very much alive, and the Elder Wyrm will not stand for that sort of competition.”

  “But...you’re a Wyrm,” I protested. “You could help us win this war. Countless dragons are being used and destroyed by Talon. How can you sit back and do nothing?”

  “Nothing?” The Wyrm’s voice held the hint of a growl, warning me to watch myself in the lair of a god. “I am doing something, hatchling,” he went on. “I have called you here. Because an opportunity has arisen, and I see a chance to strike at the Elder Wyrm and Talon. But the future is hazy, and Talon is on the move. It is not yet time for me to reveal myself. Especially as I am unsure that you will survive this war, or indeed the next encounter.

  “I called you here,” Ouroboros continued, “because I have information that may be helpful to your cause. I think you, in particular, will find this very interesting, ex-Agent Cobalt. As you stated earlier, a war is coming. You cannot take on an organization as large as Talon with a ragtag group of hatchlings and rogues. You’re going to need allies willing to fight the organization, and you have very few at the moment.”

  You could still help us, I thought stubbornly, though I knew better than to say it out loud. Best not to annoy the giant Wyrm that could flick you over the wall like a bug. Still, it was infuriating. We’d come all this way, leaving behind friends and those still in danger from Talon, to meet with the world’s most legendary rogue. Only to have him say he couldn’t be bothered to fight Talon with us.

  I felt my spines bristle. Cobalt gave me a warning look, as if he knew what I was thinking, and turned to face the Wyrm again.

  “I take it you happen to know where we can find a few,” he said.

  Ouroboros chuckled. “Oh, you could say that. The dragons there are quite unhappy with the organization, and some of them have been there for a very long time. They would be more than eager to join the fight against Talon, I would think. If you can get to them.”

  I looked at Cobalt, saw him frown slightly as he pondered what the Wyrm was saying, then draw in a slow breath as he figured it out.

  “The facilities,” he breathed, staring at Ouroboros. “You know where Talon is keeping the breeder dragons.”

  My stomach twisted. There was so much hope and longing in Cobalt’s voice, even after all this time. After years of searching, countless traps, false leads, betrayals, failures and disappointments, he still held out hope that, one day, he would find the place Talon kept their breeder females and rescue them all. It was one of his life goals, probably the biggest one, the white rabbit he kept chasing no matter how many dark holes it led him down. Maybe this time, Ouroboros would give Riley what he desperately wanted. But I couldn’t help but be skeptical. The last time we’d followed a lead to where the facilities were supposedly located, it had been a clever trap that had nearly killed us all.

  “Yes,” Ouroboros said. “I do.”

  Riley

  “Where are they?”

  Ouroboros tilted his head slightly. I suspected that if he’d been in human form he would’ve arched an eyebrow. What would he look like in human form—if he even had a human form? Maybe he’d been out here so long, away from everyone except the natives who worshiped him, that he hadn’t Shifted in the three hundred years he’d been out of Talon.

  Realizing that the self-proclaimed god of the jungle probably wouldn’t appreciate having answers demanded of him by some cocky Juvenile dragon, I hurried on. “I mean, I’ve searched for those facilities for years, but everything I’ve found has been a dead end or a trap. Talon has hidden them so well that if I wasn’t part of the Basilisk branch myself, I would’ve thought they didn’t exist.”

  “Oh, they exist,” Ouroboros said. “And the reason you haven’t been able to find them is because you weren’t looking in the right places. That, and the location is very difficult to get to. The facilities are located on a privately owned, unnamed island.”

  “An island,” I breathed. Of course, why hadn’t I thought of that before? A privately owned island was isolated, hard to reach and cut off from the rest of the world: the perfect place to hide a large number of captive female dragons.

  “Yes.” Ouroboros nodded. “Talon owns the island, of course, so no one is allowed to set foot on it. Not that anyone would attempt it. Because here is the interesting part. The island is located a few hundred miles east of the Caribbean, in the area known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle.”

  “The...Bermuda Triangle?” I choked out.

  “Indeed. That is where you’ll find Talon’s breeding facilities, ex-Agent Cobalt. Though getting to it is going to be a challenge. It won’t be like breaking into a single office building. You must circumvent the security of an entire island. And if you somehow manage to get to the breeders, how will you get them out again? How will you even get them off the island?” Ouroboros folded his claws in front of him, regarding me with appraising red eyes. “If you can accomplish this, young Basilisk, you will have pulled off what dozens of rogues around the world could only dream of.” One corner of that narrow maw pulled into a smirk. “As such, I myself have very little hope that any of you will survive. But I will wait, and see what happens. Perhaps you will surprise me.”

  He chuckled and rose to his feet, engulfing everything in his shadow. “Well,” he stated, “I believe our business is at an end. It has been entertaining, if nothing else.” He paused, and the subtle warning that crept into his voice made my stomach writhe in fear. “Of course, it goes without saying that you will not mention my name, or my location, to anyone. What transpired h
ere does not leave this jungle.” His red eyes narrowed, glittering coldly, and I resisted the urge to shrink into the temple floor as the Wyrm loomed over us like a Titan. A massive, unstoppable force of nature. “I am placing a great deal of trust that you will keep this meeting strictly confidential,” he rumbled, making tremors ripple through the ground. “But if word that I am alive does happen to reach the organization, do not believe that I won’t find you. And if that happens, you and everyone who has ever known you will be consumed, until there is no one left who remembers your name.

  “Ember Hill.” Ouroboros glanced at the red hatchling, who met his gaze calmly despite the subtle trembling in her wings. “Daughter of the Elder Wyrm. I am pleased that we could meet face-to-face. But know this—I see much of her in you, and that can be both a blessing and a curse. Choose your path wisely—it would be a shame to kill you before you reach your full potential.”

  Ember raised her chin, standing tall as she faced the giant Wyrm. “Are you sure you won’t join us, Ouroboros?” she asked. “The war is going to affect everyone, even you, whether you like it or not. Stand with us. This could be your chance to finally strike back against Talon and the Elder Wyrm.”

  He snorted a laugh and began walking away, back toward the maze of ruined stone and crumbling towers. Pebbles bounced and vibrations ran up my legs as Ouroboros drew away, his long tail swaying behind him. “I have been patient for three hundred years,” he said without looking back. “I can be patient awhile longer. Go to the island. Free the breeder females, if you can. We will see if you are successful, or if Talon proves to be too much for you to handle, after all. Perhaps you will die, and Talon will continue their plans unopposed. Maybe all of this will have been for nothing.”

  He turned a corner, sliding behind stone walls and jungle foliage, until only his tail was left. His final words echoed as the tail disappeared, and the ancient Wyrm vanished back into legend and rumor.

  “But maybe not.”

  Dante

  “I have a task for you, Dante.”

  I stood in the Elder Wyrm’s office, waiting silently as the CEO of Talon finished whatever was on her computer and turned to me with piercing green eyes. Even now, after numerous meetings, being summoned to her side, knowing my heritage and carrying out her orders, that ancient, unyielding stare could still make my knees tremble and my insides squirm in terror. I was getting better at controlling it, though, to appear calm and poised as the heir to Talon should be. Now, I politely averted my gaze and nodded, keeping my voice deferent but calm, to let her know I was suited for whatever task she required.

  “Of course. What would you have me do?”

  My heart pounded. This would be my chance to redeem myself, to make up for my failure and inability to complete the last mission, which was the complete destruction of St. George’s Western Chapterhouse. Victory should have been assured; the Order was in shambles with the death of the Patriarch, and they’d cut themselves off from each other as a result. We had greater numbers and surprise on our side; we should have completely wiped them out, to the last man. Ironically, I had failed because of my own sister’s interference; her sudden arrival with Cobalt and a small army of rogue dragons was enough to turn the tide and save a handful of soldiers. Enemy soldiers. Soldiers of the Order of St. George, who had hunted dragons toward extinction for hundreds of years. Why Ember was helping our sworn enemies I had no idea, but lately my sibling’s actions had been so frustrating and completely unreasonable that I wondered if it was just to spite me and give Talon the middle finger.

  It didn’t matter in the long run. The Order had still been broken; they were no longer a threat to Talon or any of our operations. But because of Ember, the Elder Wyrm’s faith in me had been shaken. And that was something I could not forgive. I had worked too hard, and come too far, to lose this position because my reckless, defiant twin refused to cooperate.

  I was almost to the top. One more step, and then I would truly be free.

  “Our enemies have been scattered to the winds,” the Elder Wyrm said, rising from her seat. “The Order of St. George threatens us no more. But there are still dragons out there who refuse to ally with Talon. Cobalt and his rogues have proved surprisingly resilient, though they will not be able to stand against us much longer.

  “However...” The Elder Wyrm turned and walked to the window, observing the city below as she often did. “There are other dragons, older, very powerful dragons, who could be instrumental in the coming conflicts. We have received word that a few Eastern dragons survived the Night of Fang and Fire, that their lairs were empty when our forces came for them. It is likely that the Eastern dragon who currently aids Cobalt and Ember was able to warn them of the attack, which is another small thorn that must be removed. So be it.” She turned from the window, fixing me with a piercing stare. “Dante, you will go to China, to the council of Eastern dragons, and you will give them a message. Join Talon, or die. There will be no compromise.”

  My mouth went dry. Destroying the Order of St. George was one thing. Threatening an entire race of dragons, especially when they simply wished to be left alone, was another. I forced myself to speak calmly. “Of course. Although, if I may, the Eastern dragons have long been known for their reclusiveness and their unwillingness to take part in the war. Would it not be better to leave them alone, rather than expend lives and resources to hunt them down?”

  “Perhaps.” The Elder Wyrm turned back to the window, looking thoughtful. “Certainly, the Eastern dragons would prefer to remain neutral and unopposed, as they always have. But that time is done. All dragons must unite under one banner, one organization. We offered to make a place for the Eastern dragons before and they refused, but now they have seen our strength, and they know they cannot stand against us. I would prefer to have our proud cousins willingly join our cause, but if they do not, they declare themselves enemies of not only Talon, but the rest of dragonkind. We cannot have any opposition in this new world we are creating, Dante. There can be no loose threads hanging in the wind, not this late in the game. No, you will stand before the Eastern council, and you will deliver Talon’s message. This is their final chance. Be certain that they understand.”

  I took a furtive breath and nodded. “It will be done.”

  The Elder Wyrm turned from the window, and her eyes glittered as she continued to regard me across the room. “This is a test for you, as well, Dante,” she said quietly, making my stomach curl and my pulse thud in my ears. “The Eastern council is comprised of the oldest, most powerful dragons in all of China. You will be far from home, far from the protection of Talon. And the Night of Fang and Fire has decimated their numbers. They will be angry. Neutrality and pacifism aside, they are still dragons—they will want revenge for themselves and their people. If you speak to them as a mere hatchling, demanding they join us or die, they will destroy you without a thought. And neither I nor anyone in Talon will be able to save you.”

  I felt a stab of very real fear, imagining myself surrounded by ancient dragons, eyes blazing with anger and hate as they loomed over me. If even one of them decided to end the life of Talon’s representative, there would be nothing I could do about it. Even taking Gila bodyguards would be useless against dragons that old and powerful; they would crush us all without a thought.

  “However,” the Elder Wyrm went on, “you are not a mere hatchling. You are the heir to Talon, the prince of an empire, and the Voice of the Elder Wyrm. If you convince them of that, they will not dare to touch you.” The ghost of a smile touched her lips as she turned and walked back to her desk, her final words causing a chill to settle at the base of my spine. “Now go, and take Talon’s message to the Eastern council. We will see if you are truly worthy of your title.”

  Riley

  “This is bloody impossible, Riley.” Wes sighed.

  I glared at him. The six of us—myself, Ember, St. George, Mist, Jade and Wes
—stood in what had once been the tornado shelter of the old farmhouse. It had been repurposed as the command center, mostly because it was the only room that could fit four dragons, a hacker and a soldier of St. George without curious hatchlings wandering in. And that was a good thing, because my temper was running very short, and I was likely to snap at the first teenager who poked his head in wanting to know what we were doing.

  The rest of the trip from Brazil had been uneventful. No ambushes, no vessels or agents of Talon leaping out to kill us in the middle of the jungle. No ancient Wyrm swooping in to swallow us in one bite. Though Ember had ranted a bit about spending more time in airport lines than the meeting with Ouroboros. We’d left the Amazon, caught a ride back to civilization and flown home as quickly as we could. I’d arrived at the farmhouse half dreading Talon had already come and that nothing remained but charred, blackened skeletons of both buildings and hatchlings in their wake. But nearly everything was as I left it, and everyone was accounted for: twelve hatchlings, one human hacker and two female dragons. As she had promised, Jade had taken over in my absence, and the hatchlings had developed an almost fanatical respect for the Asian woman.

  Mist had been with them, as well, though no one could tell me what she had been doing while we were in Brazil. I’d told Wes what we’d learned as soon as I could reach him, and Mist had gotten ahold of that information, too, because somehow she had been able to acquire an old map of the island, one that detailed the layout of the facility, the buildings, the fence line, everything. When I’d demanded to know where the hell she had gotten it, she’d told me her employer had been able to dig up the old blueprint and send it to her. She wouldn’t say anything more, except that her mystery employer wished us luck with our mission, that he approved of us taking down the facility and would send us more information as he acquired it.