Legion

  But it was the third person in the room that caught my attention. She stood on the other side of the table, arms crossed, straight black hair falling to the center of her back.

  “Jade?”

  The slight Chinese woman, in reality a forty-foot-long Adult Eastern dragon, turned and gave me a faint smile as I stepped into the room. “Hello, Ember,” she greeted me. “It’s good to see you again. From what Riley has told me, I was expecting not to catch a glimpse of you for days.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  One slender eyebrow arched. “I said I would return, did I not? When I made certain the monks were safe and had found a new temple, I promised to come back. And there is still a war to be fought.” She lifted her hands slightly. “So, here I am. Though it seems I have come at a, if not bad, rather uncertain time.”

  “Ember.” Riley rose quickly, his gold gaze meeting mine across the table. For a moment, his expression was apprehensive; I hadn’t voluntarily left Garret’s room since the day we’d arrived. There were only two reasons I would leave it now. “St. George?” he asked cautiously.

  “He’s awake,” I said, making him slump, but whether it was in relief or disappointment, I wasn’t sure. “The fever has broken—he was talking to me a few minutes ago. I think he’s going to be okay.”

  “Well, that’s something at least.” Riley raked back his hair. “Nice to get some not horrible news for a change. If the bastard gets back on his feet soon, I could use his perspective on what the hell is going on out there with the Order.”

  Mention of the Order brought the current situation rushing back. I’d been so distracted by Garret, I’d nearly forgotten about it, but now it rose up again, looming and ominous. “Why?” I asked, stepping to the edge of the table. What had I missed? “What’s going on? What’s the Order been doing?”

  He shot me a frustrated look. “Nothing,” he growled, making me frown. “Not a damn thing. We haven’t heard a peep from them since we left Salt Lake City. There’ve been no raids, no strikes, no activity at all. The Order has gone completely AWOL.”

  “I’m confused,” I said, cocking my head. “Isn’t that a good thing? We exposed the Patriarch to the rest of St. George, and Talon’s hold on them is broken. They’re not going after your safe houses anymore.”

  “Not right now.” Riley crossed his arms. “But it’s still too quiet. I don’t trust this complete lack of response—it’s not like them at all. This is probably the calm before the shitstorm.”

  “The Order is not the one we should be worrying about,” Jade insisted, as if I hadn’t said anything.

  “So you keep telling me,” Riley said, glaring at the Eastern dragon. “But I don’t know what you expect me to do against Talon. If the organization is up to something, all the more reason to keep off their radar. We hide deep, and we hide hard. That’s the only way we’re going to survive.”

  “It is not a plan to simply hide and do nothing.”

  “I’m sorry—this from one of the Eastern dragons who, for hundreds of years, have done nothing but sit on their scaly butts in isolated temples while the rest of us fought the war?”

  While they were talking, the news story changed to show a young reporter standing on a narrow stretch of pavement that snaked into a forest. A pair of orange and white barricades blocked the road behind her, warning lights flashing in the gray drizzle. “Authorities are still struggling to discover the reason behind the accident that caused a cargo plane full of fuel to crash into a small Arkansas town last week,” the woman was saying. “As you can see, the road to the town has been blocked, and authorities have closed off the area. Rescue crews are on the scene now and have been combing through the rubble nonstop, but so far no survivors have been found.”

  “When did that happen?” I asked.

  Riley gave the television a cursory glance. “Couple days ago,” he said in a brusque voice. “Apparently, a plane full of jet fuel took a nosedive into some hillbilly community in the mountains. Caused a spectacular explosion and wiped out the whole town, according to the news. It’s been on every station for days.” He shrugged. “Tragic, but not something we need to worry about.”

  “Correct,” agreed Jade. “We should be worrying about Talon and what their plans are, now that the Order has been disrupted.”

  “And what is it you think we can actually do against the organization?” Riley said, turning back to her. “For that matter, what makes you think Talon is up to anything at all?”

  While they were arguing, I turned my attention to the TV. The scene had changed from a map of the United States to what looked like a news conference, with a man behind a podium speaking to a handful of reporters and flashing cameras. After a moment, he stepped down, and a woman took his place behind the podium. She was tall and attractive, with jet-black hair and striking blue eyes, and for some reason, my instincts prickled when I saw her.

  “Oh, bloody hell,” Wes breathed from the corner.

  Riley and Jade didn’t hear him, or the quiet horror in his voice. Puzzled, I turned, but he wasn’t looking at any of us, his attention riveted to the television in the corner. “Shit,” Wes swore again and glanced at Riley, still in a heated argument with Jade. “Riley, bloody shut up for a second. Look! Look who it is.”

  Riley craned his neck toward the TV, and his eyebrows shot up. “Miranda?” he exclaimed. “What the hell? Why is she there...?” His eyes narrowed, jaw tightening as he shook his head. “Dammit,” he growled.

  “What?” I asked. “What’s going on? Who’s Miranda?”

  Riley swore again. “She an agent with the NTSB—the National Transportation Safety Board,” he answered. “They’re a federal agency that’s called in to investigate aviation accidents across the US.” He sighed, his gaze sharpening. “She’s also a Chameleon, and one of Talon’s best. Which means...”

  “That whole story is a bloody cover-up,” Wes muttered darkly. “If Talon sent a Chameleon herself to the site, they’re neck-deep in whatever is going on down there.”

  Jade’s cool gaze held Riley’s across the table, and there was a warning in those dark eyes. “Talon is on the move,” she said in an ominous tone. “How long can we remain ignorant? How long can we hide while they put their plans into motion, unopposed?”

  “As long as it takes,” Riley growled back. “Breaking up the Order is one thing. Saving hatchlings from the organization is another. Dragons who go head-to-head with Talon die, that’s all there is to it. I’m the leader of this underground—it’s not just my hide on the line. I have an entire network of dragons and humans to worry about, and I will not bring them under Talon’s fire. No, we stay here, we hide, we let this blow over. I’m not going to put anyone in danger if I can help it.”

  “And what if it doesn’t blow over?” I challenged. “What if it just gets worse?” I pointed at the screen. “Riley, if that’s a cover-up, then Talon might have destroyed an entire town. That’s not like them at all—they would never risk that kind of exposure unless they’re planning something huge to counter it.” Riley glared at me, making my dragon stir, but I held my ground. “Jade is right. Something is happening with the organization, something big. We need to know what Talon is up to before it’s too late.”

  “Don’t you start, too, Firebrand.”

  “They’re right, mate,” Wes said quietly, shocking us all speechless. We turned to him, but he was staring at the screen, his gaze dark. “Talon might’ve blown up a building or two in the past, but they’re always careful to make it seem like an accident. This...” He shook his head at the TV. “This is a whole different animal. I’ve never heard of them taking out an entire town for no reason. That place is in the middle of nowhere. Unless we’re missing something big, there’s nothing there that Talon would want.” His jaw tightened. “I don’t like it, Riley. They’re changing the game on us. We need to
find out what the hell they’re doing before it bites us all in the ass.”

  “Et tu, Wesley?” Riley growled, but before Wes could reply, he turned to me. “Hang on a second, Firebrand,” he ordered. “Before you go charging off again, I think you’re forgetting something.” He gestured at the door. “What about the soldier? He can’t come with us, not with that injury. He’ll slow us down or get himself killed. Hell, he can’t even stand now, much less hold a gun. How do you expect him to keep up?”

  I bit my lip. He was right. Garret was in no condition to go running into yet another dangerous mission, but I also knew that we needed to find out what Talon was planning. “I... I’ll stay behind,” I told Riley. “I’ll keep an eye on Garret while you, Jade and Wes go see what Talon is up to.”

  Riley snorted. “Very noble of you.”

  “I would come with you, Riley, you know I would,” I said firmly. “I want to go, and I want to see for myself. But...” I started to rub my arms, then stopped myself. “I won’t leave him behind. Not alone. And we have to figure out what Talon is doing before they surprise us with their next horrible scheme. So, the three of you go ahead. I’ll stay here with Garret.”

  “No, you won’t,” Wes sighed, shocking me again. “I will.” Riley turned to him, and he shrugged. “I can do just as much over the phone as in person,” he said in a reasonable voice, “and you’ll need someone watching the safe houses while you’re gone. Let’s face it, mate, she’s better in a fight, and if bugger all goes down, three dragons have a better chance of making it out alive than two dragons and a human. I’ll stay here, provide support and make sure St. George doesn’t bleed to death and the nests don’t explode. He’ll be safe with me—and don’t give me that look,” he added as Riley raised a brow at him. “The tosser is useful—I’m not too much of a bastard to admit it. If keeping him alive means he’ll kill more of St. George and Talon in the future, then by all means, I’ll give him whatever he needs.”

  I smiled at his gruffness, seeing the flush that crept below his scruffy jawline. “Thanks, Wes.”

  “Yes, thank you, Wesley,” Riley echoed in a mock sincere voice. “For dragging me into yet another insane scheme. I suppose if I refuse now, these two morons will go to this crash site without me.” He shook his head and raised a hand before I could protest. “Fine. Great. Into the jaws of death once more—must be a Tuesday. So, now that you mutineers have decided where we’re going next, why don’t you tell me how long it’s going to take to drive from Wyoming to Arkansas?”

  Wes’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “Um...about eighteen hours,” he confirmed, squinting at the screen. “If you drive straight through.”

  Riley exhaled and shook his head in exasperated defeat. “All right,” he muttered, “if we’re really going to do this, let’s get it over with.” Straightening, he became confident again, his tone brusque and commanding. “We’ll leave tomorrow. Wes, send a message to all the safe houses. Tell them—again—they are to stay put and not move unless they are one hundred percent certain Talon or St. George will kick down their door in the next twenty-four hours. I’ll get things together so we can leave as soon as we can.” He gave me an appraising, golden-eyed stare, and one corner of his mouth curled up. I swallowed, ignoring the slow flame coiling through my insides. “Get some rest, Firebrand,” he ordered. “You’ve gotten only a couple hours a night this whole time, and most of that has been slumped in a chair. I know you’re tired. Go to sleep.”

  I smirked back, ready to tell him I was fine, but then I realized he was right. I was more than tired. Between the stress of nearly losing Garret, his sickness and the constant bedside vigil, I was completely exhausted. Sleep sounded wonderful right now.

  “Yeah,” I agreed, drawing back. “I’ll do that. Don’t leave without me.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

  I checked on Garret one last time before continuing to the room next door. He was still dead to the world, his breaths slow and deep. I tiptoed out to avoid waking him, walked into my own room and collapsed on my tiny cot in the corner. The lumpy, metal-framed mattress felt like heaven. I was unconscious almost before my head hit the pillow.

  * * *

  A knocking at my door pulled me out of a dead, dreamless sleep. Groping for my phone, I stared blearily at the glowing numbers: 6:42 a.m. Holy crap, it had been seven in the evening when I’d fallen into bed last night. I’d zonked out for nearly twelve hours.

  The knocking came again, probably Riley or Jade, impatient to get on the road. Eighteen hours was a long drive down to Arkansas. I thought of Garret, and felt a stab of worry and guilt for leaving him, but he had been shot and nearly killed less than two weeks ago. He certainly couldn’t come with us.

  “I’m up!” I called, scrambling off the mattress. Jeez, the floor was cold. “I’m coming, just gimme a couple seconds.”

  I ran my fingers through my hair, smoothing it down as best I could. Yawning, I walked to the door and pulled it open.

  It wasn’t Riley. Or Jade.

  “Hey, dragon girl,” Garret said, smiling at me over the threshold. He wore jeans and a white T-shirt, and his short blond hair, clean and brushed back, glinted under the bare bulbs. His metallic-gray eyes were shining as they met mine. “You didn’t think you were going to leave me behind, did you?”

  GARRET

  I shouldn’t be up.

  Not because I felt weak, or because I was still healing. I literally should not be able to stand right now, not with the injury I’d sustained. I’d nearly died; my body had suffered a massive amount of trauma that should have taken weeks, if not months, to fully heal. But last night, I’d woken up groggy and confused, and the air under the sheets had felt like a sauna. Without even thinking about it, I’d swung out of bed and slipped down the hall until I found a room with people in it. When I’d walked through the door, Wes had nearly fallen out of his chair, and Riley had uttered a very emphatic curse.

  “Shit, St. George!” The rogue had given me an incredulous glare. “What the hell are you doing? You want to kill yourself? There is no way you should be up right now.”

  I’d tried to clear my bleary thoughts. Only then had I realized I was shirtless, and my entire chest was wrapped in bandages and gauze. “How long have I been down?”

  “More than a week.” Riley had stalked forward, gold eyes narrowed and appraising. “And truthfully, I have no idea how you’re even standing, unless you’re so delirious you don’t feel anything.”

  Jade had appeared in the doorway, slender brows rising as our gazes met. I’d been surprised, as well; just how much had happened while I was out? “Well,” the Eastern dragon had commented in a wry voice. “According to Riley, I was not expecting to see you for quite some time. But it appears that you are not...what is the saying again? On death’s doorstep, after all.”

  “Like hell he’s not.” It had been Wes’s turn to stalk forward, yank up a chair and grab a first-aid kit from a cabinet. “Sit down, you bloody stubborn bastard, before you tear yourself open. If you die now, that damn hatchling is going to kill something.”

  I’d sunk wordlessly onto the chair as the hacker began cutting gauze from my back and chest. As he’d peeled back the wrappings, cool air had hit my skin, and the human had uttered a breathless curse.

  “Bloody hell, are you kidding me?” I’d felt a cloth brush my skin, right over the wound, but it had barely stung. “Are you seeing this, Riley? Last week, there was a hole the size of a golf ball. Now, bloody nothing.” The rag had swiped my back, a little harder this time, sending a twinge through my side. “This looks like weeks of healing, not a bloody few days. Holy shit. Holy. Shit. Do you realize what this means?”

  I’d twisted in my seat, causing him to fumble with the bandages and swear. “Where’s Ember?” I’d asked, looking around the room. I was still groggy, light-headed and confused. I
hadn’t known where we were, what had happened or why Jade was back. I’d needed answers, but first I needed to see Ember again.

  “Asleep,” Riley had answered. The rogue leader had stood above me with an unreadable expression on his face. “These past few days, the only times she left your room were to use the bathroom, and when I forced her to eat something,” he’d gone on. “You’re not going to wake her up now, St. George. She needs all the sleep she can get before we leave tomorrow.”

  “Leave?” I’d furrowed my brow. “Where are you going?”

  He’d frowned back, and I could tell he was kicking himself for saying that, but Jade had pulled up another chair and sat down beside me, her expression somber.

  “We think Talon is planning something,” she’d said, and proceeded to explain everything that had happened from the time I’d been shot. She’d spoken slowly, answering any questions that I had, and when Wes was finished rebandaging my wound, I’d been almost clearheaded again.

  “I’m coming with you,” I’d told Riley. He’d snorted.

  “Figured that’s what you would say, St. George,” he’d growled, and waved a hand. “Your funeral, of course. I certainly can’t stop you if you want to come along, but you’re going to have to keep up. That won’t be a problem, will it?”

  I’d risen smoothly and felt my back twinge, but it had been forgettable. I’d endured far worse, though I knew I shouldn’t be this recovered. I’d seen soldiers shot in battle many, many times. I knew that one did not get up and walk around a little more than a week after the injury I had sustained. But I was not going to stay behind, not when Ember was rushing straight into danger, again.

  “No,” I’d told the rogue, who’d nodded briskly as if he’d expected it. “No problem at all.”

  * * *

  Ember’s mouth fell open. She stared at me in shock, her eyes huge as they scanned my face. She blinked once, as if making sure I wasn’t an illusion, and then reached for me. I shivered as her fingers curled lightly around my arm.