Bridges Burned (Going Down in Flames #2)(96)

“Something is wrong.” Bryn ran out the door with Rhianna following behind her.

Covered in soot, his clothes singed, Valmont paced in front of the buffet while her grandmother stood off to the side talking on the phone.

“Valmont?” She shot across the room. “What’s happened?”

“Dragon’s Bluff. It’s burning. We need your help.”

“What can I do?” Bryn asked.

“Come back with me. Use your ice to douse the flames.”

“Wait,” her grandmother ordered, then she went back to shouting at someone on the phone.

“Are you hurt?” Bryn ran her hands down his arms, checking for injuries under his soot-blackened shirt.

“I’m fine, but we need to hurry.” His gaze darted to her grandmother.

She was torn. The worry on Valmont’s face ate away at her. She wanted to shift, take flight, and get to Dragon’s Bluff as soon as possible. But her grandmother had told her to wait. And she didn’t want to set off the security system that had almost sliced her to ribbons the last time she’d encountered it.

Her grandmother slammed the phone down. “Word is out. Every available Blue will fly to Dragon’s Bluff as soon as possible.”

“Including us, right?” Bryn’s muscles coiled tight, ready to shift.

“On one condition. You stay with me and follow my orders.” Her grandmother pointed at Valmont. “Are you prepared to fulfill your vow as a knight, to protect my granddaughter at all costs?”

Valmont stood straighter. “Yes.”

“Come this way.” Her grandmother hustled from the room and down a side hall. They ran after her. Rhianna’s uneven stride rang out on the marble floor.

“In here.” Inside the room, armor, lances, and saddles were displayed on the wall. Valmont went straight to a suit of chain mail and slid it on over his shirt. Next he grabbed a lance and tested its weight.

Her grandmother went over to a pair of floor-to-ceiling windows and unhooked latches that allowed the pair to swing open like a set of doors, which happened to be on the third floor of the house.

Bryn shifted. Valmont placed a saddle on her back. It fit between her shoulder blades like it belonged there. He pushed an end table next to Bryn, climbed up, and settled on her back. A ripple of power ran through her body.

“You’re glowing.” Rhianna said.

Must be some sort of magic from their bond. Whatever it was, it felt right.

“Bryn, you need to change your scales to all Blue so someone doesn’t mistake you for the enemy,” her grandmother said.

Bryn closed her eyes, sent a silent apology to her father for abandoning his heritage, and imagined her scales changing from red with blue tips to solid blue. She opened her eyes and looked to her grandmother for assurance.

“Good. Now stay in tight formation. The security system has been disarmed in the south corner.” Her grandmother launched herself out into the night sky. Rhianna went next.

“I’m ready,” Valmont said.

Bryn dived out into the darkness, catching the updraft. A strange energy flowed through her veins, making her feel invincible. The scent of smoke hit her nostrils and sparks drifted through the sky.

Her grandmother’s pace left Rhianna falling behind. Bryn slowed.

“No,” Rhianna growled. “Go on.”

Bryn caught up to her grandmother while keeping a lookout for enemies. How would she tell friend from foe? “Valmont, did you see who did this?”

“No. They took out our communications system first. Then the fireballs came. By the time we figured it out…” His voice broke. “Those of us with cars took off to seek help.”

Fire roared inside her body, and that was not what she needed now. Snow. Think snow and ice and cold. She focused on the fire inside her body and changed it to frozen flames.

They cleared the forest. Blue dragons dove through the air, shooting sleet and snow at houses. Her grandmother veered left, to an area of homes engulfed in flames. Bryn followed, exhaling sleet at a cottage roof, beating back the flames. She continued on, house after house. The soot and smoke drifted thick in the air, stinging her eyes and blurring her vision.

Shapes darted through the sky blasting ice and fire, while she followed along behind her grandmother exhaling sleet to douse the flames.

“Dive,” Valmont shouted.

Obeying her knight’s order was pure instinct. Tucking her wings to her side, she sped toward the street. Fire blasted the area she’d occupied moments before. Banking and twisting to the right, she shot frozen flames at the Red dragon circling above her. He dodged left, wobbled and then rolled back toward her, with one wing iced over.

Inhaling, she blasted him again, aiming for his free wing. The Red roared in frustration, flailing and flapping his wings to break the ice.

And she didn’t know what to do next. She wanted to drive him away, not kill him. Taking another breath, she prepared to blast him again.

Out of nowhere another Blue swooped in, bit down on the Red’s neck and roared in triumph as blood filled the sky and rained down on her and Valmont.

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. She was going to be sick.

“Bryn,” Valmont yelled. “Over there.”

She turned and saw a woman clutching a baby to her chest, surrounded by walls of flame. Saving people. That she could do. Exhaling sleet, she doused the flames on one side, giving the woman an escape route. Screams came from her right. Two girls huddled together under a tree that was on fire. A man rolled on the ground, his clothes aflame. She sprayed the man with sleet and then moved on to the girls.