Before she can talk anymore, the policewoman from before beckons us both into a small room with a table and three chairs. Melody guides me towards a chair and then takes a seat next to me, smiling warmly. The policewoman unlocks the guard from my mouth.
“Any funny moves, and you’ll go into a cell for the night, got it?” She jingles the guard in front of my face. I nod silently and she takes a seat. “First question, where are the others? Braith Howell and Marco White?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“Don’t lie,” the woman snarls through gritted teeth.
“I’m not,” I try to calm myself down as my face begins to redden. “We got separated.”
It’s clear that I’m lying: the shuffling, the blushing and refusing eye contact. But I’m not giving the others up.
The woman stares hard at me. “If you don’t co-operate, I’ll bring the Wyrm in, do you understand?”
“Wyrm?” My mouth almost drops to the floor. They have Wyrms here?
“Yes. They’ll get the truth out of you.”
“No, I don’t want to see them again!” I explode, tears starting to pour down my face.
“Shh, it’s okay.” Melody snaps her head towards the policewoman. “You and I both know it’s illegal to use Wyrms on under-eighteens.”
The woman sighs and cricks her neck. “We need to find them.”
“She’ll say when she’s ready, won’t you, Hazel?”
I nod silently, thankful that Melody is sticking up for me. It feels weird to have an adult not treat me like a piece of dirt.
“Fine.” The woman paws through her files. “Seventeen years old, absent father, mother found dead-”
“What?” My blood runs cold.
“Your mother?” The woman looks at me quizzically. “She died two years ago in an accident at work. Did you not…?”
My mum is dead?
I only met her once.
My body shakes as I sob uncontrollably. That’s why she didn’t come back: she died. I didn’t get to spend any time with her, tell her everything I wanted to.
“This interview is over.” Melody slams her hand on the table. “All you’ve done is mentally abuse this girl. She’s probably gone through enough out there! I suggest you tell your superiors that the interview will have to wait until she has recovered slightly.”
“You don’t have the authority to end this interview,” the woman replies coolly, though her eyes are blazing with fury.
“As Hazel’s representative, I think you’ll find I do. She has been through enough and her companion is recovering in hospital. You need to pick a better time for this.”
“Fine.” The woman slams her file closed and swings the door open as Melody hugs me comfortingly.
* * *
Beeping from Aqueous’ machinery is drilled into my mind, I can’t ignore the sound anymore. I’m expecting it to flatline any minute. The black dragon lies in a bed of straw and pillows, his body hooked up to several sleek monitors that display different stats. His foot has been cleaned and bandaged, and he is on an antibiotic drip. Just a mild infection, thankfully.
He stirs in his sleep, blinking sleepily at me before curling up into a ball and falling back into a slumber, his chest rising and falling slowly.
At least he’s feeling better.
I turn my attention towards the only TV in the room full of sick dragons. Many people are gathered around it. It’s muted, but they are talking about me. Pictures of me being dragged into the police station appear, making a few people mutter. Now that my face is all over the news, it won’t be long before the Wyrms find me. They’ll manipulate everyone to get me taken back to camp. Who knows what Ray will do to me then?
But as I look at my calm companion, I don’t regret my decision. He’s alive: that’s all that matters. At least I don’t have to grieve for him and my mother.
As the newsreel ends, people turn their attention elsewhere. A few of them glance in my direction, trying to be discreet. Aqueous and I are the biggest criminals around now, apparently.
A tall blond boy enters the room, scanning it. It takes me a few seconds, but I recognise him.
“Isaac?”
He whips around to face me. “Hazel! I’m glad to see you’re okay.”
“What are you doing here?” I ask as he crouches down next to me.
“You’re all over the news. Talk of the town with the Aislados.”
My heart drops. “They’re still together?”
He shrugs. “Kind of. I’ve done away with the hierarchy; it’s more equal now.” He smiles warmly at me. “Thanks for sparking the rebellion.”
“I just found a necklace, that’s all,” I smirk, thinking back to the shock on Javier’s face when I found out his about him using dragon scales to make jewellery. Turns out people don’t like it when you use their dragons for personal gain.
“You got people thinking, which is what I needed.” He pauses. “Javier is gone, by the way.”
“Good.” I shiver at the thought of him. He was a creep.
“Anyway, I came here to talk to you.”
“Seems a little dangerous. You’re a fugitive too.”
This makes him chuckle. “You, Braith and Marco are the most famous ones. They’re looking over us little guys to find you, for whatever reason.”
I bet the Wyrms have something to do with it. They are intent on finding us and bringing us back for their own personal gain. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had already infiltrated the city, whispering in people’s ears.
“What do you want to know?”
“Where are Braith and Marco? I want to bring them with me. They can have a warm bed and food this time, I promise.”
Although he sounds genuine, I’m reluctant to give them away. He could be lying.
“I don’t know…”
Smiling, he looks down at my companion. “I know it’s hard to trust anyone right now. But if you want them safe, they need to stay with the Aislados.”
I mull this over. Could he be right?
Seeing me still hesitate, he asks: “Have you met Melody yet?”
“Yeah, why?”
“She’s a former member of the Aislados. One of the few who has made a good life for herself. She looks after any members who get caught or want to go back to camp. She’s interested in you because Muddy left with you when you escaped.”
“Who’s Muddy?” I ask quizzically.
He furrows his eyebrows. “But you…oh, you don’t know his name! The blue-footed dragon?”
“Bluey?”
He chuckles. “I’m sure he prefers that name.”
His real name is Muddy? Who would call their dragon Muddy?
“Is he Melody’s dragon?” I ask, thinking that maybe we accidentally wandered off with someone else’s dragon.
“No, no, he was Seren’s. Her brother. He died a few weeks after joining the Aislados.”
I want to ask him more questions when a few police officers step in the room, their eyes instantly fixing on me.
“Where I was caught, behind the alleyway. They’re in the field: you can spot Bluey a mile off.” I stumble on my words in my panic, but Isaac nods.
“I’ll keep them safe; I promise.”
“You better. I don’t want them abused again.”
“You have my word.”
As the police officers yank me to my feet he steps away, drawing his hood over his head and disappearing.
I hope I’ve made the right choice.
11
Chapter Eleven
Marco takes down another lot of notes as Braith flicks through Olwen’s articles. “Slow down!” he huffs.
“I’m sorry that your eyeballs are slower than mine,” she scoffs, clicking on an article about the Wyrms.
The article is full of pictures of the Wyrms at different stages, from tiny black bodies no thicker than a pencil to the size they are now. In between are pictures of them interacting with kids; Marco guessed that they were from
the previous batches. They look terrified, their faces grimy and tired. The scientists weren’t caring for them well. It made him grateful that Hazel was allowed to have a relatively normal life instead of growing up at the lab. If she had, he might never have met her, or known about his brother.
“Ooh,” Braith clicks her tongue. “Look, it’s an entry from Dr Gard.”
The Wyrms are adapting faster to the serum than first thought. Their voices are now amplified by batch eight; that must mean we are on the right track. Everyone is hoping that batch nine will be the one, but the serum still needs time to activate in the children. We need to wait until the children are eighteen, seventeen and sixteen before the Wyrms can harness their powers. This will be the best batch yet; we just need to keep an eye on the children. Thula infiltrated Aria as soon as the older children were sent to live there. Now we must wait for the others.
“Thula?” Marco wonders aloud.
“That Wyrm, the one who freed the Wyverns with us,” Braith groans. “It must have been watching us the whole time.”
“But why not make itself known sooner? How did the Wyrms infiltrate Aria?”
Braith ducks her head. “Ray. He’s older; he would have been in camp when the Wyrms came along. They must have manipulated him…”
A warning growl from Bluey makes them both snap their heads up and slam the laptop lid closed. The red dragon is hissing at dragon-shaped forms in the sky, his tail swishing.
“Shit.”
“They found us.” Braith launches herself onto Damayanti’s back. “We need to go.”
“Where’s Hazel?” Marco turns his attention to the direction his girlfriend went in, but she’s gone. Aqueous’ black body can’t be seen in the darkness.
“She’ll follow us, come on!”
“I’m not leaving her!”
Ignoring her as Damayanti leaps into the air, Marco runs for the city, Drea and Bluey jogging after him. He can’t leave her. Even if she’s hidden, he can’t leave her behind. The area around the vent is barren, the ground even and untouched, so Aqueous hasn’t been here.
“Hazel?” he hisses.
No reply.
“Haze, we’ve been seen, we have to go!”
Still nothing.
Afraid for her safety, he points towards the alleyway as the dragons land in the field where they were a minute ago. Drea sniffs around the alley but shakes her head.
“Haze, where are you?” he hisses again, more desperately this time.
“Marco White!” a voice calls out behind him. “Stop!”
“Shit.”
Bluey flares his wings out as a tall man in an orange hoodie runs over. Drea shields Marco with one wing, her fangs glistening in the setting sun.
“It’s okay, I’m friendly.” The man raises his hands non-threateningly. “Hazel told me where to find you.”
“Haze? Where is she? Who are you? What have you done with her?” Flames lick at the roof of his mouth as his anger rises.
“My name is Isaac. I’m from the Aislados. As for Hazel…she turned herself in.”
“Into the Aislados?”
Isaac bites his lip. “The police.”
Marco’s blood runs cold. They’d sent her back to Aria. “She wouldn’t.”
“She already has. It’s all over the news. I think she did it to get her dragon to a vet.”
“Shit!”
“Come with me,” Isaac beckons him out of the alley.
“No, I’m getting her out.”
The blond boy sighs and drops his arms. “Why do you think I’m here? You ran from the best camp in the country; you must have a good reason.”
“You want to help get her out?” Marco asks, dumbfounded. “You don’t even know her.”
“She sparked the flame that destroyed the Aislados. I have rebuilt them. So, I’m going to repay her favour. Without her, Javier would have continued to go on without consequences for what he did.”
“Ugh, don’t bring up that scumbag. I’m not going anywhere near him.” Marco balls his fists at the thought of what that horrible man tried to do to Hazel.
“He’s gone. We expelled him from the group shortly after the rebellion. He’s gone back to Giame; it’s halfway across the country.”
Marco throws his arms up in the air. “Why should I believe you? Last time we were with the Aislados they treated us like shit.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.” Marco is surprised to see remorse in the blond man’s eyes. “But I have changed it for the better. The hierarchy is gone, Javier is banished, and everyone works equally for the same food. And thanks to you, all the dragons now roam free.” He notices that Marco is still hesitating. “I know it’s not ideal, but you have to trust me. We will help Hazel; I give you my word. We will not let her go back to Aria if she doesn’t want to.”
“Good, because I don’t want her going back. Ray will kill her.”
“Who’s Ray?”
“Long story.”
“So, are you coming with me?”
Marco pats Drea’s back, a signal for her to stand down. “For Hazel. Not for you.”
“Good,” Isaac turns back to the field, sighing. “Any idea where Braith went?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Marco huffs in reply, looking blankly in the direction his friend took off in. “Good luck talking her around; she doesn’t care about Hazel as much as I do.”
Isaac raises an eyebrow. “That seems like an unfair assumption.”
“When given the chance, she abandons us to save her own hide,” Marco retorts. “Not that unfair of an assumption, do you think?”
Isaac narrows his eyes. “She has travelled with you this long, why would she abandon you now?”
Marco shrugs. “She’s changed; we all have. But I wouldn’t abandon her or Hazel.”
“And Hazel hasn’t abandoned you.”
“No, she’s just doing what she thinks is right even though she had other options. I just wish she would open up more before trying these stupid plans of hers.”
12
Chapter Twelve
Rocky looks at the others quizzically as they are all gathered in one room. This is the room he was interrogated in earlier, except the chair has been replaced by a small table with a laptop perched on it. Ray smiles gleefully as Eryk finally enters. A Wyrm with spikes around its neck follows him in: Thula. Mason glances at Rocky and shrugs his shoulders. No-one knows why they have been gathered here.
“Good evening, everyone,” Ray taps the laptop’s lid, biting his lip. “I believe you have not seen the news yet?”
“Like you give us a chance to see it,” Rocky snorts.
The blond boy ignores him, his black veins pulsing with each breath he takes. “I think that you will all be very, very interested to see what has happened in the last few hours.”
Thula chuckles and sidles up beside Ray. “The group is splintering.”
“What group?” Rocky asks, and then it hits him.
Hazel.
Noticing the look of horror on his face, Ray taps the laptop and begins playing the newsreel on mute. A blonde woman with a bulky yellow microphone appears on screen before it flashes to pictures of a grubby girl in handcuffs and a mouthguard being led into a police station. Ray pauses the video, and Rocky’s heart sinks.
He’d recognise that scar anywhere.
Sinking to the floor with his head in his hands, he mutters: “Shit.”
“Handed herself in,” Ray continues gleefully. “Aqueous was injured, so she sacrificed herself to save him. Very heroic – so unlike the Hazel we all remember.”
“Shut up,” Mason hisses, kneeling beside Rocky to comfort him.
“I have already sent a band of Wyrms to retrieve her. She should be home in a few days.”
“What are you going to do with her?” Rocky snarls.
“Thula is taking responsibility for our new guest.” Ray motions to the Wyrm standing beside him, who raises its head up high.
“She
will be looked after in my care,” Thula cackles. “I will make sure she doesn’t escape again.”
“She was scared.”
“That is beyond the point,” Ray slams the laptop closed. “Once she gets here, we will keep her isolated until she tells us where the others are.”
“She won’t crack,” Rocky sneers. “Not after everything she’s been through.”
“I will find a weak spot.” Ray places his hands behind his back, bouncing on his tiptoes. “No matter what I have to do.”
Mason holds Rocky back as he dives towards the crazy boy, who booms with laughter at Rocky’s attempt to attack him. The black-haired boy is pulled back by his friend, who whispers “it’s not worth it” in his ear over and over.
Rocky pushes Mason away, but doesn’t try to attack Ray again. His friend is right; it’s not worth it. It will just make Hazel’s punishment worse.
At least she will be home.
He’s missed her terribly since she’s been gone. At least he will be able to see her again, safe and hopefully happy.
“Anyway,” Ray flicks his hand. “I do not want to keep you much longer; I know you have homework to do. One day, this will all be worth it.”
“Not for us,” Mason argues. “We’ll be Wyrm food.”
“But you will bring such a bright future for those around you. One where no dragon is left without a purpose.”
“They already have a purpose.”
“Not all of them,” the blond boy’s eyes go dark. “Fae did not have a purpose and she was murdered for it.”
Thula rolls its eyes. “Enough. Back to your rooms.”
“No,” Ray strolls in front of Thula to size Mason up. “I have not finished.”
“You are rambling again,” Thula argues. “You need more venom.”
“I am fine,” Ray hisses, his veins pulsing brighter than before. “I do not want anymore venom. It blocks Fae out.”
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