Going Down in Flames (Entangled Teen)

by Chris Cannon

  Her grandfather continued speaking. “I convinced the Directorate to strengthen security on campus. Cameras will be installed in various locations, including outside Bryn’s room. Which reminds me, why do you live with the Black dragons?”

  “I started with the Green dragons. After I was poisoned, I moved in with my friends so they could help me recuperate.”

  “Do we have any leads on today’s incident?” Merrick asked.

  The corners of her grandfather’s mouth turned down. “When we decided to place the witnesses in the library, we called a plumber to make sure the facilities were functional. It’s not a room either of us spends much time in. Whoever came to the estate this morning was an imposter. The actual plumber was found dead in the back of his van.”

  Oh my God. Someone was dead because of her. Tears flooded her eyes. “What is wrong with these people? What do they want?”

  “They want you dead,” Ferrin stated from the doorway.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “Ferrin, have a little tact,” her grandfather said.

  Bryn glared at the man she thought responsible for the attempts on her life. “Like you wouldn’t love to see me blown to bits.”

  “You think I was behind this mess today?” Ferrin looked at her like she was insane. “Do you honestly think I’d plant a bomb that would endanger my son?”

  “If it meant getting back at my mom, you might.”

  “That’s enough.” Her grandfather smacked the table top, rattling all the dishes. “Bryn, you’ll apologize for making such a ridiculous statement.”

  She dug her nails into her palms. “Sorry, I might be a bit irrational because someone keeps trying to kill me.”

  Ferrin walked over to sit by his wife. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating the first incident. You probably had a bad case of food poisoning.”

  Flames crawled up the back of her throat. With effort, she pushed them down. Her control wouldn’t last long around Ferrin. Best to relocate. “May I be excused? I’ve lost my appetite.”

  Her grandmother opened her mouth, but was cut off by her grandfather.

  “You’ll stay here. Ferrin will keep his absurd opinions to himself.” He smiled. “Abigail, we won’t wait for everyone to finish eating. You can serve dessert.”

  Was it too much to hope Ferrin choked on his food?

  Abigail set a large piece of coconut cream pie by Bryn’s water glass. The tips of the meringue were golden brown. She took a bite. The meringue melted in her mouth. The coconut flavor was sublime. When it was gone, she sighed.

  Merrick slid his pie to her.

  “Are you sure? It’s the best pie I’ve ever tasted.”

  “Coconut has never been my favorite.”

  “Thanks.” She dug into the second piece of pie and chose to ignore the smirk on her grandfather’s face. Let him think what he wanted. It would take more than a slice of pie to make her abandon her moral code and become someone’s mistress.

  Once she finished, her eyes grew heavy. She checked the clock hanging on the far wall. It was only seven? It felt like midnight. “When are we returning to school?”

  “You’re staying the night,” her grandfather announced as he poured cream into his after dinner coffee. “We’ll have security in place at the Institute tomorrow.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate everything you’ve done.”

  Her grandmother stood. “I’ll show you to a room.”

  Were her mother’s old rooms nearby? Would they let her see them if she asked? If she could form a relationship with her grandparents, would they let her mother back into their lives? It was a lot to think about.

  As she stood, her muscles protested. It felt like she’d run a marathon. Thankfully, she didn’t have to walk far. Her grandmother led her to a room diagonally across the hall.

  “You’ll find new pajamas and whatever else you might need in the dresser and armoire.”

  Bryn placed her hand on the doorknob and hesitated. The sensation of being blown backward replayed in her mind. Jaw clenched, she turned the knob. She couldn’t be afraid to open doors for the rest of her life. Her muscles relaxed when the door swung open to reveal a room decorated in shades of blue. A four-poster bed sat on one side of the room. A small sitting area filled the rest of the space.

  She stepped inside, expecting her grandmother to follow. Instead, the older woman closed the door without a word. Bryn yanked the door open. Her grandmother stopped walking. Without turning back, she asked, “Did you need something?”

  “No. I wanted to thank you for helping me.”

  “If you require anything else, there’s a bellpull in the bath.”

  Unbelievable. She restrained her instinct to slam the door. Pushing it closed, she muttered, “Don’t be offended. Your grandmother isn’t a warm person.”

  A search of the top dresser drawer turned up unopened packages of pajamas in several different colors and sizes. The next drawer revealed an odd assortment of new underthings. Why would anyone keep these items on hand? Maybe her grandparents liked to be prepared for surprise guests?

  Or, her grandfather kept clothes on hand for different females who spent the night. She cringed.

  On impulse, she investigated the armoire. Inside, she found new dresses. The exact dress she wore hung on a hanger. She checked the tag. It was a larger size. Her grandmother hadn’t gone far to find new clothes after all.

  Don’t think about it. Just go to sleep. After changing into a pair of gray and black striped pajamas, she climbed into bed. The sheets were cool and crisp. She adjusted the pillows once and drifted into oblivion.

  …

  The sound of a door opening invaded her dreams. She struggled to hold on to the images, but the scene disappeared. Her eyes flew open. Where was she? It took a moment to remember she was at her grandparents’ house. Where someone had tried to kill her. Again.

  What woke her up?

  The dark outline of a man stood silhouetted in the light from the hall. He entered and pulled the door closed. The dim light from the lamp on the dresser didn’t allow her to see who it was. If he were friendly, he would’ve said something by now. Who the hell was in her room?

  “Bryn, are you awake?”

  “Awake and terrified. Damn it, Merrick, why didn’t you say something when you opened the door?”

  “Sorry.” He turned on the overhead light. “I wasn’t thinking. It’s been a long day.” He moved across the room and sat on the couch. “We need to talk.”

  The clock on the nightstand said eight, which meant she’d laid down an hour ago. What could have happened since then? Only one way to find out. She joined him on the couch. “What’s up?”

  He studied her. “You look odd in real pajamas.”

  Like she needed this right now. “Did you stop by to annoy me?”

  “No. There are a few things I can’t figure out. You might have a different perspective. Why would someone take the chance of breaking into your grandparents’ house to attack you? It’d be easier to reach you on campus.”

  “That’s a comforting thought.”

  “We’re increasing security at school. You’ll be safe there when we return.”

  Sure she would. “Maybe they wanted to prove the secret Directorate meeting wasn’t a secret.”

  His eyebrows came together. “You’re right. The second attack may have been meant to show the Directorate they aren’t invulnerable.”

  “I don’t get it. I’m against the Directorate playing God. Why would the Radical Revisionists target me?”

  “Radical Revisionists is an interesting term. Where did you hear it?”

  “I don’t know. Zavien represents the regular Revisionists. He preaches peaceful change. The dragons who live in the forest preach radical change, so that’s what I call them.”

  Merrick rubbed his hand over his jaw. “They are a constant thorn in the Directorate’s side, but I don’t believe they’d target you.”

  “Not that I want to think abou
t this, but was the bomb large enough to kill me?”

  “On most doors, the bomb would’ve been strong enough to kill several people. Your grandfather’s resistance to change saved your life. That door was original to the house. It’s much thicker and heavier than most doors in modern homes.”

  “Damn it.” Ferrin was right. Someone wanted her dead. She sniffled. If Zavien were here, she’d lay her head on his chest for comfort. Merrick would have to do. “I’m about thirty seconds away from crying. Could you give me a friend-type hug?”

  He moved closer and placed an arm around her shoulders. “Of course.”

  She leaned against him. His solid warmth was reassuring. “Thanks. I need a friend right now.”

  Something touched her knee.

  She glanced down and discovered what was left of her dragon necklace. The locket was flat in the middle and the wings bent up. It would never open.

  “I think the protection charm is gone. I haven’t been nervous without the key.”

  “It’s possible you drained this one.”

  A lump came to Bryn’s throat. She lifted her head from his shoulder and picked up the locket. “Maybe Talia could order another one for me.”

  “I found something which might make a suitable replacement.” Merrick pulled a small black velvet bag from his pocket.

  Curious, she took the bag and dumped the contents onto her palm. A dragon with sapphire eyes and outstretched wings stared at her. Each scale on the dragon’s body was a separate ridge of gold and the veins of his wings were crafted from platinum. It was far more detailed than her original locket. The gold chain it hung from was thicker than the one from Talia’s store.

  Something about this made her uneasy. “This is a gift from a friend, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you. It’s beautiful. Where’d you find it?”

  “I called around. You’d be surprised how rare dragon lockets are.” He smirked. “Some people believe they’re in poor taste.”

  “They’re wrong.”

  The door from the hall opened, and Lillith poked her head in. “May we join you?”

  “Come in.” Bryn held the dragon out. “Merrick found a replacement for my necklace.”

  “Did he?” Lillith froze a few feet in the door. “You’re not dressed. Would you like us to come back later?”

  Bryn checked the front of her pajamas. The dark stripes hid the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. “The last time we spoke I was wearing a sheet, so I think it’s all right for you to see me in pajamas.”

  Lillith appeared at a loss for words.

  Jaxon rubbed his hand down his face. “This is what I told you about, Mother. Most people know not to say such things. She just blurts them out.”

  Bryn ignored him.

  His mother smoothed the situation over. “Let me see your necklace.”

  She held the dragon out for Lillith to inspect.

  “It’s unusual.”

  “It’s tacky,” Jaxon muttered.

  “I like it.” Bryn secured the chain around her neck. Replacing one lost item made her wonder about her other possessions. “I hate to ask, but did either of our book bags survive the explosion?”

  “My bag is singed, but intact,” Jaxon said. “I don’t remember seeing yours. Why don’t we go investigate? I’m tired of sitting around making useless small talk.”

  Bryn stood. “Lead the way, Mr. Crabbypants.”

  Merrick stifled a laugh. “Bryn, your grandmother will have a coronary if you leave the room in your current attire.”

  “Fine.” She rolled her eyes. “Give me a minute to change.” The navy dress hung on the back of the bathroom door where she’d left it. Before she shut the door, she called out, “Could someone check to see if there are any shoes out there?”

  Merrick handed her a pair of black slippers when she emerged from the bath. “This is the best I could do. Wait here while I check to see if we can access the library.”

  “I’ll come with you.” Lillith stood and followed him toward the door. “I wanted to speak with you about a family matter.”

  Ignoring the scowl on Jaxon’s face, Bryn joined him on the couch.

  “Can’t you see what he’s doing?” Jaxon asked.

  “Uhm…you lost me.”

  “I’m talking about Merrick. He lied at dinner. He likes coconut cream pie.”

  “So? He was being nice.”

  Jaxon shook his head. “You can’t be this naive. He’s been hovering over you since the bomb went off. He bought you a replacement for your necklace.”

  She didn’t like where this was going. “You’re wrong. Merrick and I discussed this. He’s just a friend. Nothing more.”

  “You can’t be that naive. He’s setting himself up to be your benefactor. A benefactor you claim not to want.”

  And now she remembered why she’d shot a fireball at Jaxon’s head. “You’re such a jerk.”

  Merrick cleared his throat. “Did we miss something?”

  Bryn discovered Merrick and Lillith standing in the doorway. “You didn’t miss anything. It’s back to life as usual. Jaxon lives to irritate me.”

  “Yes, that’s it. My entire life revolves around you.” He stood and stalked to the door.

  “Coming?” Merrick asked.

  Once they reached the library, Bryn wished she’d stayed in her room. The destruction was worse than she imagined. Charred books littered the floor. Soot clung to every surface. The couch and chairs were burned to their steel frames.

  Something glimmered on the floor. She waded through ash and scraps of paper to investigate. It was Zavien’s pen. She picked it up and examined it. Did the tracking charm still work?

  “What did you find?” Merrick asked.

  “My pen… It was inside my book bag.”

  “If that’s that case, then I believe your book bag is ash.” Merrick gave an apologetic smile.

  Bryn rolled the silver pen over in her hand. It was all she had left. Her books were destroyed. Her book bag was mixed in the ash on the floor. Even the clothes she’d worn were gone.

  None of this made sense. She’d never wanted to come here in the first place. If Ferrin and the damn Directorate would’ve left her alone, she’d be at home right now, eating ice cream with her father, and no one would be trying to kill her. Her heart rate increased, and her breath came faster. Why wouldn’t these people leave her alone? She’d done nothing to deserve all this grief. Smoke shot from her nostrils as rage banked the fire in her gut.

  Jaxon pulled his mother back toward the door. “We’ll wait in the hall.”

  Bryn closed her eyes and reveled in the power of the fire growing inside her.

  Merrick’s hand touched her lower back. “Bryn, keep control.”

  Control? She had no control. The Directorate had taken everything away from her. She wanted to destroy something, smash it and burn it as badly as they’d smashed and destroyed her life. Letting go of all this anger would feel so good. All she had to do was open her mouth and take a deep breath, and nothing in her path would survive…but she’d be playing right into the Directorate’s hands. The Directorate would claim she was a danger to herself and others. They’d lock her away or something worse.

  The fire inside of her tried to claw its way out. She couldn’t let that happen. Closing her eyes, she focused on the red and orange flames and changed them into a pure white stream of Quintessence.

  After a few slow breaths, she visualized the white light flowing through her body, healing the remnants of her wounds and calming her mind.

  She needed to figure out who was behind this mess and how to stop them. After one more cleansing breath, she opened her eyes and turned to Merrick.

  “I need answers.”

  “We’re investigating all possible leads. We’ll find the individuals responsible for this.”

  She gripped the silver pen tighter. “There’s more to it than that. I need to know why. What would killing me accomplish?”
>
  “I believe the poisoning was fueled by jealousy.”

  The ugly truth pressed down on her. “You’re wrong. This is about hatred and fear of the unknown. They don’t know what I’m capable of, and that scares them. It’s time to show them what I can do.”

  “What did you have in mind?” Merrick asked.

  “The Directorate members, are they still here?”

  He checked his watch. “Most of them should be. Do you want me to speak with them?”

  “No.” She could handle this on her own. “It’s time I introduced myself.”

  She stalked past him into the hall. “Lillith, do you have a pair of shoes I could borrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. If I’m going to kick ass, I need a proper pair of shoes.”

  She left Lillith and Jaxon gaping in her wake as she marched up the stairs. As an afterthought, she yelled back, “Could you bring them to my room, please?”

  Back in her bedroom, she searched the armoire until she found a black sheath dress, which made her look like someone who should be taken seriously.

  She used Quintessence to color her lips, eyes, and cheeks. In the dresser, she found a package of thigh highs. She’d finished putting them on when Lillith entered the room.

  “I hope these are the butt-kicking shoes you wanted. They always made me feel special.”

  Bryn took the black pumps with clear and colored rhinestones on the toes. “They’re perfect. Thank you.”

  Lillith pulled a blue velvet box from her handbag and popped it open. “I thought you could borrow these.”

  The diamond and sapphire earrings sparkled in the light. “They’re gorgeous.” And they must cost a fortune. “Are you sure? If I lost one, I couldn’t replace it.”

  “I can, so it doesn’t matter. Put them on.”

  She checked her reflection in the mirror. The chic black dress combined with the shoes and earrings gave her an air of sophistication combined with a don’t-mess-with-me-or-I-just-might-kick-your-ass attitude. She shifted her stance, and the stones on her shoes caught the light. An absurd idea invaded her brain. “Lillith, are those diamonds and sapphires on the shoes, too?”