by Julie Kagawa
“No, I’ve never seen him before,” I said, relieved as the doors closed and the elevator began to move. Had anyone else gotten on, I would have half expected them to pull a gun or a knife as soon as the doors shut. The soldier had made me completely paranoid. “Should we follow him?” I asked, as the numbers climbed steadily toward our floor. “Do you think he’s with Talon or the Order?”
“If he is, there’s nothing we can do about it now,” Garret answered, far too calmly. “We have to get to Wes, see if he’s heard anything from Riley or Ava. Maybe they’re already here.”
I clung to that small flicker of hope as the elevator doors finally opened and we stepped onto our floor. I made myself walk, not run, to Wes’s door and rap on the wood.
It swung back almost instantly, and Wes peered out with wild hazel eyes, making my heart sink. “About bloody time you got here!” he hissed, stepping back to let us in. His room was disheveled, torn apart…and empty, as I’d feared. “Where the hell is Riley?”
“Not here,” I answered, as the hollow feeling in my stomach opened into a dark, yawning pit, swallowing me whole. Garret locked the door and stood against it, gazing through the peephole, and Faith hovered anxiously, looking confused and lost.
Wes shot me a glare full of venom. “I bloody well see that! That’s not what I asked,” he snarled. “Where is Riley? I’ve been trying to contact him for hours. Is he all right? Is he dead? Where is he?”
“I don’t know!”
“What do you mean, you don’t know?”
“We were separated.” Garret eased back from the door, apparently satisfied that we weren’t followed and that no one lurked in the halls. “The Order swarmed the building. We had to take different routes back to the hotel.”
“Well, that’s bloody fantastic,” Wes snapped, throwing up his arms. “So the Order is out there, hunting him down, and you two blighters went and left him to die.”
At that, Faith burst into tears. Wes jumped and looked at her strangely, as if just realizing she was there. Covering her face with her hands, the girl turned into the corner and shook violently with sobs.
“My fault,” she gasped, her voice muffled. “This is my fault. Ava knew I was unhappy in Talon. She convinced me to run with her. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.” Her voice trailed off into more muted sobbing, and Wes ran a hand down his face.
“Bollocks,” he muttered, sounding both annoyed and sympathetic, which surprised me. “I didn’t even see her there. I suppose this is one of the hatchlings you went to rescue?”
“Her name is Faith,” I said, as Faith didn’t look like she could introduce herself at that point. “There’s another one out there, too, with Riley.”
“Ava,” Faith supplied, her voice small and choked with tears. “Her n-name is Ava. And if she dies, it’ll be my fault.” Turning into the corner, she collapsed into helpless sobs again.
Garret watched the crying girl for a moment, then looked at me, clearly lost. Sighing, I stepped forward, put an arm around her shoulders and drew her away from the wall. She sniffled and turned into me, hiding her face, her whole body shaking against mine.
“There was a man in the hotel,” Garret went on, looking at Wes, while I rubbed Faith’s back and waited for her to calm down. “We saw him at the bottom of the elevators. Dark, tall, wearing a red suit. He looked suspicious. Any reason we should be concerned?”
“Red suit?” Wes rubbed the bridge of his nose. “That’s just Griffin, one of Riley’s contacts. And yes, the blighter is shady as hell, but I don’t think we have to worry about him. I’m more concerned about Riley at the moment.” He looked at Garret, narrowing his eyes. “Did you say the Order was waiting for you?”
“They ambushed us at the hotel,” Garret replied. “We had to split up.”
“That’s bloody suspicious,” Wes muttered, crossing his arms. “No one knew where you were going. The only ones with that information were me and…” He trailed off, the color draining from his face. “Bloody bastard,” he whispered. “I’ll kill him. If Riley doesn’t, I’ll shoot the blighter myself.”
“Can you get a lock on Riley’s phone?” Garret asked, before I could ask who Wes meant. Apparently, that information was obvious to everyone but me. The human shook his head.
“What do you think I’ve been doing the past hour, mate?” he snapped. “No, I can’t get a signal. It’s either turned off or dead. Which could mean all sorts of things, but I don’t like the implications of any of them, do you?”
Faith hiccupped, still shaking, possibly from the effort not to burst into tears again. I grimaced, feeling sick and tense and frayed myself. I wanted to know what had happened to Riley, too, but the amount of stress and tension in the room wasn’t helping Faith and was driving my own dragon crazy. If I didn’t step away soon, I was going to snap.
“I’m taking her to my room,” I told the boys, pushing back the lock and pulling the door open. “You two stay here, girl talk only.” Garret watched anxiously from the room, then followed us into the corridor. “Garret, we’ll be all right,” I said as he frowned in protest. “Keep waiting for Riley. I’ll be right across the hall if anything happens.”
He shook his head. “No, we’re not separating anymore tonight. Take care of Faith, or whatever you have to do. I’ll be right outside the door. If St. George or Talon does show up, I’ll see them coming.”
I nodded, too exhausted to argue. We crossed the hall, and I slid the key card into the slot then pushed the door open, letting Faith into the room before looking at Garret. He leaned beside the door frame with his back to the wall, his eyes scanning the corridor in both directions before fixing on me. I gave him a tired smile.
“Thanks,” I whispered. “I won’t be long.”
“I’ll be here.”
My stomach fluttered. He was so close, gunmetal eyes intense, watching me with that protective stare. I wanted to lean up and kiss him, but Faith waited for me in the room, and now really wasn’t the time. I reached out and squeezed his arm instead, before ducking through the frame.
Faith stood in the center of the floor with her arms around herself and a dazed look on her face. “Sorry about Wes,” I told her as the door clicked behind me. “He’s a little uptight, if you couldn’t tell. Wish I could say that he’s not usually such a bastard, but…well, he is.”
The other hatchling didn’t answer. Or even look at me. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes huge and glassy beneath the tangle of curls. She looked very young, barely a teenager, though I knew she had to be at least sixteen.
Or maybe not. Maybe she hadn’t even started assimilation, that period when hatchlings were placed with guardians in the mortal world, to learn to “blend in” with humans. It was after assimilation that Talon decided where you fit within the organization. Maybe Faith hadn’t even gotten that far, and Talon was all she’d ever known.
I hoped she hadn’t gone into shock and shut down completely. I didn’t know what I was going to do if she’d hit zombie mode.
“Are you hungry?” I asked, figuring that was a good place to start. I knew I’d be hungry if I’d gone through what she had. Come to think of it, I was. Faith blinked at me, still looking dazed, and I tried again. “Hey, are you hungry? I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. There’s snacks below the television stand, or we could order room service.”
She shook her head. “I’m not hungry,” she whispered. Well, at least she was talking. “But thank you.”
“Not hungry?” The idea was unthinkable. “Are you sure? Check this out.” I opened the cupboard to display the wealth of snacks. No hatchling I’d ever heard of could resist chocolate. After a moment’s hesitation, Faith edged forward and plucked a Snickers bar from the shelf, making me sigh in relief.
Grabbing a bag of peanut M&M’s for myself, I hopped onto the bed and
crossed my legs, motioning Faith to the other side of the mattress. She sat carefully, like she was afraid of wrinkling the covers. I leaned against the headboard and watched her, feeling a weird prickle of déjà vu. It was strange, having another dragon in my room, especially another female. It reminded me a bit of the sleepovers at Lexi’s house in Crescent Beach, where the two of us would stay up all night, eating junk food and talking about various human things, usually surfing and boys. I’d missed that, and her.
I missed a lot of things, actually.
“So, how do you know Ava?” I asked, before those memories got too painful. Faith gave me a wary look, and I shrugged. “You can tell me. It’s not like I’m gonna report you for treason or anything. If you want to know why I left, it’s because they had me slotted to be a Viper.” Faith’s eyes widened; she knew what a Viper was, apparently. “Yeah. And I had a small problem with hunting down and killing my own kind. So I ran. Left town with Riley, and I haven’t looked back since.”
“Just like that?” Faith asked, as if she couldn’t quite believe it. “No hesitation? Nothing you regretted leaving behind?”
“Well, yeah, of course there was. I had friends, and family, and…” A lump caught in my throat, and I looked down at my fingers. “Dante,” I muttered. “My brother. I miss him the most. When I left, he decided to stay with the organization. He doesn’t know…what they’re really like.” I squeezed the M&M’s bag, clenching my jaw. “I’ll get him out, soon,” I whispered, more of a promise to myself than Faith. “Stupid twin. I’ll make him see, even if I have to tear down Talon’s walls to reach him.”
“You’re braver than I am,” Faith whispered, picking at the wrapper on her candy bar. “If it wasn’t for Ava, I’d still be there, even though I hated it.”
I shook myself from my sudden dark mood. “How’d you get out?”
She hesitated a moment longer, then sighed, as if she was tired of holding back. “I knew Ava from way back,” Faith said, nibbling at the bar. “We were in a clutch that grew up together, until they separated us for Human Training. I didn’t see her face-to-face afterward, but somehow we always kept in touch. Even though it was frowned upon. Talon didn’t want us to have any previous attachments once we entered Human Training.”
My insides curled, remembering the long years of schooling out in the desert, and how it was just barely tolerable only because I had Dante. Growing up, he was my best friend; we had each other’s backs, and no matter how miserable things got, Dante was always there. I couldn’t imagine going through that by myself, how lonely it had to be. Maybe that’s why I didn’t fit into the organization. Maybe I’d formed too many “attachments,” when my only loyalty was supposed to be to Talon.
“Ava…had been planning to run for months,” Faith went on, unaware of my musings. “She’d heard rumors about Cobalt, that there was a dragon who would help those wanting to leave the organization. Her first real assignment was coming up, and she told me she was planning to go rogue then. I was too scared to tell her I wanted to leave, too.”
“Was that before you found out what Talon had planned for you?”
“Yes.” Faith nodded. “And when Ava found out, she offered to take me with her, even though that would make her escape even more dangerous. I almost backed out, but she convinced me to run. That it was better to be hunted and free than a slave the rest of my life.” She sniffed, curling into herself on the bed. “She was the brave one, the one who was trained for anything. I was only going to slow her down. And now she’s out there, being hunted by St. George and Talon, maybe dead, and it’s all my fault.”
“Hey.” I crumpled the empty M&M’s bag, making her startle and look at me. “Beating yourself up isn’t going to help her,” I said firmly. “She made the choice to go rogue. She had to know the dangers. Besides—” I shrugged, feigning a confidence I didn’t feel “—she’s with Riley, and he’s been doing this for a long time. If anyone can get away from St. George, it’ll be him. Don’t give up on them just yet.”
She cocked her head. “You think so?”
“Yeah. So try not to worry. We don’t know anything yet.” I felt like a hypocrite, telling her not to worry when there was a yawning hole in the pit my stomach, threatening to devour me.
I slid from the bed, managing a smile as I headed toward the bathroom. “Be right back,” I told Faith as she looked up. “Feel free to grab more food, or use the bed, or whatever. I don’t know what we’ll end up doing after this. You should rest while you have the chance.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything, fiddling with the wrapper of her candy bar, and I slipped into the bathroom.
Alone, I sat on the edge of the tub and dropped my head into my hands, breathing deep to keep the fear from swallowing me whole. Riley was out there, with Talon and St. George. What if he wasn’t all right? What if he was dead? I didn’t know what I’d do if the cocky, infuriating rogue was really gone, but my dragon was torn between curling into a ball and keening her loss and ripping something’s head off.
Pushing myself upright, I splashed cold water on my face and ran wet fingers through my hair, making it stand on end. I was hot, sticky, and I desperately wanted a shower. But there was no time, and besides, if Garret or Wes burst into the room, I did not want either of them to catch me naked. I did, however, find my Viper suit where I’d tossed it on the floor. I pulled it on, then yanked my regular clothes over it. The outfit sucked greedily at my skin like it was eager to have me back, making me squirm. But if we were going to head back out for Riley and face St. George, at least, this time, I’d be prepared.
Faith had fallen asleep on the bed when I emerged from the bathroom, her breathing deep and steady. I smiled, tiptoed around the bed and shut off the lamp, plunging the room into shadow. The girl didn’t even stir, soft snores coming from her open mouth. I watched her sadly for a moment, wondering if she would be all right. If anyone needed to get out of Talon, it was her, but I hoped she could handle being a rogue. It wasn’t the easiest life, that was for certain. Come to think of it, I wasn’t doing such a stellar job, myself.
I drew back, slipped quietly across the room and cracked open the door.
Garret stood there, leaning with his back against the wall and his arms crossed, vigilantly scanning the hallway. When the door squeaked open, he immediately pushed himself off the frame and turned to me, eyes questioning.
“Any word from Riley?” I whispered.
He shook his head. “Wes still hasn’t been able to get a lock on his phone. How is Faith?”
“Sleeping,” I replied, and took a step back. “Come on in, just be quiet. I don’t want to leave her, and who knows when she’ll get another chance to rest.”
He eased through the frame, glancing warily around the room to make sure we were still alone, that no one had climbed in the windows or from under the bed when my back was turned. When he was sure the shadows were empty, he relaxed and followed me to the sitting area, where the huge curtained window showed off the glittering Vegas cityscape. I peered through the crack at the glowing carpet of lights, and my insides churned with worry. Riley was somewhere down in that mess, dodging St. George, fighting his way back to us. Still alive, my dragon insisted. He had to be. I wouldn’t let myself think that he wasn’t.
“Where are you, Riley?” I whispered to the haze of neon lights. “Don’t you dare die on me.” A lump caught in my throat, and I clenched my fists. “Dammit, I hate this,” I growled, feeling my dragon raging inside. “I feel so helpless. I wish I knew what to do.” Garret watched me, silent and grave, and I slumped against the window. Las Vegas stretched out below me, dazzling and bright, but I couldn’t see the luminance anymore. Now all I could see was a war zone.
“People are dying, Garret,” I whispered. “Riley’s out there. Ava is out there. And I’m just…” Scared. Lost. Completely unprepared for what being a rogue actually means
. I leaned my forehead against the cool glass, staring at the streets until they blurred and ran together. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” I admitted. “I thought I did, but I was wrong. I have no idea what to do now. I…” I don’t want to lose anyone else. Especially him.
Garret moved close, and then two strong arms enfolded me from behind, drawing me close. My pulse skipped, and my heartbeat sped up, echoing his own. I felt his quiet presence at my back as he leaned in, lips close to my ear.
“Riley’s a pro at survival,” Garret said in his soft, low voice, making my insides flutter. No reassurances, no empty promises, just simple facts. “He’s been doing this a long time, longer than either of us. I know St. George. I know how they work.” He paused then, his voice becoming just a little lighter. “I’m not too proud to say that he’s smarter than most everyone in the Order. If anyone can get through this, he can.”
I turned and slid my arms around his waist, hugging him to me. My fingers brushed the smooth metal of the gun beneath his shirt, and I wasn’t afraid. He was a soldier, a former dragonslayer, but I felt safe with him. I trusted him completely. It wasn’t the fierce, fiery longing my dragon had for Cobalt. It was…simple. Easy. When I was with Garret, it was like we just clicked.
Riley’s voice echoed in my head, angry and accusing. Humans and dragons aren’t supposed to be together! Their lives are a heartbeat compared to ours. What kind of future do you think you could ever have?
I tried to shove it down, even as part of me agreed. I was a dragon; what was I doing with this human? My instincts raged at me, edgy and restless. I shouldn’t be here; I should be with Riley right now. Why did I keep resisting? Cobalt and I were the same, split down the middle. Not only in species, but in everything that mattered. His dragon called to mine, and I knew he felt the same about me. If Garret wasn’t here, it wouldn’t even be a question.
