Fanning the Flames (Going Down in Flames)

by Chris Cannon

  Anger surged through Bryn’s body, and fire crawled up the back of her throat. She focused on cold so sleet shot from her nostrils rather than flames. Keegan had revealed his family secret to her, and someone was watching and listening the entire time. “I’ll skip the violation-of-our-right-to-privacy speech since the Directorate doesn’t believe in that concept. What happened to Keegan?”

  “A guard escorted him to the Directorate’s office where they questioned him about everyone in his family. They took samples of his blood. Rather large samples, I’m afraid, and now he’s resting in the medical bay under guard.”

  “Why is he under guard?”

  “When Keegan mentioned he was a throwback, did you wonder where the term came from?” Mr. Stanton asked.

  “No.” And there wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to like what he was about to tell her.

  “In animals, if a dog doesn’t breed true and produce the desired traits, it’s called a throwback. Sometimes the breeders keep the animals as pets or give them away. Sometimes they don’t want to waste resources, so they eliminate them.”

  “Eliminate, as in kill?” Valmont asked. “Seriously?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  “That’s so many types of wrong, but no one is going to eliminate Keegan, right?” Fire crawled up the back of Bryn’s throat. She could taste smoke and knew she was on the verge of losing control. But if she did, Mr. Stanton would have to report it. Or maybe he wouldn’t have to, because apparently they were all being observed twenty-four hours a day now.

  “Keegan’s life is not in danger, but I believe your comment about Ferrin’s personality is the reason they collected blood until Keegan passed out.”

  Bryn roared in outrage but managed to keep the flames contained.

  “So what happens now?” Valmont asked.

  “Now, tests will be run on Keegan’s blood and the blood of his family members to see if there are any DNA markers to discriminate the average Red dragon from a throwback Red. If there is, then my guess would be everyone on campus will be asked to donate blood for testing.”

  “Oh my God… They’re going to assume anyone with throwback blood is siding with the Rebels, aren’t they?”

  “I believe they will investigate anyone who is hiding their true identity. I’m sure there are other students whose traits may not have bred true.”

  “Everyone knows I’m a hybrid,” Bryn said. “But what if there are other hybrids on campus who are trying to blend in and live a normal life?” Like Adam and Eve and their friends.

  Mr. Stanton frowned. “If there are other hybrids, it might be best for them to volunteer information before they are discovered.”

  Right. “Would you volunteer, if you were in their position?”

  “I can’t possibly answer that question. Now, instead of going to the library, I suggest you visit Keegan. And remember, security has been heightened all over campus. Don’t say or do anything that would paint a target on your back or cause trouble for your friends.”

  “So, don’t speak my opinions out loud, unless they align with the latest Directorate decree.”

  “That is one way to look at it.” Mr. Stanton turned and went up to the chalkboard where he erased the day’s notes.

  “Wait a minute. I’ve been injured enough that the med lab has multiple samples of my blood. Did they run tests on it?”

  “Of course they did,” Mr. Stanton said, “and your blood shows markers from the Red and Blue clans.”

  “Which means they’ll be able to identify a hybrid with ease,” Valmont said.

  “On a first generation hybrid like Bryn, the genetic markers are split almost down the middle. If she were to marry a Blue and have children, the second generation markers would more than likely go down 25 percent. In theory, Bryn’s grandchildren would be 80 to 90 percent Blue. That’s why it’s rare now to have throwbacks, because genetically speaking, it’s like drawing a wild card.”

  “So the further back the blending of the Clans, the less likely traits are to show?” Bryn asked.

  Mr. Stanton nodded.

  Something wasn’t adding up. “The hybrids who attacked us the night of the Valentine’s Day dance showed clear combinations of Clans. Does that mean they were first generation?”

  “I don’t see how they could be,” Mr. Stanton said. “Unless there are communities of dragons hiding from the Directorate. If a Blue-Red hybrid married another Blue-Red hybrid, then the hybrid traits would still occur. The more likely explanation is that the rebels you saw could manipulate Quintessence, and they did so to mask their true appearance.”

  “I guess that does make more sense.” Not. But she didn’t want to give away that she knew about hybrid communities.

  “Let’s go check on Keegan.” Valmont put his hand on Bryn’s shoulder and steered her toward the door. Once they were out of the building and walking across campus, he leaned close and whispered, “With all this talk of blood purity I’m not sure if Ferrin is trying to be Hitler or Voldemort.”

  Bryn laughed at the absurd comparison. “The sad part is you’re not wrong. And I don’t know if it would be better for hybrids to disappear from school or if that would make them look suspicious.”

  “Best-case scenario would be Keegan’s blood doesn’t have anything in it to differentiate him from the rest of his family.”

  Keegan was sitting up drinking orange juice when they found him in the medical lab.

  “I’m so sorry,” Bryn blurted out.

  He gave a half smile. “Wasn’t your fault. I picked the stupid table, and I’m the one who decided to tell you my secret.”

  “But Valmont and I were the ones who stuck around after you left. We joked about some things we shouldn’t have, and that’s why Ferrin took so much of your blood.”

  Keegan wrinkled his brow. “I wondered about that. I’ve given blood before, and I never passed out.”

  “Did the Medics tell you why they wanted it?”

  “To run some genetic tests. I think everyone has heard rumors about throwbacks, but the families work so hard to hide it, that the medics don’t have any data.”

  Apparently, he wasn’t seeing the big, evil picture. “If your blood has some genetic marker that’s different from your family’s, they’re going to make everyone give blood to figure out who’s a throwback or some sort of hybrid.”

  Keegan’s normal happy expression slipped. “That’s absurd. It’s not like I’m in league with the Rebels because my eyes aren’t the same color.”

  “The last thing we need is a witch hunt,” Bryn said. There were several choice names she’d like to call Ferrin, starting with egomaniacal asshat, but who knew if there were spy-cams pointed at her right now? This was all so frustrating. “Maybe I can use my student liaison title to intervene somehow.”

  A medic entered the room carrying an envelope. She smiled at Bryn and Valmont and then gave the letter to Keegan. “This is for you.”

  “Let’s see if my day is going to get better or worse.” Keegan opened the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. As he read, his eyebrows came together like he was confused.

  Bryn waited, not so patiently tapping her foot.

  “Better or worse?” Valmont asked.

  “I’m not sure.” Keegan reached up and scratched the back of his head. “I’ve been summoned to the library this evening at seven where I’ll be matched up with a knight. And I’m supposed to tell you to come, too. Is it me, or is it creepy that they delivered this at the exact time you stopped by to visit?”

  “Definitely creepy,” Bryn said. “And sort of ironic that you revealed your secret because you thought taking on a knight might out you—”

  “And now that I’ve been outed, I’m getting a knight,” Keegan finished her sentence.

  The medic returned. “I’m going to scan you to make sure you’re all right, and then you’ll be released.”

  Bryn watched as the medic placed her hand on Keegan’s forehead and closed
her eyes. She knew the woman was sending her Quintessence into Keegan’s body, making sure he was healthy enough to leave. Every time she saw a medic working with a patient, it reaffirmed this was how she wanted to spend her adult life—healing and treating other dragons.

  “You’re good to go.” The medic pulled a folded-up piece of paper from her pocket. “These are your discharge papers.”

  “That’s new,” Bryn said.

  The medic nodded. “Apparently, part of the heightened level of security is knowing where everyone is at all times. You check in and out at the medical center now like you would at the back gate. I understand their reasoning, but the paperwork is a nightmare.” The medic turned back to Keegan. “Your teachers have been informed that you’re excused from classes today but will return tomorrow. Take it easy and be sure to eat plenty of food.”

  “Thanks.” Keegan took the paper from her and shoved it in his pocket. “Bryn, you guys want to walk me back to my dorm? I have some questions about this whole knight process.”

  “Sure.” The three of them exited the medical building.

  Once they were out in the early afternoon sun Keegan said, “I know some of the other throwbacks. There are probably less than a dozen on campus. Should I warn them?”

  “We have to assume everything we say is being monitored, and that you, especially, are under observation to see if you’re part of some Rebel alliance. I wouldn’t talk to anyone you don’t normally talk to or do anything different from your daily routine.”

  “In other words, don’t give Ferrin anything to use against me.” Keegan shook his head. “When I’m back to my usual self, I’m going to beat the hell out of one of those Slam Mans in the gym.”

  Bryn had taken her own aggression out on one of those man-shaped punching bags on more than one occasion. And she’d often pictured Jaxon’s face on the dummy. From now on, she’d probably picture Ferrin.

  At lunch she filled Clint and Ivy in on the Keegan situation without giving away his secret, which left the story disjointed and awkward.

  “There’s something you’re not telling us, isn’t there?” Ivy said.

  “Yes, but it’s not my information to tell,” Bryn said. “I’d be betraying someone else.”

  “I get it,” Ivy said. “I don’t like it, but I get it.”

  “So everything we’re saying could be monitored, at all times?” Clint asked.

  Bryn nodded.

  “That’s messed up.” Ivy glanced around. “Do you think we should let other people know they’re under a microscope?”

  “No, because what if some of the students are working with the Rebels? We’d be tipping them off.”

  “So, it’s okay to spy on the bad guys, but not on the good guys,” Valmont said, like he didn’t approve of her statement.

  “No. It’s not okay for them to spy on us, but if we can’t stop them then we shouldn’t sabotage them, either. They might find out something that could stop the Rebels from hurting anyone else.”

  “I have no valid argument against that statement, but it still feels wrong,” Valmont said.

  “A lot of things seem off-kilter around here lately,” Clint said. “It’s like everyone is bracing themselves for a sneak attack. It’s been peaceful since Valentine’s Day.”

  “You know there’s only a month and a half of school left,” Ivy said.

  Wow. “With all the trying-not-to-be-killed stuff that’s been going on lately, I haven’t thought about our junior year ending.”

  “It’s a pretty big life event to miss,” Clint said. “I think we should have a party to celebrate surviving our first year at the Institute.”

  “What will you two do over the summer?” Bryn asked.

  “Well,” Ivy said, “Clint and I will go home and hang out. We’ll invite you to come over. Then maybe we can stay the night at your grandparent’s monstrous estate.”

  “I’m not really looking forward to summer break.” Bryn laughed. “I never thought I’d utter those words, but I almost went crazy over Christmas vacation being alone at my grandparent’s house.” Sure she was on better terms with them now, but three months was a long time to be away from everyone.

  “But you won’t be alone,” Valmont said. “I’ll be with you.”

  And now she felt like she’d said something completely thoughtless. “Your visits were the highlight of my Christmas break, but it felt like I was locked away from the outside world. I don’t want to lose touch again.”

  Ivy held up her hand like she was pledging an oath. “I solemnly swear I will call you and visit.”

  “And you know I go where she goes,” Clint said. “It might be fun to go exploring in that old mansion. I bet there are rooms no one has been in for ages.”

  “I explored when I first got there. I found my mom’s old rooms. They’d been wiped clean, repainted, and all the furniture removed. It was sad.” She’d also found the secret crawlway in the back of the closet which led to an attic where she’d found a picture of her mom and dad together in one of her mom’s journals. Those had been the only items left of her mom in the entire house. “Knowing my grandparents as I do now, I wonder if they’d forgive my mother if she was still alive.”

  “They took you in,” Valmont said. “So I think they would have made peace with her, eventually.”

  “I’d like to think so.” A wave of tiredness hit Bryn. “I swear, I’m emotionally exhausted.” Maybe summer being around the corner was a good thing.

  A seven o’clock that night, Bryn found herself in Ferrin’s office, standing off to the side, while Keegan was introduced to a man named David who’d lost his home in the attack on Dragon’s Bluff. Keegan was injected with the spider venom like they’d done to Jaxon and Ivy. Then David injected him with the antidote, saving Keegan’s life and activating the latent spell in his own blood.

  David blinked and looked around. “Wow, it feels like I drank two Red Bulls.”

  “That means it worked,” Valmont said.

  “Now what?” Keegan asked.

  “Before we go down to the vaults, I want to perform a few tests,” Ferrin stated.

  This could be bad. Ferrin could be tormenting Keegan just to flaunt his power.

  “Tests you couldn’t run on the gallon of blood you took from me yesterday?” Keegan asked.

  “No.” Ferrin pointed at what looked like a small treasure chest with flames engraved on the hinges. “Try Blood Magic on this.”

  “You only need to give a drop,” Bryn said, in case Ferrin was going to be a jerk.

  David placed his sword point on top of the box. “Just like this?” he asked.

  “Yes,” Valmont answered. “Your job is the easier of the two.”

  Keegan ran his pointer finger along the edge of David’s sword. Several crimson drops ran down the blade and landed on the box. They waited for the box to pop open. Nothing happened.

  “That is disappointing.” Ferrin pointed at a book with a red binding which had flames stamped into the leather. “Try this one.”

  Keegan repeated the ritual. This time the cover of the book popped open. “Hey, I did it. So I guess my blood is as good as any Red’s, right?”

  There was silence as Ferrin stared at Keegan for a moment before responding, “That remains to be seen. Now that we know your blood is adequate, we’ll visit the vaults. Follow me.”

  Ferrin swept by them like a king parading in front of his lowly subjects. Keegan fell into step beside Bryn. “We’re going to try and open a vault?”

  “No,” Bryn said. “We are going to the basement of the library where they store artifacts.”

  “Then why don’t they call it a basement?”

  “They’re Blues. Basement probably sounds too middle class.”

  Keegan laughed. “You better hope the stairwells aren’t full of spy-cams.”

  “Since it wasn’t a Ferrin-specific insult, I don’t think the people listening in will care.” At least, she hoped not.

  They follow
ed Ferrin to the front desk of the library where Miss Enid was typing on her computer.

  “I need you to open the vaults,” Ferrin said.

  “Can’t do that, I’m afraid,” Miss Enid said, without looking up from her keyboard.

  That was not the answer any of them expected her to give. Least of all, Ferrin. His eyes narrowed. “You will open the vaults. Immediately.”

  Miss Enid stopped typing and met Ferrin’s furious gaze. “If I could open the vaults for you, I would, but Mr. Sinclair took back my key.”

  Why would her grandfather do that? Was he trying to keep Ferrin from searching for information without him? If so, his plan seemed to be working.

  Ferrin whipped out his phone and stalked back into the storage room where the door to the vaults was hidden.

  Bryn leaned in and whispered, “Did my grandfather really take your key?”

  “Of course,” Miss Enid said. “I’d never lie to a Directorate member.”

  Ferrin stalked back out of the room to join them. “I’m needed at a meeting. We’ll continue this another time.”

  Once he was out of earshot, Keegan said, “Convenient how a meeting came up when he hit a roadblock.”

  “What do we do now?” David asked.

  Keegan shrugged. “I’m hungry. You can come to the dining hall with me, if you want.”

  David checked the clock hanging on the back wall above the desk. “I should probably go home. My daughter will be going to bed soon. I don’t want to miss saying good night. Ever since the attack, I don’t take things like that for granted.”

  “I can call a car for you,” Miss Enid said.

  “No, thanks. I drove myself. My car is parked out back.”

  “Keegan, why don’t you walk David to his car, in case anyone questions why he’s on campus.”

  “Sure.” Keegan and David headed for the door.

  “Bryn, I found a book I thought you’d enjoy. I bet Ivy would like it, too.” Miss Enid reached under her desk and pulled out a book with the title Jewelry Through the Ages.

  Okay. Why does Miss Enid think I want to read a book about antique jewelry? Sure, I like sparkly things as much as the next girl, but not enough to read an encyclopedia about it. She picked up the book and faked a smile. “Thanks.”