Inferno

by Julie Kagawa

  I tensed, feeling the heat start to rise in my veins. Inside the church, the stone hallways were tight and narrow, with little room to maneuver and no other ways around. If I wanted to get where I was going, I would have to pass these two. Beneath my clothes, the slick material of my new Viper suit flattened to my skin, sensing hostility, anticipating a sudden, violent change of body. I took a deep breath to cool my lungs.

  “I’m just looking for someone. Excuse me.”

  “For Sebastian.”

  I didn’t answer. I was looking for Garret, because he had texted me a few minutes ago with instructions to meet in the command room. It had sounded important, like maybe they had finally figured out a way to get to the island. But judging by Peter Matthews’s expression, his mind had gone straight to the gutter.

  At my silence, his smirk twisted, becoming a sneer as he turned to the other soldier, jerking his head in my direction. “Joseph, that’s Sebastian’s little dragon bitch,” he told him. “Watch them together sometime—she can make him dance, sing, beg and roll over. He eats right out of her hand. It’s pretty fucking hilarious.”

  “Yeah?” the other soldier gruffed, staring at me. “So it’s that good, huh? Hey, dragon, how much of my soul would I have to sell to get some of that?”

  Well, this conversation had gotten disgusting in a hurry. I pushed down my anger and walked forward, determined to ignore them.

  Abruptly, Matthews’s hand shot out, slamming into the opposite wall, blocking my way. I froze, clamping down on the knee-jerk reaction to Shift and bite his arm off.

  “Joseph asked you a question, lizard,” Peter Matthews said, his voice full of menace as he loomed over me. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ignore someone? Or is common decency as foreign to you animals as everything else?”

  I bit my lip to keep the flames under control, to stifle the instinctive desire to Shift in the face of an obvious threat. My anger and disgust with these humans was reaching dangerous levels. Keep it together, Ember. You can’t start a war right now.

  “Good God, you two are stupid.”

  The deep, mocking voice echoed behind us. The soldiers jerked up, and I spun around to see Tristan St. Anthony’s lean, wiry form standing at the end of the corridor. His arms were crossed, and he was staring at the other soldiers, ocean-blue eyes crinkled in disgust.

  “And here I thought I’d seen it all,” Tristan said, strolling up casually. He shot a disdainful look at Peter and shook his head. “Do you have a fucking death wish, Matthews? You know, there are easier ways to kill yourself than harassing a fire-breathing dragon in a very tight hallway.”

  “St. Anthony.” The other soldiers straightened so they were no longer in my face, but they didn’t move back. Peter Matthews’s sneer faltered but came back quickly. “Did Sebastian send you to rescue his scaly mistress? That’s what you Western Chapterhouse pussies are all about now, right? Rescuing the enemy? Cozying up to lizards?”

  The other soldier, Joseph, snickered. “Maybe she holds his leash, too.”

  Tristan raised an eyebrow at the pair. It was a small motion, but the amused contempt he could project with it was impressive. “Rescue a dragon,” he said slowly. “Right. Clearly, that’s what I’m doing here. I’m certainly not saving a pair of class-A morons from being turned into steaming piles of stupidity when the dragon decides she’s had enough and fries your asses.”

  Matthews snorted. “It can’t touch us,” he stated with smug confidence. “Not if it wants our help to rescue its scaly friends. If it even singes one hair, Lieutenant Ward will put a bullet through its head and slaughter every lizard in this place. That’s why it won’t lay a paw on me, isn’t that right, dragon?” He gave me a cruel smile. “I’ve got your number,” he said as I seethed and dug my nails into my palms to stop the flames from exploding. “You dragons are all about manipulation, but we can play that game, too. The Eastern Chapterhouse isn’t full of blind, bleating sheep. You won’t corrupt us like you did Sebastian.” His eyes narrowed, mean and challenging. “So what’dya say to that, lizard?”

  A thousand answers sprang to mind: angry, sarcastic, petty, defiant. For a split second, I almost went with the tried and true response of a foot to the groin. I wouldn’t be changing into a dragon. They couldn’t fault me for staying human, right?

  Matthews was watching me, his sneer triumphant. I could feel Tristan at my back, waiting to see what I would do. The third soldier had gone tense, as if he just realized how volatile the situation had become, and how close to an angry dragon they really were. He was afraid, I realized with a jolt. Afraid that I would Shift and tear them both to pieces. He knew a pair of humans stood no chance against a dragon, even if they were trained to kill them. They would need guns and a lot more men, and they certainly wouldn’t start the battle right in the dragon’s face. Peter Matthews was either very stupid or smarter than I gave him credit for. He knew, and he was counting on my not being able to Shift.

  I met Peter Matthews’s gaze. “You’re a coward,” I told him calmly. “You hide behind protocol, because you know I can’t retaliate. You know that if I respond at all, the soldiers here will turn on us in a heartbeat, and we can’t afford that now. That’s fine. Play your hateful little games. I have bigger problems to deal with.” Peter Matthews sneered, but a spark of anger flickered across his face. I narrowed my eyes, letting a sliver of heat rise to the surface, tinting the air with the scent of smoke. “But let me make one thing very clear. If you hurt or threaten any of my friends, it won’t matter where we are or how many soldiers are around. By the time I’m done, there won’t be enough left of you to fill a shot glass.”

  Matthews’s lip curled up. “Who do you think you’re talking to, lizard?” he growled. “I’ve killed more of your kind than you can even imagine, and you’d be no different. Don’t threaten me.”

  I brushed passed him, continuing down the hall. I didn’t look back, or slow down. Only when I was around a corner and out of sight did I stop and press my forehead to the cold stone wall, breathing hard to calm the inferno within.

  Okay, so this was bad. I knew the soldiers of St. George hated us, but this was taking it to a whole new level. And as far as I could tell, those two would be going to the island with us. How were we going to rescue the breeders and get everyone out safely when I had to watch my back around my supposed teammates?

  Footsteps came around the corner and I looked up with a growl, both hoping and fearing it was Matthews.

  “Just me,” Tristan said, holding up his hands. I relaxed, taking a final breath and pushing myself off the wall. Tristan stepped closer, his mouth pulled into a wry grimace.

  “Sorry about that,” he offered, surprising me. I looked up at him with a frown, and he shrugged. “We’re not all raging assholes like Peter Matthews. Most of us know how to be civil, even to our enemies.”

  Enemies. Suddenly tired, I leaned back against the wall, feeling his cool gaze on me. Are we still enemies, then? I wanted to ask. How much longer will it take for you to trust us? After everything Garret had told him, even after working with us himself, if Tristan St. Anthony still saw us as monsters, how would we ever convince the rest of the Order?

  “So,” Tristan said after an awkward silence. His voice was hesitant, as if he were debating whether or not to say anything. “You and Garret...”

  He trailed off, watching me. I knew what he was asking. What are you doing with my friend? What does he mean to you? I could hear the questions in his voice, the concern that I was using the soldier. The fear that Garret had given his heart to a soulless demon, and I would someday rip it to shreds and leave him bleeding in the dust.

  There were a lot of things I could tell Tristan. Promises and assurances that I would never hurt the soldier. Reasons that he trusted us, that we trusted him, with our lives. But, in the end, I went with the truest, easiest explanation.

  “I love him,�
� I said, and felt Tristan’s astonishment. Whether from my admission, or that I, a dragon and a monster, could feel such a thing. Glancing at the other soldier, I smiled at him sadly. “Hard to believe, isn’t it? I had trouble believing it myself.”

  “I...” For the first time since I’d known him, Tristan seemed at a loss for words. “I didn’t realize,” he finally said. “I didn’t think dragons could...”

  Love. “Yeah, well.” I sighed, raking my hair back. “Until recently, I didn’t think we could, either.” And now I can’t imagine being without him. “The organization... Talon, they told us a lot of lies,” I went on. “Lies that we believed, as an entire race, for a long time.”

  “And that’s why you left?”

  I nodded. “Among other reasons.” Freedom, happiness, the ability to make my own choices, to name a few. Oh, and not being forced to murder my own kind when they disagree. “We just want a normal life,” I said, seeing Tristan from the corner of my eye, watching me. “One that Talon doesn’t control. Where we don’t have to fight a war we didn’t want in the first place.”

  Tristan pondered this. I could sense him gearing up to ask more questions, but at that moment, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out and stared at the new text message that flashed across the screen.

  Meeting is about to start. You okay?

  Garret. I smiled and texted back: Yeah. On my way, before glancing at Tristan. “I have to go,” I told him. “They’re waiting for me in the command room.”

  “For both of us,” Tristan replied with a wry grin, and indicated the way forward. “After you.”

  * * *

  Garret and Lieutenant Martin were waiting patiently at the large table in the center of the floor when I came in with Tristan. Lieutenant Ward, standing across from Martin with his arms crossed, gave us both a look of blatant contempt that I did my best to ignore. The dragon half of my team was present, as well; Riley loomed over Wes in a corner chair, both staring intently at his laptop, while Mist hovered in a corner, watching everything in silence.

  Garret blinked, looking surprised as I entered the room with Tristan. His gaze sought mine, gray eyes questioning, as I circled around to his side of the table.

  “Everything all right?” he murmured as I slid in beside him.

  There was no suspicion in his tone. No jealousy, just puzzled concern. I realized I was still radiating heat; the anger and adrenaline from the encounter with Peter Matthews hadn’t dissipated. For a moment, I considered not telling Garret what had happened with the soldiers in the hall. Given his history with Peter, I wondered if it wouldn’t be better that he didn’t know. Garret wasn’t the vengeful type, not like Riley, but he just might make an exception for his old rival. Perhaps it was better to keep this hidden for now.

  I decided against it. No secrets, Ember. This wasn’t a case of playground bullying. This was a war, and these were the soldiers who would be aiding us on our mission. Garret needed to know, in case Peter Matthews did decide to shoot us in the back.

  “I’m fine,” I whispered back, and gave his arm a brief squeeze. “I’ll tell you everything after the meeting.” He nodded, and I turned my attention to the table, where the map of the island facility was laid out in the center. “What’s going on?”

  “We think,” Garret began, “we have a way to get the breeders off the island.”

  Part II

  Smolder

  Dante

  I had never climbed so many steps in my life.

  This is ridiculous. Why didn’t anyone tell me that this council was held at the very top of a mountain, and the only way you could get there was climb or fly? With a groan, I pushed myself to my feet, secretly wishing, for perhaps the first time, that I could make this journey in my real form. Around me, the rocky cliffs rose straight into the air, soaring to jagged, impossible heights. The winding trail up the side of the mountain was narrow at the best of times and completely treacherous otherwise. The stone steps were slick, crumbling with age, and there were no railings, handholds or barriers of any kind between me and a sheer drop down the side of the mountain. The temple was isolated, as far from civilization as you could get. If I had known I would be climbing what felt like a few thousand steps to reach my objective, I might’ve saved myself the trouble and flown there. Sadly, I had only the one suit, and I wasn’t inclined to ruin it by Shifting. Besides, though I had no way of knowing, I suspected this was a test of some sort, that they were watching to see what the impatient hatchling would do. If I showed up at the council of ancient Eastern dragons in my real form, they would know I had failed, and I hated failing.

  Overhead, the sky was mottled with clouds, and some of the peaks had vanished into the blanket of gray and white. The temple, I hoped, would be just beyond the cloud bank.

  Checking my watch, I took a deep breath and continued climbing.

  The clouds closed around me, a solid wall of white that muffled everything, and the trail shrank to a sliver of stone between the side of the cliff and open air. Setting my jaw, I pushed upward, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other and not losing my balance.

  And then, the steps ended, the clouds disappeared and I was staring at a magnificent temple perched at the very top of the mountain. Weathered gray walls and a sweeping, clay-tiled roof stood against the blue of the sky, with one of the balconies overlooking a sheer drop down the side of the cliff face. The temple looked as ancient as the mountain itself; I wondered how old it really was...if it had been built with the intent to house a dragon.

  A single monk, bald and dressed in somber black robes, stood beside the doors as I approached. I hoped he wouldn’t try to speak with me—my Mandarin was all but nonexistent—but he silently bowed and stepped aside for me to pass. I walked down a very long corridor, lit only with flickering candles in nooks or atop brass stands, until deep, ancient voices began vibrating the stones at my feet.

  Outside a pair of enormous wooden doors trimmed in gold, I paused, taking a moment to breathe, to calm the emotions fluttering inside. You are not just a hatchling, I told myself. You are the heir to Talon, the Voice of the Elder Wyrm herself, and they will respect that position or face the wrath of the organization.

  Opening my eyes, I raised my head, pushed back the doors and strode into the chamber, smiling as I did.

  Six pairs of ancient, all-knowing eyes turned on me. A round stone table stood in the center of the room, surrounded by pillars, candle stands and a half-dozen Adult Eastern dragons, all in human form. They wore long flowing robes of various colors and billowing sleeves, and the weight of their combined stares nearly knocked the air from my lungs.

  As the doors groaned shut behind me, I faced the roomful of dragons and bowed, feeling their gazes on the back of my neck. “Please forgive my tardiness,” I said, holding the bow. “The climb up the mountain was...steeper than I first imagined. I hope I have not kept you long.”

  “You,” one of the females said, her smooth voice tinged with anger. She was an older woman, smaller than me by several inches, with silver-gray hair braided down her back and piercing dark eyes. “How dare you come here, demanding an audience with the council, mere days after Talon brutally attacks our kind for no reason? You slaughter our people, burn our temples to the ground, send those...abominations to destroy us, and now you have the audacity to stand before us in the name of peace and cooperation.” Her eyes started to glow an ominous yellow as the outline of her true form—a massive red dragon with a golden mane and horns—flickered overhead for a split second. “Tell me, hatchling, why shouldn’t we kill you here and now? What can you possibly do to stop us?”

  I kept my voice polite, nonthreatening. As if this were a perfectly normal meeting, and I felt no fear whatsoever. “There is nothing I can do, should you decide to end my life,” I said calmly. “However, that course of action is not advisable. If you kill me, Talon will show you no mercy whats
oever.”

  The woman gave a brittle laugh. “That is supposed to frighten us?” she mocked. “Talon has already shown us the extent of its ‘mercy.’”

  “Forgive me, but I have to disagree,” I said, joining them at the table. “Everything you’ve seen so far? That was only the tip of the iceberg. Right now, Talon’s attention is dispersed—our operations in the US and England are taking much of our time. If you kill me, it will turn the full force of its gaze on this temple and everyone in it.” I met the woman’s eyes, unchallenging, but unafraid. “I am the blood of the Elder Wyrm and the heir to the most powerful organization in the world,” I stated calmly. “You do not want the Elder Wyrm to make this personal.”

  “Enough,” said one of the others, an old man with a white beard and thin mustache down the front of his chest. Ancient black eyes gazed at me across the table. “You did not come to us simply to test our patience,” he said. “If Talon sent you here alone, they must be very confident in whatever you are about to say. Speak, then, and let us be done with it.”

  I bowed my head respectfully. “Thank you.” Facing them all, their expressions ranging from anger to distrust to calm indifference, I took a furtive breath.

  “You have all seen the power Talon now commands,” I began. “The Night of Fang and Fire struck not only here, but at all St. George bases around the world. Our forces took them by surprise, and the dragonslayers fell before the might of Talon. The Order of St. George has been wiped out. The war is finished, and the dragonslayers are no more.”

  If the Eastern dragons felt surprise or dismay at the news, they hid it perfectly. “Our enemies have been put down,” I went on. “St. George will no longer threaten us. The rogue dragons will no longer threaten us. The only opposition Talon has left...is right here.

  “We shouldn’t be enemies,” I continued before they could mount an argument, or accuse me of threats. “We are the same, and all dragons should be united under one banner. Join us. Accept the gift the Elder Wyrm is offering your people. With your wisdom and Talon’s power, we can make our race even stronger.”