Burning Bright

by Chris Cannon

“Go where?” Bryn asked. “We can’t open the doors without a knight.”

  “You can’t open them, but the guards stationed inside can.” He pointed at Derek. “Call them and explain the situation.”

  Derek looked to Bryn. “What do you want me to do?”

  It’s not like they had much of a choice. “Make the call.”

  After a few terse comments on the phone, a door opened. Bryn expected to see the library table and stacks of books like she’d seen months ago. Instead, the room appeared sterile. There were file cabinets and desks crammed into the space, along with microscopes and lab equipment.

  “That’s new,” Ivy said.

  “What do you mean?” Adden asked.

  “Before it was artifact-ey,” Clint said. “Now it’s all science-ey.”

  The guard inside the room smirked at them. “Something I can help you with?”

  “Where are the artifacts?” Adden asked.

  “They’ve been removed for study,” the guard said.

  “You’re lying. This is the most secure area. Where are you keeping them?”

  “There are other doors,” the guard said. “Perhaps you should try one of them.”

  Bryn sidled over to Jaxon. “He’s being awful agreeable.”

  Jaxon’s face gave nothing away. “It’s his job to keep us alive. And to some extent, Clint and Ivy.”

  “I heard that,” Clint said.

  “Just stating a fact,” Jaxon said. “Adden, why don’t you let Clint and Ivy go, the guards aren’t as invested in their wellbeing.”

  “But Bryn is,” Adden said. “So stop trying to out maneuver me.”

  “Can we just get on with this?” Bryn asked. Maybe they could shove Adden into a room and trap him there.

  “Do you want to try another room?” Derek asked.

  “If you would be so kind,” Adden said.

  A door which was slightly ajar appeared on the back wall.

  “What’s in there?” Adden asked Bryn.

  “Last time I was here it was a storage room for scrolls and books.”

  “You can open the door,” Adden said. “Just in case the guard inside decides he wants to try something.”

  Bryn stepped forward and opened the door. This room was all scienc-ey, too. There were microscopes and tables and a row of computers.

  “Someone has been redecorating,” Bryn said.

  Adden pushed past her. He looked all around the room. “Where are the artifacts?”

  The guard inside said, “They pay me to sit here and open the door. I’ve never seen any artifacts unless they’re tiny slices on those slides.” He pointed at the boxes of slides near the microscopes.

  “You think you’re so smart,” Adden said. “Where’s the next door?”

  Jaxon placed a hand on Bryn’s arm and shook his head.

  Suspicion confirmed. He was in on this.

  The guard pointed to the right-hand wall. “Back out past the main room.”

  “Show me,” Adden said.

  Derek led them back past the first guard into the main room and down a hall to a normal door.

  “This isn’t what I asked for,” Adden said.

  “They store artifacts here. It’s the only way to access them.” Derek pulled out a set of keys and opened the door to a hallway.

  Jaxon held Bryn’s arm so she wouldn’t enter behind Derek. “Follow my lead,” he said.

  For now, she nodded. Later she’d yell at him.

  The hallway had several visible doors. Adden walked to the first door and pulled it open. Inside were display cases with antique swords and daggers.

  “That’s more like it.” Adden entered the room. “Come along.”

  They shuffled in behind him. The cases resembled the ones that had poison dart defense systems. If a dragon tried to open a case containing artifacts which weren’t for his Clan, the cases would shoot arrows with enough poison to kill him in seconds.

  Adden walked over and opened the case. Bryn held her breath and hoped to hear the zing of poison darts. Nothing happened. Damn it.

  “Look at this.” Adden held up a ring featuring a giant sapphire. “Probably meant for a Blue.” He slid it on his finger and waited. Nothing happened.

  “Just a pretty bauble?” Bryn said.

  Adden frowned. He rifled through the case but didn’t find anymore jewelry. He stalked over to the other case. “There must be something here.” He pulled out daggers and swords, carelessly tossing them on the floor. “Aha.” He held up a ruby ring. “Reds don’t wear jewels like this. Only Blues. This must be something.” He put it on his left hand and closed his eyes.

  Jaxon yanked Bryn backward out of the room. Clint and Ivy also lunged backward.

  “Yes,” Adden said and a dagger of fire shot from his hand. He opened his eyes just as Derek slammed and locked the door.

  “That won’t hold for long,” said Bryn.

  “This way.” Jaxon tugged Bryn down the hall. Clint and Ivy followed. Derek dashed ahead and unlocked a door. “Inside. Quick.”

  The sound of screeching metal was like nails on a chalkboard. Adden was breaking loose.

  Derek locked the door with a deadbolt from the inside. They ran down a hall which led to some stairs. Up they went into a room without a door. Derek spoke on his phone and a door appeared on the back wall and swung open. They rushed through to a room with a dozen guards.

  No way this was happening by coincidence. “You used yourself as bait and didn’t tell me,” Bryn said.

  “I’ll explain later,” Jaxon said. They followed Derek to a real door which he opened with a key. Three of the guards came with them. They were in a stone hallway that tilted up at a mild angle. It reminded Bryn of when they’d walked under the library…forever. She spotted a playing card with the number two on it. “Shit. We’re a long way from the exit.”

  “Not really,” Derek said. “But we should probably jog.”

  “Nothing like running from a psychopath to make the Welcome Back to School party really special,” Clint said.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  They jogged down a hallway, went up a set of stairs that seemed much newer than the surrounding stonework, jogged down another hall, and up more stairs until they reached a normal door that opened into a normal storage room full of books.

  “Not to be ungrateful,” Bryn said. “But where are we?”

  “Through that door is a hallway that leads to the landing and back up through the trap door into the library. Go and make sure Miss Enid locks the door,” Derek said.

  “Adden has a key. What good will that do?” Clint asked.

  “The lock is on the outside of the door,” Bryn said. “He can’t unlock it from this side, right?”

  “That’s right,” Derek said. “We’re leading him into a trap.”

  “But you’ll be trapped down here with him.” That didn’t seem like a smart idea.

  “Your grandfather installed an emergency exit. If worse comes to worse, I can exit that way. Hopefully it won’t come to that. Now go.”

  She did not like this.

  The sound of a battle drifted to them from beneath their feet.

  “He’s coming.” Jaxon tugged on her arm, so she went. They made their way to the landing, while the sound of fighting seemed to come from all around them.

  “With all these damn tunnels you can’t tell where anything is coming from,” Clint said as they dashed up the stairs and through the trap door. Miss Enid stood there. For some reason Janelle was there, too.

  “I’m sorry,” Miss Enid said.

  “Janelle? What are you doing here?”

  “Allow me to show you,” Janelle placed her hand on Miss Enid’s forearm and at first it seemed like nothing was happening. Then Miss Enid’s eyes closed and she swayed.

  No freaking way. “You’re a dragon-pire?”

  “Do you have any idea how hard it was to act like I didn’t know what I was doing in that stupid Medic class?” Janelle said.

&
nbsp; Miss Enid moaned and dropped to her knees.

  “Stop it,” Bryn said. “You’ve taken enough.”

  “Enough? You think so? There’s never enough power. There’s always more to be had.”

  Miss Enid slumped to the side and if Janelle didn’t quit soon, she’d die. Bryn produced fireballs in both of her hands. “Let her go.”

  “So sentimental,” Janelle said. “It’s a weakness.” She pushed Miss Enid’s unconscious body through the trap door and down the stairs. Then she locked the door with the librarian’s key. “Don’t worry. She’ll recover just like you did.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Bryn asked.

  “My IQ is off the charts. Garret is a flyspeck compared to me. But everyone has all these rules which I’m expected to follow.”

  “What about Adden?” Jaxon said.

  “Now he’s trapped,” Janelle said. “He thinks I work for him, which is hilarious.” Janelle’s eyes changed from brown to steel gray and her hair went from dark to silver.

  “They make hair dye for that,” Clint said.

  Janelle flicked her hand at Clint and a blast of wind sent him flying off his feet and through the door out into the library.

  “Anyone else have a comment?” Janelle asked.

  “No,” Bryn said. Maybe she could talk her way out of this. “You’re more powerful than any of us. Adden has what you want. Why do you need us?”

  “Well,” Janelle said. “I don’t need her.”

  She flicked her hand at Ivy and sent her flying backward into the wall. There was a crunching sound, Ivy cried out in pain, and then she dropped to the floor, clutching her shoulder.

  Fire roared in Bryn’s gut. Smoke crawled up the back of her throat. “You crazy bitch.” She blasted flames at her former friend. Janelle blocked the attack with a tornado made of sleet. It extinguished Bryn’s flames.

  Shit. How was she supposed to compete with that?

  “Play nice,” Janelle said. “And you’ll all walk, or at least limp, out of here.”

  “Let Bryn and Ivy go,” Jaxon said. “You only need one of us to guarantee safe passage.

  “Sorry,” Janelle said. “One of you is for me and the other is for Adden. He should be along any moment now.”

  “I thought we were friends.” Bryn growled.

  “Fine,” Janelle said. “Since you were nice to me, Ivy can leave.”

  Maybe Janelle wasn’t completely unreasonable. “Thank you.” Bryn turned to Ivy, who looked conflicted. “Go.”

  Ivy nodded. Clutching her shoulder, she ran out the door.

  The floor shook, and a wave of power came up through their feet.

  “Adden is using sonic waves.” Janelle chuckled. “Such a show-off.”

  Best to reason with Janelle before Adden made his appearance. “My grandparents will give you whatever you want, if you let us go now,” Bryn said.

  “Are you afraid to face Adden?” Janelle said. “Don’t worry about him.”

  “Janelle,” Adden’s voice came through the trap door. “Are you there?”

  “I’m here, love,” Janelle said. “Did you need something?”

  “Let. Me. Out.”

  “So crabby,” Janelle muttered. “On one condition. You have to share your toys.”

  Bryn moved the slightest bit toward the doorway which led out into the library. Jaxon followed suit.

  “I have a lovely sapphire ring for you,” Adden said.

  “It’s not an artifact,” Bryn whispered. “He’s trying to trick you. You want the ruby ring.” If she could turn them against each other maybe they could make a break for it.

  “I prefer rubies,” Janelle said. “If I open the door, I want the ruby ring.”

  “Fine,” Adden said. “Just let me out of here.”

  Janelle put the key in the lock. Adden pushed from below and it popped open.

  “You had me worried for a minute,” he said, “leaving a librarian in my way. That’s quite rude.” He climbed out and then slammed the trap door. “Still, you’re my favorite conspirator.” He held out his hands. “Pick a ring.”

  He wore a ring on almost every finger.

  “Oh, they’re so sparkly,” Janelle said. “Which ones are artifacts?”

  “Most of them produce daggers,” he said. “Take two if you want.”

  She pulled the ruby ring off his left hand and a black pearl ring off his right.

  He gasped like someone had stabbed him. The knuckles of both of his now ringless fingers were bleeding like someone had cut him with a scalpel.

  “What’s wrong?” Janelle asked.

  He stared at her as foam bubbled from his mouth. His eyes rolled back into his head and he started to twitch.

  “Oh, one of the rings was poisoned? I didn’t see that coming.” She turned to Bryn. “Did you know about this?”

  “No.” Bryn cringed as Adden dropped to the floor, where he gagged and coughed up bile and blood. “But some of the glass cases had poisonous darts. They had the same effect.”

  “Well, we should leave,” Janelle said. “I know your cuff links and Bryn’s bracelet are safe to take. Too bad about the rings.” She grabbed Bryn’s bracelet and then started to remove the cuff links from Adden’s sleeves. “This is what happens when you get greedy,” she told Adden.

  Wow. Janelle was crazy.

  “Now I only need one of you,” Janelle flicked her hand at Bryn. A gust of wind slammed into Bryn’s chest, enveloped her, and moved her forward.

  “No.” Jaxon blasted frozen flames at Janelle, but she shot sonic waves at him with her free hand, shattering his ice.

  Janelle latched onto Bryn’s arm. “Now I’m going to show you how to really use your Quintessence.”

  Bryn felt a strange pulling sensation on her arm. Janelle was going to feed off her? She had to stop this. Dizziness hit her. She could hear Jaxon yelling. Blocking everything out, she grabbed Janelle’s hand like she meant to break her grasp, instead, she focused her Quintessence into Janelle’s veins, reaching into her blood and imagined the blood thickening, moving sluggishly, clotting and no longer flowing.

  “What are you doing?” Janelle tried to push Bryn away, but she held on tight.

  “I’m ending this.” She reached further into Janelle’s veins, turning her blood into clotted sludge, slowing and then stopping the beat of her heart.

  “Bryn.” Jaxon’s tone sounded like it came from far away. “Bryn, you have to hurry. There’s a bomb.”

  She released Janelle’s arm and Jaxon shoved her toward the door. “Run.”

  She stumble-stepped and then ran. Just as she made it out the door someone tackled her. She growled but went rolling over and over before she could stop. She sucked in a breath to blast her attacker and then realized who it was that had her pinned to the ground.

  “Derek. What the—”

  K-boom! The floor shook and books toppled off shelves.

  Bryn shoved Derek aside, and half crawled, half ran toward the sound of the explosion. Smoke filled the air, obscuring her vision. No. No. No. This cannot be happening.

  Clint stumbled toward her, carrying Ivy. Thank God.

  “Jaxon?” Bryn tried to push through the Red guards in her way. Everyone was shouting at once. Where was Jaxon? He had to be okay. He had to be.

  “Jaxon?” This had all been part of a plan. His plan. He must have known what he was doing. Right?

  “Move.” She shoved at a guard.

  He turned and blocked her path. “Believe me, you don’t want to see this.”

  “No?” Flames ignited in her gut. Sparks shot from her nostrils. “Let me through,” she growled.

  Someone grabbed her from behind. “Wait. Let the Medics through first,” Derek said.

  Jaxon might be hurt. She could help him. And she was done letting other people call the shots. She shifted into her dragon form, breaking Derek’s grip on her arm. Then she plowed through the guards knocking them aside. “Move,” she roared to the people ahead of
her.

  Guards backed out of her way. She could see the Medics gathered around someone on a stretcher, but she couldn’t see who it was. When she was within a few feet she shifted back to human form, digging her nails into her palms as she moved close enough to see. The scent of burned flesh filled the air. Bryn clutched at her stomach, afraid she was going to vomit…afraid of what she was going to see. She held her breath and stared at the form on the stretcher. It was Jaxon. His hair was burned down to the scalp and his forehead was blackened and blistered. His eyes were wide open, milky-colored, and staring up at nothing.

  “No!” Flames roared in Bryn’s gut. She stumbled away from the image of Jaxon, battling the flames in her gut. This could not be happening. They’d just figured everything out. He couldn’t be gone. He just couldn’t be. She focused on cold and blasted sleet down an aisle of books, roaring out her pain and frustration. She clutched at the edge of the bookshelf and blasted out her grief until her throat was raw and there was nothing left inside of her.

  “I’m so sorry about how this all turned out,” Derek said to Bryn as he sat next to her in the medical clinic.

  Bryn nodded because what could she say? Jaxon should have told me. I should have been part of the plan. I’m furious at everyone who knew and didn’t clue me in.

  “I know this isn’t the best time, but I wanted to ask you something. Did you ever think that history might repeat itself?” Derek’s cheeks colored. “Like with your mother and your father?” Intensity shone from his bright green eyes. “Because when I’m around you it feels like maybe I’ve found my place in the world again.”

  It took her a moment to understand. And then she got it. Her mom had married a Red. How much easier would her life be if she loved someone like Derek? She reached over and covered his hand with hers. “I’m sorry. Maybe if circumstances had been different.”

  He nodded. “I understand, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.” Leaning in he kissed her on the cheek. “It would be for the best if I asked your grandfather to reassign me. Take care, Bryn.” Derek stood and exited the room.

  Clint and Ivy came over to join her. She’d focus on her friends for now.

  “How are you?” Bryn asked.

  “Much better,” Ivy said. “Thank you for talking Janelle into letting me go. I’m sorry I wasn’t more help.”