Fanning the Flames (Going Down in Flames)

by Chris Cannon

  “I guess, but as my knight and my boyfriend you should probably kiss me just to make sure I’m not too traumatized.”

  He leaned in and kissed the spot on her neck, right below her ear lobe. Heat shot through her body. She suppressed a growl, but when he scraped his teeth across the sensitive area, she gave up and let loose a low rumble that made him chuckle. Not that she minded. Half the reason she loved Valmont was because he always made her laugh.

  “Feeling pretty manly, are you?” she teased.

  “Knightly, would be a more appropriate term. Now hold on, we’re going to try the lie-down-while-kissing-without-falling-off-the-couch maneuver.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “All systems go.”

  He kissed her, and she held on to him as they shifted positions. As they over-rotated, she let go of him and grabbed the back of the couch.

  He paused the kiss, opening his eyes. “So close.”

  “Practice makes perfect,” she said. And then she pulled him down for another kiss.

  Chapter Eleven

  Putting out the word about Throwbacks had some unexpected consequences. People Bryn didn’t know kept sneaking up on her and asking if they could meet someplace private.

  “I feel like my life has turned into a spy movie,” she complained at lunch. “And when I meet these people and tell them they have to meet with Jaxon to answer some questions, they freak out. So now I’m having to say nice things about him to convince people to come to the stupid meetings.”

  “It’s like opposite day,” Valmont said. “And it’s disturbing to hear her sing Jaxon’s praises—not to mention, annoying.”

  “And no one is going to him first. So I’m doing twice the work.”

  “How many Throwbacks have you met so far?” Ivy asked.

  This was going to be awkward. “Not to leave you guys out, but I don’t think I should say. We’re trying to keep it quiet.”

  “Give us an estimate,” Ivy said. “Twenty-something? Thirty-something?”

  “We’re not up to the twenties, yet.” That didn’t give too much away.

  “Have you run across anyone whose genetics are more evenly split like yours?” Clint asked.

  “So far, no. And I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.” She didn’t want to out any hybrids who were living on campus trying to blend in, but if they were discovered, they’d look guilty. If her grandfather ever found out she knew about other hybrids, he’d think she was scheming against him.

  …

  “You are not going to make anyone sit on that couch while they wait to speak with us.” Bryn pointed at the on-purpose uncomfortable couch outside of the conference room they’d been assigned to use on the top floor of the library.

  “I didn’t choose the room or pick out the furniture,” Jaxon replied. “And they can stand, if they don’t want to sit.”

  The first student was due in fifteen minutes. Bryn opened the door to the conference room and checked inside. There were a dozen chairs around an oval table. “We’ll put some of these outside.”

  “Do whatever you like.” Jaxon sat at the table. “I need to organize my questionnaires.”

  Without commenting, Valmont grabbed a chair and carried it out the door.

  “Should we move the couch or put a warning label on it?” Bryn asked.

  “Can I write the label?” Valmont asked.

  “Knock yourself out.”

  They carried out two more chairs and then Valmont found a blank sheet of paper and wrote. “Beware of seriously uncomfortable couch. It will mock you.” Then he taped the paper to the wall above the obnoxious piece of furniture.

  Bryn nodded. “That works. We give them fair warning and a different place to sit.”

  The sound of approaching footsteps had Bryn turning around. Eve, the Red-Black hybrid who had approached Bryn last semester came toward her.

  “You’re Bryn, right? We worked together in stagecraft a while back.”

  She could play this I’m-not-sure-who-you-are game, especially if someone was spying on them. “I’m Bryn. I’m sorry. I don’t remember your name.”

  “It’s Eve.” She looked around like she thought someone might be listening. “I heard you wanted Throwbacks to answer some questions.”

  “That’s right.” Bryn pointed toward the door. “If you’ll come in here, Jaxon will ask you a few questions. It shouldn’t take long.”

  Eve headed into the room and took a seat across the table from Jaxon.

  Bryn sat off to the side with Valmont.

  “Is this the part where we play twenty questions?” Eve gave an uncomfortable laugh.

  “I do have some questions for you to answer. As long as you cooperate and answer truthfully this should be fairly painless. Let’s do the obvious first, what’s your name.”

  She folded her hands in her lap. “Eve Daniels.”

  Jaxon wrote her name down in elegant script. Good thing he wanted to fill out the paperwork, because Bryn’s penmanship wasn’t great.

  “What is your Throwback trait?” Jaxon asked.

  Bryn was curious to see what her answer would be.

  “My hair is black. I use hair dye to make it auburn.”

  Jaxon sat back and stared at her. “Is this common in your family?”

  “My great aunt had it. Black hair seems to show up every few generations.”

  “What is your opinion of the Directorate asking you to come forward to register as a Throwback?”

  “I’ve spent my whole life trying to blend in,” Eve said. “I would never go against the Directorate or the Institute. I almost didn’t come today because I was afraid I’d be labeled a Rebel sympathizer because of my hair, but if I didn’t come and anyone ever found out about me, I’d be labeled a traitor or worse.”

  “Have you ever been contacted by Rebels hoping to sway you to their cause?”

  Eve shook her head emphatically. “No.”

  “If anyone ever contacts you, would you be willing to speak to me or Bryn about it?” Jaxon asked.

  “Yes. Like I said, I just want things to go back to normal.”

  “Thank you for your time,” Jaxon said. “You’re free to go.”

  That was probably a much nicer interrogation than Ferrin had in mind. As long as Jaxon gave his father a decent report, hopefully the Directorate wouldn’t mind.

  A Green male showed up a few minutes later. His answers mirrored the ones given by Eve. Once he left, Bryn stood. “Okay, our next meeting is on the second floor.”

  “We should have asked everyone to come here.” Jaxon gathered up his papers.

  “Some of them want to keep their Throwback status a secret. If we asked all of them to meet in a group, then that would blow their cover.”

  Jaxon headed out the door. Bryn and Valmont followed behind him. When they reached the second floor, a Black male was waiting for them at a table in the back corner. Bryn and Valmont kept watch while Jaxon asked questions. When he finished, Bryn checked the schedule she’d written out for the appointment times.

  “Now we’re going to the cafe in the Red dorm.”

  “Why would we meet someone in the Red dorm cafe?” Jaxon checked his watch. “It’s ten in the morning.”

  “We’re meeting with Keegan and a Throwback named Lisa for coffee and hopefully, donuts.”

  Jaxon’s eyes narrowed. “Did you schedule our appointments around food?”

  “That’s ridiculous. After meeting with Lisa we’re coming back here, and then we’re going to the dining hall where we’ll have an early lunch with twin Greens who are both Throwbacks.”

  “Twins?” Jaxon asked.

  “They are identical, so it makes sense they’d both have the same traits. We better go. Keegan and Lisa are expecting us.”

  Once they reached the Red dorm cafe, Bryn took out a notebook and scribbled in it pretending she was working on homework.

  “Will people really believe we’re doing school work?” Lisa glanced around like she wa
s nervous.

  “People meet to work in groups all the time,” Keegan said. “Granted, the groups don’t normally involve a Westgate and a knight, but Bryn tends to travel in interesting company, so it should be okay.”

  The waiter came and took their order for coffee and pastries. Bryn worked her way through two orange scones while Jaxon asked his questions. Before, she’d been annoyed that this was his show, but now she didn’t care, since letting him ask all the questions gave her more time to eat.

  After taking down Lisa’s information, Bryn, Valmont, and Jaxon went back to the conference room on the top floor of the library.

  “We’re definitely going to get our exercise today,” Bryn muttered as she trudged up the last three steps.

  A female Red sat on a chair outside the conference room waiting for them. She smiled at Bryn. “You weren’t kidding about the couch. That thing is awful.”

  “Yes, it is,” Bryn agreed. “Have you been waiting long?”

  “No.”

  “We can talk in the conference room.” Jaxon entered the room, and they all followed.

  Over the next three hours, Bryn made seven more trips up and down the library stairs to meet with Throwbacks at random tables or in study cubicles. They also visited the dining hall twice.

  “How can you possibly be hungry?” Jaxon asked when he watched her eat a second lunch.

  “Must be all the calories I burn being awesome,” Bryn said.

  Jaxon rolled his eyes. “Yes. That must be it.”

  They trudged across campus to the library.

  “Is this the last one?” Valmont asked.

  “Yes,” Bryn said. “One final trek up the library stairs to the conference room.”

  After the last interview was complete Bryn slid down in her seat and sighed. “I declare it’s officially nap time.”

  “Seconded,” Valmont said.

  Jaxon sorted through his stack of papers. Rather than appearing relieved, he seemed troubled.

  “What’s wrong?” Bryn asked.

  “It’s interesting… I never would’ve guessed any of the students we met with today were Throwbacks. They didn’t have to contact you and come forward, but they did. It’s the ones who didn’t come forward that we might have to worry about.”

  “What will you tell your father?”

  Jaxon sighed and slid the papers into a manila envelope. “I’ll tell him I don’t think we have anything to fear from Throwbacks. The one characteristic they all shared was the desire to fit in. If they wanted to change things, I think they’d flaunt their differences.”

  Bryn couldn’t help but think about Eve. Her desire to fit in was true, but how much simpler would her life be if hybrids could admit who they were. “Do you think there will ever come a time where Throwbacks could walk around in their natural state?”

  “Not in my father’s time.” Jaxon stood and exited the room.

  Valmont, who’d been sitting in the corner said, “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but Jaxon isn’t all bad.”

  “He’s honorable,” Bryn said. “Now, I guess we should move the chairs back in here, because I don’t want anyone griping about the furniture.”

  “Okay, but I’m not taking down the sign.”

  Bryn laughed. “Fine we’ll leave it up as a public service announcement.”

  Valmont checked his watch. “I think I’m going to call my grandfather, while you take a nap.”

  Bryn normally napped on the couch, but if Valmont planned on talking to his grandfather, the phone was in the living room. So it only made sense for her to sleep in her bed. As she drifted to sleep, she heard him laughing. It was a nice reassuring sound to fall asleep to. It made it seem like the world was still a good place.

  After her nap, Bryn and Valmont met Clint and Ivy outside of the Black dorm. “Do we have a plan?” Bryn said.

  “We’re going to play cards,” Clint held up a deck of playing cards. “Just for fun, of course. No cash involved.”

  “Okay, but it’s nice, so let’s stay outside.” Plus, she wanted to talk about some things she didn’t want to say indoors where Ferrin and friends might be listening.

  “I don’t want to sit on the ground,” Ivy said. “Why don’t we sit on the side steps of the library?”

  “Sure.” They walked over to the library and around the side where the yellow day lilies were still in bloom.

  “It’s pretty back here,” Ivy said. “Maybe this should become our new outside hangout.”

  They sat on the steps. Bryn leaned back on her elbows and closed her eyes. The slight spring breeze was calming. The air smelled fresh and clean and wait…she inhaled again…what was that scent? It was sort of hot and metallic.

  “Do you smell something strange?” Bryn asked.

  Valmont inhaled. “No.”

  Clint and Ivy both sniffed and then stood and looked around.

  “It smells like fire,” Clint said, “and metal.”

  “Hot metal,” Ivy said. “If that makes sense.”

  “Can you tell where it’s coming from?” Valmont asked.

  Bryn focused and inhaled. The scent seemed to be drifting from the left. She pointed toward the back of the library. “From back there.”

  “Do we investigate, or alert Miss Enid?” Valmont asked. “Because fire and the library are not a good combination.”

  “Maybe we should check it out first,” Bryn said. “If it’s a Green performing a science experiment or a Black dragon doing some sort of metal sculpture, I don’t want to get them in trouble.”

  Clint stood and shoved the deck of cards into his back pocket. “Let’s go.”

  With Clint and Ivy in the lead, they walked farther down the side of the building. The flower beds were immaculate until they reached the back corner of the building where several plants had been trampled down like someone had walked on them many times.

  Something else about the space seemed off. Bryn pointed at the stonework. “What’s wrong with this picture?”

  “Before we investigate, we should take precautions.” Valmont crept forward and peered around the corner of the building. “There’s no one here, but now I can smell what you were talking about.”

  “Do you think someone cut through a grate or a door lock or something to sneak into the library?” Ivy asked.

  Clint pointed at the stonework Bryn had been staring at. “If you look at it long enough, the lines shift.”

  Bryn put her hands on the wall and ran them along the mortar lines between the stones. What she saw didn’t match what she touched. “I think it’s like the root cellar door. Something is cloaking the actual stone.”

  “Step back,” Ivy said. “Let me use my lightning to see if it reveals the truth.”

  Ivy sucked in a breath and then exhaled a small streak of lighting, which hit the stones, crackled, and then disappeared.

  “I guess it wasn’t a Black dragon this time,” Clint said.

  “Let me try.” Bryn exhaled a fireball. Nothing happened. Time for ice. She sucked in a breath and shot ice at the wall, but nothing changed.

  “Let’s go get Miss Enid,” Valmont said. “We might need wind to solve this problem.”

  “Actually, you need a sonic wave,” an unfamiliar voice said from behind them. Bryn whirled around and was slammed with an invisible wave. She stumbled backward into Valmont. He wrapped his arms around her waist and then they both fought to stay upright.

  The pressure of the wave made Bryn’s ears pop and her vision blur. Lightning arcing over her head toward the Orange showed that Clint and Ivy were putting up a good fight.

  “Aim low,” Valmont shouted.

  Right. The sonic waves would be the strongest in the middle and weaker on the edges. She inhaled and blasted fire at the unknown Orange dragon’s feet. Her flames broke apart into little sparks, which winked out. Damn it. What could she do against this guy?

  Ivy screamed something Bryn didn’t understand, and then a fresh round of sonic wave
s came from the side and slammed both her and Valmont into the stone wall of the building. Pain shot through her shoulder as the bone crunched against the wall.

  They were outmatched. If they didn’t get help soon, they were going to lose this battle. And this Orange seemed intent on crushing her against the wall. She needed to draw someone’s attention. Aiming high, she shot a fountain of flames into the sky. Then she aimed for a tree, blasting it until it caught fire.

  “Stop her,” a male voice shouted.

  Bryn blasted fireball after fireball high into the air. Someone would have to see one. Right?

  Lightning arched up into the sky as Clint and Ivy must have realized what she was doing.

  She couldn’t take a full breath. The bombardment of sonic waves increased, and the pressure against her body doubled, smashing her against the unyielding stone wall and crushing her chest. Spots danced before her eyes, and then the world went dark.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bryn fought to breathe. The pressure was gone, thank goodness, but her head ached like someone had tried to crack her skull open like a walnut. Those sonic waves were crazy strong. She inhaled again and winced at the stabbing pain in her side. Had she broken a rib? She pushed to a seated position, ignoring the sharp pain in her shoulder.

  Where was she? It was pitch black. And why did her face feel weird? She touched her head and felt cold metal. What the hell? She traced the metal band all the way around her head. And her face…it felt like she was wearing a mask…holy hell…a Tyrant’s Crown… Instinctively she grabbed at the circle of metal and tried to pull it off, even though she knew it wouldn’t budge. Panic flared in her gut. Her breath came faster. Flames shot from her nostrils as she lost control of her element.

  Claustrophobia hit…she was trapped…trapped in human form. The urge to shift overwhelmed her.

  Valmont. She needed Valmont and Blood Magic to get this foul thing off of her head.

  “Valmont?” She wanted to scream his name but what if the dragons who’d captured her were nearby? Her heart raced as she tried to focus and fight the claustrophobia that was clawing at her chest. “Valmont?”